Chapter 4
Trevor
It was Wednesday, five days since I had seen Caroline, and I was still sitting at my desk trying to get her off of my mind. I was completely blown away by how hot and amazing she was, how she got me to dance, how she got me to loosen up and dream of something other than Cogent Technologies for once. No one had ever been able to do that. The company was my life, even more so sometimes than Brandt who actually owned the damn thing. This girl was doing something crazy to me, and I couldn’t figure out if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
I looked down at the time and realized I had a meeting to get to. I headed down to the conference room and inched my way through the staff to my seat. I nodded at Brandt, and we began the meeting. I wanted to say that I was on track, that my mind was right there with the speaker, but it wasn’t. In fact, I didn’t even notice when they changed over to Brandt speaking. Instead, I was on the beach in Hawaii, rubbing suntan lotion on Caroline’s perfect body. I could feel the waves lapping at our feet as her sun-kissed skin moved beneath my palms.
“Trevor,” Brandt said, forcefully. “Earth to Trevor.”
“Huh? Oh, sorry, sir, what was the question?”
“First of all, don’t call me sir, not in a room full of people. It’s weird,” he said, scrunching his eyebrows at me. “What were the initial numbers on the new AI release?”
“Oh, it was seventy-two million,” I said, clearing my throat.
“Thank you,” he said. “So, you see people …”
Brandt’s voice trailed off again, and I looked over out the window, seeing the city laid out before me. I couldn’t get this girl off my mind. It was incredibly distracting, but there was something about her that took my breath away. I had never let a girl inside of my head like that, not even for a couple of seconds. This girl was doing circles around my brain like she’d danced around me in the apartment that night. I could still hear Fleetwood Mac playing in the background sending electricity into my chest. Her wild blond waves flew around her as her skirt did the same. It was amazing to watch and even more amazing to participate in.
When the meeting was over, I went to the bathroom, splashed some water on my face, and gave myself a pep talk in the mirror until someone else walked in. I dried off my face and headed back to my office where I plopped down in my chair and moved the mouse back and forth on the desk. I stared down at the stack of files I needed to sign off on, not having the motivation or strength to pull myself out of this haze I was in.
“Knock, knock,” Brandt said from the doorway. “You busy?”
“No.” I straightened in my chair. “Come on in.”
“Sooo, you’ve been acting strange,” Brandt pointed out. “You’ve walked around the office in a daze the last few days, and you haven’t harassed me once about drinks at happy hour. What’s going on?”
“I’ve gone and done it,” I said, shaking my head. “I became you.”
“I’d have to say that it doesn’t sound like something that awful.” He laughed.
“Not the happy-go-lucky, has-everything-he-wants you but the pre-finding-Emma, going crazy, being-a-super-sleuth-detective you,” I said, rubbing my face. “The miserable, everybody hates me, my life is a wreck, the—”
“Okay, okay,” he said. “I get your point. What could possibly have made you that way?”
“Caroline,” I said.
“Caroline? Like, Emma’s best friend?”
“Yeah,” I groaned. “After your engagement/birthday party, she and I stayed out until two drinking, laughing, having an amazing time. Then she came back to my place, and we had an even better time. She forced me to dance, dude. To dance, me, dancing.”
“Sounds miserable to watch.” He laughed.
“Then we had the most amazing sex ever,” I groaned.
“Why do you sound like this is a terrible thing?”
“It’s not,” I said. “But I woke up with her gone and a note thanking me for the night. She was off on her next adventure. I can’t get her off my mind.”
“At least you got a note.”
“True,” I said.
“Have you called her?”
“She didn’t leave her number, just a note saying she was going to the islands,” I said. “There are a lot of islands out there, bro.”
“She went to Hawaii. Emma told me yesterday,” he said.
“Oh,” I replied sitting up. “Did she say where in Hawaii?”
“I didn’t ask,” he said. “You can call Emma, though. Find out how to get in touch with her. It’s Hawaii, not the Arctic circle. I’m sure there’s a phone wherever she went. Emma always has that information in case of emergencies.”
“Okay, and once I have her number, then what? I call her and say, ‘Hey I just wanted you to know I’m obsessed, can’t get you off my mind, so why don’t you come back and bear my children?’ I don’t think that will work,” I groaned. “Why can’t things be simple like in movies where two people meet, and they’re both on the same damn page?”
