Chapter 15
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
KOA
“Food delivery!” Kahiau called out as he entered Koa’s home. Well Tutu, Koa, and Mia’s home.
Mia had lived with them for such a short time and yet it felt like where she belonged.
“Sam Sato?” Koa guessed based on the incredible aroma as well as the takeout containers.
“Yup,” K.J. said as he entered behind his dad, Lana was the last to join them.
“Where’s Tutu?” Lana asked.
“Taking a nap,” Koa replied, trying to sound unbothered. But his grandmother wasn’t the kind to take naps. She had always attacked life with relish. He knew it made sense that she was slowing down. But it didn’t mean Koa liked to see it.
“We saw Aunty Mia and Aunty Nat at lunch,” K.J. said as he flopped onto Tutu’s floral print couch.
“Oh yeah?” Koa said, hating how even to his own ears his voice perked with interest.
But it was only because he had a crush. And he was anxious about meeting his crush’s best friend. According to Mia, Nat was a force of nature.
“Yeah,” Kahiau said, the teasing in his voice unmistakable.
“Give him a break,” Lana said as she swatted her husband. “Unless he isn’t going to ask her out soon. Then tease him all you want.” Lana directed a glare at Koa.
Koa shook his head, turning his attention to the food so he could avoid his sister-in-law’s pointed look.
“It’s not that easy,” Koa said as he opened a bag and took out a container of noodles and then a bowl of the broth that was served on the side.
“The beef sticks are at the bottom,” Kahiau said, letting Koa know they hadn’t forgotten his favorite part of the meal.
“Thanks,” Koa replied, but his mind wasn’t on the food. Try as he might, he couldn’t get Mia off of his mind. Especially now that Lana had brought up asking her out. What was it with everyone in his life pushing him? He wasn’t ready for that next move.
Right?
“Why not?” Lana asked, taking a seat at the table with Koa as K.J. turned on cartoons.
“What if she goes back to the mainland?” Koa asked.
“You mean like Talia?” Lana didn’t hesitate to get to the crux of the matter.
Koa nodded.
“One, although I have to admit they have quite the physical resemblance, Mia is nothing like Talia. Your ex-fiancé could not have been more self-centered. Mia is an elementary school teacher who loves her kids and has already started taking Tutu to the grocery store.”
She had? Why didn’t Koa know about this?
“But she’s from the mainland,” Koa pressed.
“Yeah, she is. And guess what? The chances of heartbreak in a relationship? Pretty dang high. Because it only works out with one person. Some get lucky and find that person early in life,” Lana glanced at her husband who she’d been dating since they were fourteen.
The perfect high school romance. “But others have to kiss a few frogettes…”
“Pretty sure that’s not a thing…” Koa began but stopped speaking at the glare his sister-in-law gave him.
“She might break your heart, Koa. That’s dating. That’s part of finding the right love. Do you think people choose love because it’s safe?” Lana asked.
Koa shrugged. This conversation was Love 301 and he still hadn’t passed Love 101.
“No. Love is never safe. I’ve put all of my trust in Kahiau. He could break it at any moment. He could, heaven forbid, pass away. He could decide he no longer loves me. Yet every morning I wake up and I decide to love him. And I pray to God that he decides the same.”
Wow. With those simple words, Koa realized he really hadn’t experienced true love. And though it scared him to his core, there was also something so incredibly appealing about it.
“You just have to decide if that person you are going to take the risk on is worth it. Is Mia worth a date? Is she worth a few more? Is she worth the chance that your heart might be broken? You don’t have to answer all of those questions today, but as you move along in your relationship, they’ll keep coming.
Loving someone with your whole soul is the most beautiful of life’s experiences.
Not because it’s easy. But because it’s worth it. ”
Lana blinked away tears as her husband took her hand.
Koa had to look away as they shared a look, the private moment between them
sacred.
“So you’re saying I should ask her out?” Koa said with a cheeky grin.
“I’m saying you should stop being a scaredy cat. Take that how you will,” Lana teased.
“Ha-ha,” Koa said with a roll of his eyes.
“Be brave, Uncle Koa!” K.J. said as he stood on the couch, flexing his tiny little arms.
Great, if his nephew had overheard all of that, Koa needed to ask Mia out ASAP before K.J. spilled his secrets.
On top of that, Lana was right. Before Koa had known if Mia was worth the risk of breaking his heart, he’d had an excuse not to ask her out. But now he had no excuses. Because he knew Mia was one of the most incredible women he’d ever met.
Besides, if he didn’t ask Mia out soon, by the way they were all acting, someone in his life was going to do it for him.
“K.J. can you help me with something?” Koa asked.
K.J. jumped off of the couch, beaming.
Finally feeling ready, it was time for Koa to get to work.
MIA
Mia hadn’t planned on staying out for so long, but after lunch they’d gone to Nat’s new place, and it had only made sense for Mia to help Nat unpack.
That led to realizing that there were still quite a few things Nat would need, so Mia took her to the grocery store.
Thankfully, the studio had been clean and furnished, so none of the purchased items were bigger than Mia’s sedan’s trunk.
Seven hours later, after lots of shopping, arranging, and unpacking, they were both pooped.
Mia was pretty sure Nat had fallen asleep before Mia had even left her new apartment.
Mia opened the screen door quietly, not wanting to wake Tutu or Koa. If Koa was home. She hadn’t seen the man in days and didn’t like the way she was missing him. Especially since she was now in the friend-zone. Friends didn’t miss friends the way she was missing Koa.
She froze when she saw a giant arrangement of lilies in a colorful vase on the kitchen table. The purple blooms were magnificent. Did someone know these were her favorite flower?
She scoffed to herself. Who was to say these were for her?
Mia walked a few steps closer to the flowers and saw a small white envelope nestled in the blooms.
Mia
So they were for her?
Mia snatched the card out of the flowers, her heart beating fast.
Will you go out with me?
Yes
No
Maybe?
Put a check next to your answer.
P.S.: K.J. said this was the best way to ask you out.
P.P.S.: Don’t answer until you go to your room.
Mia laughed softly as she ran to her room. Upon opening the door, the scent of the flowers was the first thing to hit her. It would have been overwhelming if it weren’t her favorite smell. Dozens upon dozens of lilies decorated her room.
Lilies reminded her of her parents. Mia had grown up knowing it was a funeral flower but not caring.
They made her happy. And most of all they made her mom happy.
Her dad would bring a bouquet for them every Friday evening before they ordered out for pizza.
The tradition was one of the things Mia missed most. And here Koa was giving her a piece of it back.
She noticed another white envelope on her desk.
A little birdie might have told me that you love lilies and pizza. So now you can have it all. You’ve seen all of the lilies, and if you say yes to our date, I promise I’ll take you out for pizza. And a helicopter ride. Please say you’ll go out with me Mia?
Yes
Please check one of the above.
Mia laughed loudly as she dropped the card on the desk. It was perfect. And even as much as she liked Koa, it wasn’t perfect just because of him, it was perfect because Nat had apparently helped him. Meaning her best friend approved of this man. Something Mia’s ex had never accomplished.
Wait, had Nat known about this? Was this why she was so sure Koa was going to ask her out?
How had Koa gotten Nat’s phone number?
Mia was so confused. Yet she knew one thing.
Pushing away her fears that this could all go wrong, that she would be left with no place to live, that she was recently divorced, that things were moving too fast, she sat at her desk.
She opened her desk drawer, pulled out a pen, and held the card.
She stared at it for a moment, the smile on her face so big that it actually hurt, but she couldn’t help it. She was just so happy.
Yes