Chapter 9 #2
“If we’re fully booked, yeah,” she noted, and stopped in front of the last door on the right. “The rooms aren’t done yet, but you can have a look.”
“Would love to!”
That wasn’t a lie. I’d never been in a hostel before.
My family had always had enough money to stay in nice hotels, and as a top-ten tennis player, the organizers always put you up in an expensive hotel.
I opened the door and fumbled for the light switch.
The room was surprisingly large and had been painted the same colors as the entrance.
White and turquoise. It mainly consisted of two identical bunk beds without any mattresses and a wardrobe.
Above the window was a curtain rod. The curtain itself was MIA.
As we continued, she pointed out the bathrooms, the shared shower, and the laundry room.
“Does it keep on going upstairs?” I asked, pointing to the stairs at the end of the hall.
Laurie shook her head. “That goes to Vince’s apartment. I told him that he really needs to come up with something before the opening if he doesn’t want people to be tumbling into his bedroom at night.”
“Does that mean he…wants to keep living here? After the opening?”
She laughed. “Of course, where else is he supposed to go?”
I blushed. “No idea… Somehow I just thought…” I shook my head. “And that doesn’t bother him? I mean, sharing his home with so many strangers?”
“Apparently not.” She shrugged. “Jim managed somehow.” She grinned. “And my family and I were the strangers.”
I refrained from admitting I already knew that and smiled.
We turned to the right and stepped into the common room, which, again, was the same color as the rest of the hostel.
Thanks to the exposed roof truss, the room had a cozy feel.
And it really brought out the wooden floor.
A gray fabric couch was tucked into the corner, a TV was standing on a low shelf covered with books and board games, and there was a sizable dining table with space for at least ten people.
Judging by the grayish tone of the wood, the table as well as the chairs were as old as the house itself.
I was about to run my hand across the top when Laurie called out, “Stop!”
Startled, I jerked my hand back.
“Sorry. It’s just…that table is tetanus on four legs. It’s still got to be sanded and varnished. Just like the chairs.”
She waved the wine bottle. “I’m going to get us some glasses and a corkscrew.
” She disappeared into the next room before I could tell her that I didn’t drink.
Well, not during training at least. I was watching her go indecisively when someone slid the patio door open from the outside and a dark, curly haired guy stepped through.
“Hey,” he said warmly before disappearing in the direction of the bathroom.
The sound of a guitar drifted in. I recognized the song immediately.
“Ho Hey” by the Lumineers. With a smile, I listened to the melody start off nice and slow then grow faster and faster.
Without even noticing, I’d moved to the door and scanned the terrace.
It had been draped in string lights, and Chinese lanterns, rocking softly back and forth in the evening breeze, had been hung in the trees.
These were rounded out by a few candles and a firepit.
To my right a generous buffet had been set up with plates full of Kalua pork, ribs, chicken wings, seafood, and bowls of coleslaw, potatoes, and corn on the cob.
To my left people were sitting around listening to the music.
The guitarist had his back to me, but I could immediately tell it was Vince.
Unnoticed by the others, I leaned against the doorframe and bobbed my head to the rhythm.
The lone woman in the group—I could only see her in profile, but her hair was long and dark—began to sing along.
Cautiously at first, then more and more emotionally.
Vince tilted his head in her direction and smiled, and I felt a prick of completely irrational jealousy in my chest.
“So, Kay Diamond’s your godmother.” I hadn’t noticed Chip sidling up to me. “Weren’t your mom and her constant competitors?”
“Just on the court. In private, they were best friends.”
“Hmm. And now she’s your trainer?”
“Temporarily. I’m training for the US Open here. And you? What are you doing here?”
“I live here. Grew up on the North Shore.”
“Oh,” I said, truly surprised. “I didn’t know you were from Hawaii.”
“My folks moved here from Santa Monica when Dad got his district captain position at Ocean Safety.”
He seemed to notice that I didn’t really follow.
“He’s a lifeguard. Was a lifeguard. These days, he primarily sits in an air-conditioned office coming up with schedules.” He made a face that led me to believe it was something he regularly teased his father about.
The song was just coming to an end when Laurie showed back up with the wine and two glasses. I looked at her apologetically.