“Because life sucks, and movies are made to take our minds off that fact,” he said. “As far as contacting her, I would start more with a note or flowers or something that will let her know you’re thinking about her. I would hold off on the bearing of children until at least the third date.”
“You’re right,” I said.
“Why do I feel like you should have known not to ask a girl to bear your children?”
“Not about that.” I laughed. “About sending her flowers and a note, asshole.”
“Good,” he said, standing up. “I’ll leave you to it.”
I watched him walk out of the room and picked up my phone, scrolling to Emma’s number. I was glad I had gotten it when she was expecting in case she couldn’t get ahold of Brandt. I dialed the number and took a deep breath, feeling really nervous.
“Hey, Trevor,” Emma said. “What’s up?”
“Hey, Emma, I hope I’m not interrupting you”
“Nope, just thawing chicken for dinner.”
“So, I don’t know if Caroline told you that she and I went out after your party or not,” I said.
“No, but I haven’t talked to her since she left,” Emma said. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, no, yeah, everything is fine,” I said, fumbling over my words.
“Okay?”
“I guess I wanted to see if you could tell me how to get in contact with her,” I said quickly.
“Oh,” she said happily. “Um, she went to Hawaii. Yeah, she owns this little bungalow on the beach right outside of Oahu. She tends to like to be secluded when she goes out there. It’s like her home away from home, and she hates being surrounded by tourists.”
“Does she have a number I can reach her on out there?”
“No, she never got a phone put in there,” Emma sighed. “She wanted peace and quiet because her life is so crazy all the time. I have told her for years to get a phone line there in case there was an emergency, but she brushes me off like nothing bad could ever happen in Hawaii. She’s incredibly stubborn sometimes if you didn’t already notice that.”
“Yeah.” I laughed. “I was starting to get that feeling. What about a cell phone?”
“I’ll forward you her number, but she never has service on that part of the island,” Emma said. “Most of the time, I don’t even think she turns her cell on. I know I’m not being that much help, but she really is elusive when it comes to going out there. If it were anywhere else, she would have left detailed instructions on how to get ahold of her.”
“No, you’re being really helpful,” I said. “I appreciate it.”
“Why do you need to get ahold of her? Is there something I can help you with?”
“I don’t think anyone can help me with this,” I said. “Honestly, I can’t get my mind off her. We had an incredible night, and then poof she was gone.”
“She pulled a me,” Emma gasped.
“Except she left a note,” I replied.
“Ouch.” Emma laughed. “Well, all I can tell you is look up that area and see if there’s anyone who can help you find her.”
“I will. Thanks for your help,” I said before hanging up.
When I got off the phone, Emma sent me Caroline’s cell number and the name of the two major towns she was between. I looked up the information on Google and zoomed in the map. She was right next to a small town that I wasn’t even sure was an actual town. It looked like there were a few buildings and a lot of beach. I searched the businesses in that town and came up with only one, some bar, but when I told her who I was looking for, they told me they couldn’t give out that information. Apparently, they knew who I was talking about but didn’t want to give it up to some random guy on the phone. At least I knew she was being taken care of out there. I looked up her name online, but I only found her social media pages, and the only number listed there was her cell. I guessed she still hadn’t gotten around to putting in a landline at her bungalow. I was starting to get incredibly frustrated.
I grabbed my coffee mug and walked to the employee lounge, getting a cup of hot brew. I leaned against the counter trying to come up with a solution for my problem. I started to think about Brandt and all of the searching he did to find Emma. I didn’t have the patience or the time to do all of that. Besides, I knew where she was. I just didn’t know how to actually get in contact with her. When Brandt was going through all of that, the only advice I ever gave him was to be careful, remembering how crazy I thought he had gone. In the end, his boldness and initiative got him the girl and the life of his dreams. My life was never that simple, though, and I had a feeling that a bunch of flowers and a note was not going to be enough to impress this girl into contacting me.
Then it hit me. I thought about how romantic I thought it was when Brandt had said, ‘Fuck it’ and just jumped on a plane and hunted Emma down. It was the big gesture that saved him more than once. I stood up, walked back to my desk, and pulled up my internet browser. This girl was not going to get out of my head anytime soon, and I knew that. The only thing I could do at that point was go after her. I had to pull an all-out Brandt and hop on a plane to hunt her down. I scrolled through the flights and decided that Friday would be the perfect day. I booked my flight and sat back, smiling at my choice. Hopefully, Caroline would have the same positive reaction that Brandt had gotten from Emma. Otherwise, I’d be in a really weird position.
