Better vs. Worse

Chapter 2-1

Chapter Two

I stayed around the edges of the reception all night. The alcohol was flowing freely thanks to Alvin’s heavy-handedness and a line of limos ready to take the entire wedding back to their hotels. The few times I caught sight of Kiki, she was smiling, so it was a good night.

As long as I ignored the beautiful woman flirting with every male in the place. Except me, of course. She steered clear of me.

I did my job and tried not to notice. I smiled at the bridesmaids, barely noticing how attractive they were. I handed out food and drinks and cleared tables and directed people to the bathroom. I smiled and put on a happy face.

And I wanted to kill myself.

Did she have to flirt with every guy? I mean, really? Every one. She was dating someone.

“You’re looking awfully annoyed tonight,” Jack said by way of hello. “What has your attention so snared? Or should I say who?”

Jack followed my gaze and snickered.

“Ah, I see. What has my dear friend done that has you so focused on her?”

I didn’t answer Jack knowing his loyalties lied squarely at Ada’s feet instead of mine. I had no fantasies that anyone was on my side in this.

“She looks good for a woman who was gone for weeks. Did she tell you where she was?”

I shook my head.

“I think the volcano was good for her.”

“Volcano?” I blurted.

Jack grinned that damn smile that said he knew I was thirsty for any bit of information I could get about her.

“She said she spent some time at the volcano. A friend has a house or something. She was relaxing and enjoying her time there. Went to the spa and hiking and got her head on straight from what she told me. I wonder what had her so twisted up. Any ideas, Kapena? Because I’m thinking it wasn’t David.”

“Screw you, Jack.”

“Be careful. I might take you up on that,” Jack joked.

I rolled my eyes at him and walked away. The volcano. Ada spent weeks at the volcano. With a friend. Who was the friend? David? Jack didn’t say that, but maybe she was. Was she f*****g him while she was trying to figure out how she felt about me?

No. I shook my head. I had no right to be upset with her. If she was there with David, she had every right to be. He was her boyfriend.

“You okay?” Sawyer asked as he walked past me, camera in hand.

I nodded and kept going. I needed a break from watching Ada and disappearing seemed to be the only way to get it.

The water lapped gently at the shore, tempting me in ways only the ocean or a woman could. I kicked off my shoes and stepped into the water. Just the feel of it hitting my skin calmed me. I took a few steps into the surf, the familiar pull sinking in deep.

Surfing was a way of life in Hawaii. Everyone surfed. It was the way I connected with my father as a kid, and a source of contention when I grew up. It became one of the few things I was able to hold on to after he died. We didn’t live a lavish life growing up. My parents worked hard, but Hawaii was always expensive. Surfing was cheap, though. All you needed was a board and a beach. So we surfed.

Standing in the water reminded me of my parents. They were out there somewhere, entombed in a plane at the bottom of the ocean. It killed me to know they died that way, but they were together, and that would have made it easier on both of them.

Nothing about losing them was easy on me. Not getting the phone call that they were gone, or telling Kiki, or dealing with everything that came with the responsibility of being the only adult left in our family. I never regretted the choice I made to give up my shot at being a pro surfer to take care of Kiki, but I’ll never stop regretting how I left things with my father the last time we spoke. Right before he got on the plane.

In my darkest moments, I wondered if I would have been good enough for Ada if they’d survived and I’d made it as a pro surfer, but I’d never know the answer to that question.

“What are you doing down here?” Ada asked from behind me.

I spun to face her, taken aback once again by how beautiful she was. The moonlight reflected off her silver gown. Shadows accented her curves, curves I wanted to trace with my fingertips, and my tongue. Her hair blew in the breeze, whipping back from her face to expose her neck to me.

But above all was her eyes. Those eyes drew me in as they always did. My mother used to say she could see the truth in our eyes and knew when we were lying. With Ada, I could see everything in her eyes. Love, heartbreak, a future, a past.

“I’ll go,” she said, turning to walk away and breaking the connection that rendered me mute.

“No, don’t.”

She turned slowly and met my gaze. Her arms crossed over her chest, waiting for me to say something.

Except I had no idea what to say. I just didn’t want her to go.

She huffed, dropped her arms, and stormed off, leaving me on the beach.

I rolled my eyes at myself and chased her back to the party. By the time I got there, she was sitting at a table with another guy, looking far too cozy for my conscience.

I huffed out a deep breath and headed for the bar. The party was winding down. Kiki wouldn’t mind if I had a drink.

“You still working?” Alvin asked when I leaned against the edge and asked for a beer.

“Yeah, why?”

“Kiki said not to serve anyone during work hours.”

“Even me?”

Alvin shrugged. “Sorry, dude. She’s the boss.”

I groaned and pushed away from the bar. Nothing was going my way.

An hour and no alcohol later, the bride and groom finally headed to the limo waiting for them. They were both smiling, and walking, which meant the night was a success. Kiki would be happy. And maybe let me finally have a drink.

“Can you stay and clean up?” Kiki asked when she appeared at my side. “Usually the waiters help out, but if you’ve got to run, I can handle it.”

I shook my head. “I can help. Can I get a beer first?”

“If you get hurt, it’s my a*s, so no.”

“You’re joking, right?” I asked.

“Hey, Kiki,” Ada interrupted us. “I’m going to head out, okay?”

Kiki smiled at Ada and nodded. They hugged, exchanging whispers that left them both smiling sadly.

“Say hi to David for me,” Kiki said as Ada released her.

Ada nodded. “I will. I’ll see you soon.”

Ada walked away without a glance at me. She held her head high, but I could see the tension in her shoulders. It killed me that she was so upset, and I couldn’t do anything about it.

But another man would.