Kai

 

“This is the stance you want,” I said, demonstrating to Isla, staggering my feet underneath myself. “Not too wide, one foot in front and one in back. Solid and immovable.” As she copied me, I gave her light push and she glared at me. “Hey, did you move?”

“This is stupid,” she grumbled. “What can you teach me in a few weeks? This stuff takes years of training. I’m not going to learn anything.”

“You gotta start somewhere, kid. Give me a few days and I’ll have you excited to come down here and workout – maybe even with me at dawn.” I told winked and she rolled her eyes.

This morning, after I’d finished my own workout, I’d woken Isla up for her first day of training. She hadn’t been happy or expecting it, clearly hoping that forgetting about it meant it wouldn’t happen today. Isla had then spent ten minutes muttering under her breath while taking her time getting ready. But I was nothing if not doggedly persistent and patient.

Now Isla was standing in front of me, wearing Piper’s pink boxing gloves and I held up the punching pads on my own hands. Her mouth was a straight line, but her brow was furrowed.

I resisted the urge to groan or sigh. It was the first day and the beginning would be tough, then she’d fall into a rhythm. And I’d be proven right.

What I hadn’t anticipated was Isla’s lack of enthusiasm.

The next few days would test my enthusiasm and patience, as Isla attempted to hang in there for the first hour, but fizzled out during the second.

But I also noticed she seemed more cheerful and her eyes no longer had that haunted, shadowed look in the morning, so I hung in there.

On the fifth morning, I was finishing up a particularly brutal set of deadlifts when I heard Isla coming down the stairs and I looked up in surprise.

She was in her workout gear and scowling. “You didn’t wake me up!”

A grin spread across my face as she marched up to me. “I was going to give you a rest day.”

“Oh,” Isla said, her steps faltering.

“But you’re here! So, let’s get to it.” Isla made a face and I laughed. “I’ll take it easy on you today. You’ve worked hard this week and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

I’d been switching off between boxing and martial arts, trying to see which Isla would take to more. While she had a decent punch, I had a feeling if she stuck with it, she’d not only become good at different martial arts but come to love them.

After taking her through several movements of the Jeet Kune Do style, founded by the one and only Bruce Lee, I then switched to Jiu-Jitsu. The former was a close-combat style that emphasized on focused and minimized movements with the most force. Jiu-Jitsu also had more grappling, focusing not on strikes, but on pinning, locking joints or even throwing an attacker. When I’d told her as much the first day, she made a face.

“Like I’d ever be able to throw someone,” she’d said.

“You could. With the right amount of momentum – you use their attack against them,” I’d said. She’d rolled her eyes and shaken her head.

Now Isla was gingerly following along as I showed her how to pin or lock a joint, using me as the example. But I was getting impatient with her sudden timidity.

“Do you remember the scissor sweep I taught you?” I asked.

“Um.” Isla stopped and glanced away, biting her lip. “The thing with the knee and you roll over?”

“That’s it,” I said, catching her, lowering her to the ground and pinning her there. “Do it once and we’re done for the day. But if you can’t, sorry, we’re staying out here for another hour.”

Isla’s face was flushed as she stared up at me as I locked my knees on either side of her. “Part of me is starting to think you enjoy knocking me on my ass.”

“No, I want you to get this. And I want you to believe you can get this,” I said, impatiently. “Now, go ahead. At least try.”

Isla blew out a breath, closing her eyes and sighing. “Fine,” she muttered.

“Any time now,” I said, after a moment of her not moving.

Her eyes flashed open and before I could blink, she’d twisted her hips, pushed her calf into my chest and flipped me onto my back, then straddled me and locked my arms.

We stared at each other, then Isla squeaked and put her hands over her mouth.

“Isla!” I exclaimed, stupefied and impressed.

“Are you okay?” she asked, lowering her hands, looking mortified. “I didn’t… Wait, did you let me do that?”

With a growl, I rolled us back over and gave her a stern look. “No. You did that. Now do it again.” Again, Isla twisted her hips and this time I attempted to stop her, but once again I ended up being rolled over. I grabbed her shoulders and grinned at her. “You’re amazing! You picked that up so fast! I knew it! I was so right, dammit we should have made a bet. I would have made bank!”

She gave me a reluctant smile as she scrambled to her feet. “Thanks, sensei.”

“Now are you sure you want to call it quits? We could always keep going,” I teased.

Isla hugged herself and shook her head. “No, thanks. I’m beat.”

I watched as she quickly ran off and smiled to myself. It was working. Then I let out a long, loose breath and headed towards the outside shower. Now I needed to douse myself in cold water.

 

When we were done with breakfast, it was only ten a.m., and the rest of the day was ahead of us. We’d fallen into a routine without even realizing it. Isla would paint or draw for a while, I’d read or write, maybe play the guitar. Then we’d hit the beach for the rest of the day.

“You wanna go out?” I asked abruptly.