“I’ve got to tell you something. I don’t drink. I just grabbed a bottle off Kay’s wine rack so that I wouldn’t show up empty-handed.”
She took it completely in stride. “Coke? Water? Iced tea?”
I followed her index finger to a tub filled with crushed ice, bottles, and cans. She handed Chip the glass she’d brought for me. “You want some”—she looked at the label and managed—“sauvignon blanc?”
“Off Kay Diamond’s wine rack? You’re goddamn right I do,” I heard him say, but didn’t really know how to interpret it.
While Laurie filled his glass, I made my way over to the tub and pulled out a bottle of water. Aloha Maid was written across it in big letters. Vince had retuned and was now starting to play George Ezra’s “Hold My Girl.”
“So, should I warm up a couple of spareribs for you?” Laurie asked once I was standing next to her and Chip again. “They’re really good.” She looked at the buffet. “The chicken wings too. They’re a bit spicy though.”
Embarrassed, I narrowed my eyes. “I already ate at home.”
This time around she wasn’t as nonchalant. She looked at me a little apprehensively before saying, “No problem,” and smiling. “Maybe you’ll be hungry a little later.”
I nodded a bit awkwardly. It definitely wasn’t the moment to add that I couldn’t stay long.
When I moved over to join the others, Vince frowned.
Maybe it was a coincidence. In any event, I noticed.
The obligatory round of introductions was partly drowned out by his guitar playing, but I learned that the girl with the deep-brown hair was called Pili.
Next to her was Milo, the guy who’d come through the patio door earlier, and another guy named Brody who looked like he came straight out of a surf magazine.
Though I had to admit that that was true of every guy out on the terrace.
Probably the combination of sun-kissed skin, tousled hair, and sinewy limbs.
“You still owe me a story,” Laurie said over the rim of her wineglass. “You and Chip?”
“Oh, that.” I grinned and looked over. He was next to Vince, playing around on his phone. “There’s really not all that much to tell. We’ve met. He wanted my number, and I… I intentionally gave him a false one.”
Laurie’s eyes widened. “You intentionally gave that guy there”—she nodded to her left—“a fake number?”
“Yep,” I replied at the exact same moment she hissed, “But he is so hot!”
“He is,” I admitted.
“So, what’s the problem?”
“The problem is that he knows it.”
Laurie tilted her head and looked at him. At the exact same moment, he looked up from his phone and grinned.
“Yep, he knows it,” Laurie said dryly, and we burst out laughing. So loudly that we attracted Vince’s attention. He shot us a severe glance. Laurie exaggeratedly lifted her hands apologetically. “Sorry, Jack Johnson.”
He rolled his eyes in big-brother fashion before returning to his guitar. It looked a bit worn. Its light-brown body was covered in tattered stickers. My eyes darted back to Vince’s face. A few strands of hair had fallen over his forehead, but they didn’t seem to bother him.
“You should give him your number,” Laurie whispered.
“Vince?”
“Not Vince!” She made a face. “Chip!”
“Chip. Of course,” I mumbled in embarrassment, and cleared my throat. Thankful for her not digging into my lapse, I added, “No way.”
“It’d be the perfect summer fling.”
“The last thing I need is a summer fling.” I took the occasion to explain to Laurie why I was actually on Oahu. She didn’t seem unimpressed, but didn’t seem particularly moved either, which probably had to do with the fact that she didn’t know the first thing about tennis.
“I didn’t know who your godmother was either, to be honest,” she added bluntly. “I had to google her.” She twirled her glass. “But, hey, at least I don’t have to worry about your health anymore now.”
“Hmm?”
“Well, peeps like you showing up at a barbecue and saying they ate at home and then sticking to water the whole night usually make me suspicious.”
“Peeps like me?”
She cocked her right eyebrow. “Hello? I saw you in a bikini.”
I stared at her blankly.
“You fishing for compliments or something? You look like a fucking fitness model!”
“Nonsense,” I replied with a dismissive gesture, feeling my cheeks grow warm.
My pocket began to vibrate. I pulled out my phone.
“Cristiano Ronaldo’s calling; he wants his abs back.”
Seeing Kay’s name blinking at me, I could only give her a half smile. “I’ve got to take this.”
“You can go to my room, if you don’t want to be bothered. Up the stairs to the right.”