Chapter 5
Caroline
When I woke up that morning before the sun to eat breakfast, I laughed at the thought of everyone else in the world waking up to go to work and me not even having a clue what day it was. No matter how long I did this, I would always feel so lucky that I was able to live like that. After breakfast, I changed into my suit and went outside to make sure the waves were as good as I heard they would be. I smiled as they crashed onto the empty shore, reminding me how lucky I was to have my own private beach in Hawaii. I grabbed my board and ran out to the water’s edge, dipping my toe into it. I pulled up the zipper on my wetsuit and smiled, always being prepared. I surfed for several hours, and by the sun heating up my back, I could tell it was starting to get close to lunchtime. I sat up on my board and drifted a little, watching the fins of dolphins coming up out of the water a little distance away from me.
I loved seeing dolphins there for two reasons really. One, the dolphins were gorgeous, and their arrival meant the fish supply was fruitful that year. Two, they scared away the sharks, and seeing that I spent most of my days in the water, scaring away the sharks was a good thing. I really wasn’t worried about sharks anyway. They were much less prevalent over on my end of the island than they were in other places. Movies had turned sharks into these monsters, but they were a crucial part of the ecosystem, just like the turtles and the coral. Healthy seas meant healthy harvests, and that was really good for the locals.
The dolphins swam back and forth for a while, and I sat and watched as a baby dolphin swam hard to keep up with the other two. I was no specialist, so I had no idea if my thoughts were even anywhere close to being right, but I wondered if that was the baby’s mom and dad. I didn’t know if dolphins mated for life like humans or not. If they did, it was really sweet, and it made me think of my best friends and their futures. The birds were squawking extra loud at that moment, and I looked to the left and right to see if there was a boat or divers nearby freaking them out. The ocean was clear, though, with not a single boat or person in sight. There must have been a car on the main road that spooked them. I shrugged and turned my board back toward shore. Before I could lay down to paddle, I looked up on the beach and spotted someone walking down through the sand.
I was pretty far out in the water, and my bungalow sat back way beyond the high tide point up the beach some, to avoid it being demolished during hurricane season. I squinted and pulled my hand up to my eyes, shielding the sun. The person was too far away, and I couldn’t see who it was at all. I shrugged, figuring it was one of the people from the group, though I thought they were all going sailing that morning. Maybe they were making one last-ditch attempt to drag me out there with them. I loved all kinds of adventure, but boats did not work for me. I would go if it were for scuba diving, but if it were to just go out on the water, I knew I would end up hurling into the great beyond, churning up the sharks or something. I preferred either land, air, or a surfboard, and that was plenty for me. Of course, they couldn’t understand that, so they offered an array of drugs for me to forget all about my motion sickness. I declined kindly.
I paddled into shore and pulled my board out, unclipping my ankle cuff. I pulled the zipper down on my wetsuit, realizing how warm it had gotten already. I trudged up the beach a ways and stuck my board in the sand, dusting my hands off as I walked toward the person sitting down on the beach. As I drew closer, my heart shuddered, and I just started laughing. I couldn’t believe my eyes. it was Trevor, and he looked like he’d stopped at the most touristy store he could find on the way in. He was wearing a pineapple Hawaiian shirt, a pair of fresh board shorts, some flip-flops, and sunscreen that he hadn’t rubbed into his cheeks all of the way. It was the most adorable thing I had ever seen, and I was taken back by the fact that he was there, obviously looking for me.
“Well,” I said, standing in front of him. “I can see you didn’t forget to bring your pasty white New York City skin with you. You might want to be careful. You’re reflecting the sun off your chest.”
“I didn’t have time to hit the tanning beds.” He laughed.
“You’re here,” I said, sitting down next to him and looking out at the ocean.
“I’m here,” he said with a smile. “You look pretty awesome on that surfboard. I wasn’t sure if Emma was joking or not when she said you were out here all secluded with just your bungalow and your bathing suit. I have to say, though, I pictured more of a thatched roof beach hut than a cute little cabin on stilts.”
“Oh, you know, since the Hawaiian’s just learned how to build, I brought my mainland voodoo out and built my house on stilts so I wouldn’t have to rebuild every year,” I said sarcastically. “It’s my home away from home. My little slice of heaven on the islands.”