Isla looked up at me across the counter. I’d been putting away dishes and she’d been wiping everything down. I could tell she thought I did too much and she didn’t do enough, but it was hard to break years of habit. And I’d always been a neat freak. Oddly, it was Piper who was the slob of the Weslarks.

“Go out?” she repeated, twisting the cloth in her hands.

“Yeah, to Lahaina. It’s over two hours away, but if we left within the next half-hour, we could get there by lunch, eat and walk around.” I smiled. “Trust me, you’ll like it.”

“Any particular reason you suddenly want to go?” she asked.

“You’ve been working hard. And I think it would be good for you,” I said, an idea forming in the back of my head. Pulling out my phone, I texted a friend of mine quickly. “Plus, you’ve only been up the road a way – haven’t even seen that much of Maui.”

“Alright!” Isla enthused. “Let me change real quick,” she said and rushed off to her room.

I went and changed as well, pulling on a nicer pair of shorts and a button up. I tried to tame my hair, but it was getting too long and in need of a cut, so I left it as is.

As I came out of my room, Isla was leaving hers, wearing a low-cut dress with thin straps and a short skirt. I swallowed hard at the flaunting of her curves and tried not to think about what it had felt like when she was sitting on top of me. Isla didn’t see me as she vanished into the bathroom and I leaned against the wall as the door closed.

I hadn’t anticipated that training her would become a point of intense pleasure and pain. During the sessions, I managed to shove all of that to the side, focusing only on Isla and helping her learn how to keep herself safe. But afterward, the images would come back and slink through my mind, making my heart race and palms sweat.

The bathroom door opened and Isla announced, “Ready.”

Opening my eyes, I saw she’d donned the bobbed black wig with blunt bangs and large sunglasses. I had to give Piper credit – it did hide Isla oddly well, even changing the shape of her face a little bit. While I didn’t love it, it was necessary.

The car ride to the northwestern part of the island flew by. Isla and I could talk about anything at length, but we could also sit in silence together and be perfectly content, too. Isla wasn’t the biggest talker, but she didn’t seem to mind if I went off, telling her stories and jokes.

As of yet, though, neither of us had really delved into the past. But I found myself wondering more and more about her. Where had Isla grown up? Where was her family? What had made her want to be an artist? Why California? And she was single, right? Who was the last guy she’d dated? Please tell me he wasn’t some ratty LA hipster.

But I knew if I asked those questions, I’d have to answer some of my own in return. And Piper didn’t want me to do that.

Or maybe I didn’t want to.

Once we got to Lahaina, we had a leisurely lunch on a beautiful patio right on the harbor, looking across the clear blue water to the island of Lanai. Afterward, Isla and I wandered around. As we passed one little shop after another, she suddenly gasped and stopped short.

“What is it?” I asked, feigning ignorance.

“Kai!” She turned and smacked my arm. “You did this on purpose.”

I laughed and grabbed her shoulders, steering her in. “Maybe. Come on, there’s a lot to visit.”

I hadn’t mentioned to her that this town was known for its many art galleries, everything from fine and fancy to arcane and modern. This particular one had a dark fairytale kind of theme and as we went in deeper, the lights grew dimmer.

“Oh, you might have to hold my hand,” I murmured.

Isla let out a snort of laughter. “You wish.”

“I do though,” I rejoined.

To my surprise, Isla reached back and looped her fingers through mine. She pulled me after her from piece to piece, gasping sometimes or exclaiming about one. Sometimes she would launch into a speech, praising the piece, talking about the color choices and the brushwork. I wasn’t quite sure what she meant sometimes, but I enjoyed listening all the same.

When we were finally done and back outside in the bright sunlight, Isla turned and smiled at me. “Are there more?” Her voice was eager and her hand squeezed mine.

“So many more,” I said, grinning at her and pulling her along behind me.

We went into another, Isla dropping my hand as she rushed around, intent on seeing everything. In this one, she met the artist and the two women got into a long discussion that ended in a hug. “I have to buy something of hers next time,” Isla said as we left.

The next gallery belonged to my friend, Laird Wick, and he strolled forward as we came in. With his ruddy face, green eyes, and scruffy beard, he looked like a fisherman more than a painter, but his shirt and wrists were stained with paint.

“Kai Cordozar, how are you, my friend?” Laird asked as he embraced me. I saw Isla give him a startled look. She kept forgetting that on the island Cordozar was my last name.

"I'm good. Sorry, it's been so long," I said as he stepped back.

Beaming, Laird shook his head at me. "I expect it in the off-season. The waves call to you and you answer wholeheartedly. And you must be Isla. I'm Laird Wick. This is my gallery."

“I am, hello,” Isla said, shaking his hand. “It’s so beautiful in here – your work is amazing.”

“Many thanks. I always appreciate another artist’s compliment.” Laird twinkled at her.

“How did you – Kai!” Isla shot me a look. “Oh, you have to understand, I’m still an amateur.”

