Chapter 16
CHAPTER
SIXTEEN
MIA
Mia smoothed down the front of her blouse.
“Stop fidgeting,” Nat directed sternly.
Mia couldn’t help it. She’d never been so gosh-darned nervous in her whole life.
“My throat keeps closing up,” Mia said, before expelling a long breath.
“It’s just a date, Mia,” Nat said, coming to stand beside Mia in front of Nat’s full length mirror.
It had been two days since Koa had asked her out. Mia’s room was still full of gorgeous lilies, and she’d barely checked yes.
She’d slid the card under her door out into the hallway the night he’d asked, and when she’d opened her bedroom door to go to church the next morning, another card was in its place.
Pick you up tomorrow at Nat’s at 1pm.
And Koa was nowhere to be found for the rest of the day.
Tutu had invited Mia to join them at church, so Mia might have seen him then, but she had already promised Nat they’d attend the congregation in her new neighborhood.
So she hadn’t seen him at home and she hadn’t seen him at church.
Then Nat had convinced Mia to spend the night with her since there was no school the next day, so she’d never gone back home.
And that brought her to now, without having seen Koa in forever and about to lose her ever-loving mind if Koa didn’t show up soon.
“Do you think the shorts are too casual?” Mia asked.
She’d brought nearly her entire closet down to Nat’s and she’d tried on practically everything Nat owned as well.
They’d settled on Mia’s favorite pair of dark wash jean shorts that made her butt look awesome and a white slip tank.
If she had been on the mainland she might have gone with a sundress or jeans but the first felt too formal for Hawaii’s casual dress code and the second would have her sweating all afternoon.
“For the tenth time, no,” Nat said as she pulled Mia into a side hug. “You look gorgeous and perfect. I promise.”
Mia wished she could have half the confidence Nat had. Mia still hadn’t found her footing after Koa’s grand gesture to ask her out. Mia had been so sure that she’d been friend-zoned only for him to ask her out in the most beautiful way. And now they were about to go on the most perfect first date.
It felt like the only thing that could ruin things was her. And Mia really, really didn’t want to ruin this.
A knock sounded at the door, and Mia had the insane urge to hide behind Nat’s couch.
“It’s just a crush, remember,” Nat said lightly before going to the door.
Mia wasn’t ready. She couldn’t do this. She was going to ruin it.
The door opened.
Though Mia loved the surf-short-and-tee look Koa often sported, she was equally enamored with this new version of Koa. This man wore chino shorts and a white button up, the sleeves rolled up to show off his beautiful forearms.
“Swoony,” Nat mouthed from behind the door.
Mia forgot Nat had yet to meet Koa, and apparently he hadn’t disappointed in the first impressions department.
“You look beautiful,” Koa said as he gave Mia yet another bouquet. This one was of a more tropical variety, something that looked like it could have been picked in the backyards along the seashore. They would fit in perfectly with the lilies already in her room. Mia loved them.
“Thank you.” Mia had never felt so shy in her life. But it was silly. This was Koa. He literally lived across a hallway from her. He’d saved her life. Then he’d called her a silly tourist. Then she’d treated him with disdain when he’d come to her classroom. They’d overcome all that and more.
So why did she feel like she was going to pass out?
Nat stepped out from behind the door.
Right, they hadn’t met. She needed to introduce them. She could do that.
“Nat, this is Koa. Koa this is my best friend, Nat,” Mia said and only felt a little lightheaded. She’d call that a win.
“Nice to meet you,” Nat said as the two gave each other hugs and a light kiss on the cheek. Not the thing Paka had done to her.
Nat stepped back so that she was behind Koa and mouthed, “So hot!”
Mia had to agree.
“Well you two have a great time. Don’t keep her out too late. I’ll be checking in with Tutu to make sure you get her home safe,” Nat teased as she sent them out her door.
Mia handed Nat her flowers before Nat could close the door behind them.
And they were on their date.
Mia now regretted handing off her flowers because her now empty hands didn’t know what to do. Did she fold her arms? Clasp them behind her back?
She hadn’t been on a date in six years.
Sure she’d gone out with her husband, but after the first few months of marriage he’d stopped courting her. They went out to dinner because it was convenient, not as a date. They often planned fun things with their friends but not with just one another. Why was she thinking about her ex?
Mia felt the barest of a fingertip brush against her soft palm, her mouth went dry at the tiny contact, and her head felt like it might very well float away.
Suddenly, Koa’s large hand engulfed hers, bringing her back to the moment and showing her the perfect thing to do with her hands.