“It’s definitely beautiful here,” he said. “I’m glad I came.”
“Why are you here?” I asked, looking over at him.
“Isn’t it obvious? I wanted to get a pineapple,” he said.
“The supermarket was all out?”
“Yep.” He laughed. “No, to be honest, I couldn’t get you off of my mind. I have been completely distracted from the moment you left. Emma said there was no way to get ahold of you. I tried to hunt you down over the phone with a very scary sounding Hawaiian man at the local pub, but he wasn’t having it. So, here I am, finding you in person.”
“You talked to Alika.” I laughed. “He’s my protector, which suits him since his name means guardian, and he is about three hundred and fifty pounds.”
“Ahh, glad I didn’t go there in person.”
“To be honest as well? I’ve thought about you a lot too,” I said. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Good,” he said, staring at me intently.
“You want to come sit on the deck? I can grab us some beers,” I said.
“Sure”
He sat down in the chair under the umbrella, and I went inside, grabbing beers and slipping on a sundress over my bathing suit. I was nervous, which pretty much never happened to me. I went back out and sat down, handing him a beer. Immediately, he started to talk to me about his journey over there, and I felt really relaxed and comfortable. We talked all afternoon, laughing, snacking on fruit, and enjoying the beautiful Hawaiian sun. When dinnertime came around, I gave him a T-shirt to avoid being seen with the Hawaiian mess of a shirt, and we headed over to the local restaurant. We sat outside under the stars, our backs to everyone else, staring out over the ocean. We ordered a bunch of shrimp and local delicacies along with a batch of pina coladas.
In the background, the locals were playing music and singing, and I breathed deeply, feeling like life couldn’t get much better at that point. It was the first time I had been on a date in Hawaii, and I had to say, it was all really romantic. The skies were clear, and the stars glistened brightly in the sky. You could hear the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore below, and the smell of coconut and flowers wafted through the air.
“I can see why you’re so in love with this place,” he said. “It’s pretty much perfect.”
“I know, right?” I said. “I have been in love with this place since I was a teenager. It’s like an escape, but it feels like coming home every time I’m here. It’s the only place I’ve been that’s constantly calling me back. I bought that bungalow four years ago and have never regretted the choice. I have had many beautiful and reflective times here. I don’t think I’ll ever give it up.”
“I don’t blame you,” he said, paying the check and smiling at our waiter. “You ready?”
“Yeah,” I sighed, standing up. “I have an early morning of surfing to procure tomorrow.”
“Sounds so rough.” He laughed.
We drove back to the house, and he walked me up to the door, holding my hand. Butterflies blew through my stomach as we walked, and I found myself not wanting to let go of that night. Everything was so perfect, and I hadn’t even seen it coming. It was the first time I’d chosen a man over being alone in Hawaii, and I was not regretting it at all. We stood at the front door smiling at each other until finally, he leaned over and kissed me gently on the lips.
“I had a really amazing time,” he said. “I hope I can see you tomorrow.”
I nodded my head and smiled.
“Well, until then, I will be a gentleman and leave you here,” he said, bowing his head. “Have sweet dreams.”
Surprised, I opened my mouth to stop him, but he was already walking down the stairs. I was left completely speechless, his manners and valor taking me by complete surprise. I walked to the back of the deck and looked down, watching him pull out of the driveway and turn toward Oahu. I didn’t know where he was staying or how to get ahold of him, but I knew after the last two times I had spent with him, he would definitely be back. I breathed deeply looking up at the stars and wondering what exactly I had gotten myself into. This guy had made the big gesture and gotten on a plane from New York and flown to Hawaii to find me. And then without even trying to get laid, he left, promising to see me the next day. That was not at all how I thought he would be, especially since I’d turned him down the first time I met him.
I walked into the house and dropped my purse on the table, laughing to myself. Only in my world would something like this happen. Only in my head would I wonder if it was a good thing or a bad thing. I shook the questions out of my brain and decided to just hold on to that weightlessness I was feeling a little bit longer. I changed my clothes and got into bed, staring out the open windows. I could see the whitecaps of the waves hitting the shore below, and I felt completely and totally smitten. I had never had a man go out of his way for me like that before, and I never had a man who I felt as intensely about as he did me. I was on cloud nine, and there was no way I was going to let my feet touch the ground until morning. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, letting the sound of the crashing waves sing me into dream world.