Page 20 of This Could be Love

“He’s a lifeguard.Wasa 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 Maidwas 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. “Youintentionallygave that guy there”—she nodded to her left—“a fake number?”

“Yep,” I replied at the exact same moment she hissed, “But he issohot!”

“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 seemunimpressed, 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?”