Her heart skipped before flip-flopping. Was the simple touch of two hands supposed to have this kind of an impact on her?
“So I’m thinking pizza, then the helicopter ride?” Koa said as he gently squeezed her fingers.
He knew she needed grounding and he was doing just that.
“Wait, you were for real about the helicopter?” Mia said, her eyes going wide.
“I never joke about helicopters.” Koa smiled.
“How did you get us a helicopter tour on such short notice?” Mia said with a surprised shake of her head.
“I know a guy.”
Mia laughed, feeling some of the tension in her shoulders slide away. Of course, he knew a guy. This was Koa. Her Koa.
“I have a feeling you know a guy for quite a few things,” Mia replied.
Koa nodded. “I’ve got a tractor guy, a limo guy, a rental car girl, a police car guy, a small plane girl, and a race car girl. Oh yeah, and a lawn mower guy.”
Mia laughed once more.
He led her to his truck, and soon they were on their way, driving down Hana Highway toward Paia.
Okay, they had made it past the first greetings, the initial banter, and were now on their way to their date.
And Mia had yet to ruin things. No, scratch that, she wouldn’t ruin things.
She could do this. But what were they supposed to talk about now?
She already knew so much about him. Usually, first dates were getting to know yous but they already lived together.
“What’s your go-to first date move?” Mia asked and then wished she hadn’t. She didn’t want to know what he did for other women.
Koa raised an eyebrow as if that was the last question he’d been expecting.
Me and you both, buddy, Mia wanted to say.
“You don’t have to tell me. I’m not sure why I asked that. It’s just we already know so much about each other and we’re on a first date. The question kind of just came out.”
Koa smiled. “This kind of feels like it’s a bigger deal than it should be, huh?”
Mia nodded immediately. “I feel like you’ve done everything right, and I’ve done nothing at all…”
Koa laughed. “I wasn’t joking about it being K.J.’s idea for the note. And Nat was the one to give me almost every other idea. I knew I wanted to ask you out with flowers but she said lilies and pizza.”
“But how did you even talk to Nat?” Mia asked.
“I guess K.J. got her number before they left Sam Sato’s after lunch. I’m pretty sure my little nephew has a giant crush.”
“He has good taste,” Mia said with a smile.
“It’s not bad. But I prefer brunettes with teaching degrees.”
“Oh yeah?” Mia asked, suddenly the weight of all this gone from her shoulders. “What about them makes them so preferable?”
Was she flirting?
“Not them. Her. Just you.”
Mia held her breath, her stomach and heart battling to see which could react more to Koa’s words.
“And my buddy owns the helicopter we’ll be going up in. So basically my only contributions to this date were my terrible handwriting and the choice of flowers today.”
“I loved those. They reminded me of sunset on the beach.”
“Exactly. Those flowers were me and the lilies are you. Different but they somehow work together, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Mia answered because what more could she say to something so poetic.
Koa smiled before pulling into a parking spot in front of a cute little storefront that read Flatbread Pizza Company.
“Some of my favorite pizza on the island.”
“Okay, okay. But we’ll see how it stacks up to Washington’s finest,” Mia joked as Koa opened her truck door to let her out.
“You Washingtonians are known for your pizza?” Koa shot right back.
Mia grinned at their banter. “Duh. Italy, New York, Chicago, and Washington state. It’s almost as good as our Seahawks.”
“No, don’t tell me you’re a Seattle fan,” Koa said as he opened the door to the pizza place, the literal perfect gentleman.
“Koa, I’m from Washington. What did you expect?” Mia said as they were seated at a table near the wood burning-stove. Always a good sign at a pizza place.
“I don’t know. Maybe some taste? You do like me after all.”
Mia gasped, trying not to smile. “That last part is feeling pretty debatable right now. And who, Mr. Taste, is your football team?”
“Bang bang niner gang,” Koa said with a pump of his eyebrows.
“The 49ers?! That’s it. This isn’t going to work,” Mia stood.
Koa laughed. “It’s not quite football season yet. Maybe we make a go of it for now, and then when the season starts, we say goodbye?”
“Sounds like the only reasonable solution to me,” Mia said, sitting back down, biting her lip after she spoke to keep her smile from cracking.
A waiter came up to their table. “What can I get for you guys?”
“Oh, shoot, I didn’t look at the menu. What’s good here?” Mia asked.
“Everything,” the waiter and Koa said in unison.
“Do you like kalua pig?” Koa asked.
Mia shrugged. That was one island classic she had yet to try.
“How do you feel about pork?” Koa asked.
“I like it in my belly.” Mia replied.