“Aren’t we all?” Laird responded good-naturedly. “Kai mentioned it, yes.” He paused and looked around. “You know, this island has a great love for art. People have time to appreciate it and support it. A good community.”

“I’m getting that impression,” Isla murmured, looking around.

“You know, we’re always open to new artists submitting pieces and helping them get their name out there,” Laird told her and Isla’s eyes widened.

“Oh, I-I don’t know, I don’t really have anything here,” Isla stammered out.

“You don’t have a sketchbook on you?” Laird queried. “I’m more than willing to give you some wall space and let you sell some stuff here, either way. But I was curious.”

Isla let out a weak laugh. “The one time I don’t.”

“That’s okay, I grabbed it,” I said, pulling one of her journal-like sketchbooks out of my back pocket and handing it to her. She stared at me and I gave her a smile and an encouraging nod.

Her hands shaking, she passed it to Laird, who moved towards the window and began flipping through it. “Isla, this is wonderful stuff. You’ve got not only the eye and the hand, but you capture the spirit of it as well.” He suddenly laughed. “Is this one of Kai’s cats?”

He turned around the sketchbook to a page where Spooky and Nacho were sitting together, looking like they were in deep discussion.

“Yes,” Isla said. “You know about the cats?”

“Kai’s famous for his cats. Always picking up more rescues or trying to find them homes,” Laird said in an affectionate tone. “Big on volunteering, too. Beach clean-ups, visiting the homeless, or food drives, you name it. He’s a good one this guy.”

I laughed. “Knock it off, Laird. So not a big deal.”

Isla was giving me a wide-eyed look, but then Laird distracted her and they began to walk around the gallery. I trailed them, half-listening and unable to help smiling to myself.

I was feeling pretty damn good about pulling this one over on Isla.

Back outside, Isla was looking dazed. “I can’t believe it,” she said. “He said I could start with five pieces and see how that goes. But he’s sure they’ll sell out quickly.”

“I’m sure, too. I better make sure I get in there first,” I said.

As we walked along, the sky fading into early evening hues of gold and sapphire, Isla suddenly turned to me and grabbed my arm. “Why did you do that?”

I gazed down at her in surprise. Her blue-green eyes were intense and dark.

“Well, for you, Isla. Laird’s a great guy and artist, who likes to help out new and upcoming artists,” I said and shrugged. “Seemed like a win-win.”

Her eyes were shining now. “Kai, thank you. That was above and beyond thoughtful.”

“It was, wasn’t it?” I mused, grinning. “But, nah, it was nothing. All Laird. Anyways, come on, more to see. And you probably want to go shopping.”

Isla nodded, murmuring, “Sure.” When I looked over at her, she was staring out across the harbor as we walked, her face pensive.

My stomach dropped as though I’d missed a step going downstairs. Why did she look like that? Was she annoyed I’d asked Laird to consider giving her gallery space?

But once we got to the next door, that look vanished and she was back to her usual self. Although, a few times I caught her staring at me, and then she’d glance away swiftly.

After, we went to a market that was outside. Isla got lost poring over printed skirts and I was getting stiff from standing next to her. Letting her know I was going to stretch my legs, I walked around, watching the lights come on and people stroll about. It was so quiet and peaceful.

After about ten minutes, I went back to get Isla. But she wasn’t at the store. A prickle of unease ran along my spine and I swept my gaze around the market.

I couldn’t see her anywhere.

Unease was starting to morph into panic and fear. Inhaling deeply, I tried to see if I could catch her scent, but the ocean breeze was too strong and there were too many others around.

Moving quickly, I circled the market, then headed for the street. She wasn’t anywhere. Now my heart was starting to take off. Where could she have gone? Had the TLO grabbed her?

Why had I left her alone?

Something touched my arm and I jumped. Turning, I saw it was Isla, her eyes wide.

With a gasp of relief, I reached out and gripped her arms. “Isla, there you are.”

“Kai, sorry.” She gave me a concerned look. “Woah, are you okay?”

“Where the hell did you go?” I grated out, my fingers tightening on her.

“Oh, the bathroom,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. “I didn’t think…”

“Geez, Isla, you scared me half to death,” I muttered, letting her go. “Come on, I think it’s time to leave. Way past dinnertime.”

Adjusting her bags, Isla nodded mutely and followed me down the street. My heart was still racing and I was glancing into every corner and shadow, waiting for a pair of eyes to shine back. But everything was normal. Safe.

I’m getting too complacent. Again.

Once Isla was settled in the Jeep, I walked around the back of it and paused. Fear was surging and roiling in my stomach. If something happened to Isla…

Walking all the way around, I got in and glanced at her. She was biting her lip and staring out the window, obviously feeling bad about what happened.

Driving away, I knew I had to get a grip. Isla was okay. Nothing had happened.

So, why did I keep feeling like something had? That some shift had occurred, changing everything? And that somehow – both of us knew?