“Hey, how are you? Heard you did some surfing with Kai this morning,” she says, casually chatting with me while simultaneously serving customers.
“Yeah, I’m getting better, and it’s really fun.”
“I know, right? I love surfing. So jealous that Alana gets to do it every day as a job,” Daisy teases, smiling sweetly. “So, take whatever you want.” She motions to the cases, stocked and ready for the morning rush.
She’s way too generous, and there’s not a chance I’m leaving without paying her. I get what it’s like to have a job that people love, and it’s hard to say no to friends.
The number of friends I had in New York who used to ask me to give free massages or donate a gift to an auction or whatever was sometimes too much.
It was also hard because they knew I was married to Sean, assuming I didn’t need the money from my job—or my hobby, as I now assume all these so-called friends thought my job was. Just like Sean did.
Washing my hands first, I slip on a pair of gloves. Using a paper, I grab a mango coconut scone and the flavor of the week cupcake, lychee vanilla. Boxing them both up, I toss the gloves in the garbage.
Washing my hands again, I then reach for a cup, filling it with coffee, just as I catch Daisy watching me.
She lets out a laugh as she packages up the customer’s order. “Wanna job? Worked in food service before, huh?”
“I can stay and help until the crowd dies down,” I offer, and without words, I seamlessly slip into helping her.
About twenty minutes pass and the crowd dies down, leaving us both a little tired and me hungry, since that’s what I initially came in for.
I grab my scone, leaning back against the counter, I take a bite. Moaning out loud at how good and fresh it is. There is something different about the fruit here. It’s fresher and sweeter, and it pretty much grows everywhere on this island. I have several fruit trees on the property I’m renting, and I rarely have to buy anything at the store.
“Careful with that moan,” Daisy jokes, jabbing me in the side with a soft elbow. “You’ll have Kai desperate to get you in the sack.”
“I think he’s already desperate to get me the sack,” I reply, laughing. “Sometimes I think he only invites me to go surfing so he can see me in a bathing suit.”
“Nah, he never invites girls to surf with him unless it’s me or Alana or Sloane, and even then, the guys are usually with us. Although, there’s probably some truth to the bikini thing too.”
I take in what she’s just shared, curious if he’s playing a long game here. Inviting me to surf, listening to me bitch about the shitty situation with Sean, helping me at the house, introducing me to his friends. All of it feels too involved for him to be just interested in getting laid. And if the way they all talk about Kai is any indication, he’s not hurting in the department of finding women to sleep with.
“Any plans tonight?” she asks me as I’m dropping some cash on the counter to cover what I’ve eaten. But Daisy shakes her head, pushing it back toward me. “Not today. You just helped me clear my morning crowd. It’s on me.”
“Next time, I’m tipping really big then,” I hit back, and she only laughs.
“Back to tonight. You busy? We’re doing a girls’ night at Sloane’s. We make pizzas, gossip and bitch, watch some cheesy romcoms. Why don’t I swing by and pick you up? You can join us.”
“I’d love to,” I respond, honestly loving all the friendships I’m building here. It feels more like home than New York ever did. “I have orientation at Orchid Bay today, but after that, I’m free.”
“Oh yeah, Orchid Bay. You’ll get to see Sloane and the guys,” Daisy says, winking when she says “guys,” obviously teasing me about Kai. “So much for you working here, but you’re going to love Orchid Bay. The Sinclairs are awesome people. So easy to work for, is what Miles and Kai say.”
“Kai’s the reason I got a job there in the first place, marching me over there and introducing me to the owners. He’s just so damn assertive, but it all worked out.”
Daisy chuckles at my words, nodding in agreement, and Kai really is assertive, but in a way that makes him endearing and sweet. I’ve never met someone like him, and I’m finding it easy to get close to him, easy to wrap myself in his calmness. He calms me, despite the chaos I’m currently dealing with.
“Pick you up at seven?” she asks, my thoughts strangely consumed with Kai. I can picture him, hear his voice, feel his presence, his smell and the way he talks, and I want more.
But it all feels way too soon.
Like I’m jumping in without ever healing.
Or maybe this is what healing looks like.
“Sounds great.”
Orientation at Orchid Bay goes quickly, and while I’ve never worked at a day spa like this one, a luxury resort, the job is still the same. I just won’t have the regular clients like I did in New York, and I’m totally okay with that. Making the change to move here was huge, and now I’m trying something new in my career too.
Dealing with the glamorous clientele of a high-end hotel, massages that last two-plus hours and come with a much larger price tag, and hopefully larger tips too.
