Page 63 of Almost Not Quite Engaged

“I can’t stop touching you.”

“I’m fine with it.” I flip over and lay on top of him. “Don’t you need more sleep?”

His lips find mine again. I do believe I’ve kissed this man more in the last nine hours than Chad in the last nine months. “You know me, I can sleep anywhere, I’ll be fine. I upgraded, there’s a flat bed. All good. It’s like a fourteen hour flight to Hong Kong. Meeting Liesel & Bill for a quick sleep, then we’ll all catch a flight the next day out to Dhaka.”

“Then I have nothing to worry about. I get to tire you out as much as I like.”

“At least for the next two and a half hours.”

“That’s plenty of time.” I grind into him.

“One more for the road.”

“Can we do it right here?”

“We have a choice of sand bed or cake bed. I choose here.” I drop my robe and we unite in a slow and satisfying way not in the frenzy of the cart or cake. The rhythm of the tide matching our own.

And neither of us says a word. All snark and sass gone. Just this.

It’s after one pm before I wake up. I’ve missed all phone calls and knocks at the door. I only woke up when I heard the quiet snick of the door as it closed, and I clocked that he was gone.

Chapter 29

The Ghost Goodbye

KAT

Maui

I roll over and see what I should’ve expected. Lying on his pillow is my first postcard.

Our Villa’s Patio. Postcard #1

Katydid,

Get your guilt under control. You were dead ass asleep because I rode your ass all night. HA! Sleep. Everyone thinks you’re gone but I booked the room an extra night if you want to stay. Or at least sleep well past check out. The bill goes to me, not my parents. No guilt. Your plane ticket is completely refundable and you can move it around as you like. I sent it to your phone.

Next card won’t be as perfunctory. Order a car to the airport and it’ll go to the room. Get home safely. I don’t expect you to understand why I’m doing this, but you need to understand why you’re doing it. Our parents will be fine. Tuck your second guesses away.

You’re incredibly good at sex, just FYI. Needed to state that for the official record. Good lord my dick is tired. There’s a present for you in the kitchen.

I’ll write. Thank you, and you’re welcome.

Take care my sexy beast,

Squire

I’m shocked and dismayed at how easy it was to leave me. I want to know without a shadow of a doubt that he’s a dick. And once again he disappoints me by being gray.

I take some deep breaths and inhale Zane. I’m still wearing his Wilco shirt. I tear into the kitchen to see my present. I burst into a torrent of tears. It’s a toss-up whether I’m incredibly touched or surprised he might be this guy.

I peel myself off the floor and fixate on my endowment, my new camera. He left me the camera that means nothing to him but everything to me.

The plane lands with a thud and the gray of New York is in stark contrast to the vibrant warmth I’ve lived in for the last couple days. I finger the velvet ilima flower from the lei I wore last night in my bag. It’s orange and he picked it because it wasn’t the bright purple or the orchids or the white of the plumeria but said it was unique.

I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to bring a flower home. I love flowers, especially wild ass flowers that grow wherever they damn please. I also carefully transported my ten joined flower couples in ziplock bags. A five star hotel really will get you anything you ask for.

I crawl into Skipper the RV in my sister’s driveway, and drift off to sleep with the memory and sound of the ocean and his slight snoring.