Page 28 of True Abandon

“He’s in the convention room,” someone replies.

I turn back to the lobby and out the side door toward the open-air corridors toward the convention wing.

Despite the setting sun, the air is still hot—that’s April in the Pacific. A gecko runs past me, nearly missing my foot.

“Trish!” My name is called out.

I turn to see Kal, one of the waiters at the Birds of Paradise restaurant, running toward me.

I stop to wait for him to approach. “On your way to work?”

He smiles a crooked grin and runs a hand along the back of his neck. His dark hair is styled back, and he’s looking at me with black eyes so dark the sun reflects off of them.

“I’m running late. Not all of us get the luxury of making our own schedule.” There’s teasing in his voice.

“I wish. I was up at four in the morning getting my honeymooners on a helicopter ride to view the sunrise. I’m beat.”

Kal rubs his hands together, twisting his fingers. “Oh, well, then I guess you’re not going to Duke’s tonight.”

“I’ll be there. I need to unwind. Plus, I don’t have any guests tomorrow so I won’t have to be up with the birds again.”

His eyes light up. “That’s great! I mean, well, I thought we could go together.”

“I’m hoping to be done for the day as soon as I talk to Raf.” I thumb over at the convention center. “I’ll probably be gone by the time you get off work.”

“What about tomorrow? We could grab a bite to eat.” There’s something about the way he’s fumbling with his pockets and half looking at me, half looking at the ground that lets me know he’s asking for more than two friends getting together to share some food.

“You mean like a date?”

Kal stands up straighter. He’s about my height, so we’re practically eye to eye. “Yes.”

I let out a long breath and bite my lower lip. This is ten kinds of awkward. I tap my fingers along my hip. “Listen, Kal, I just got out of a long-term relationship.”

“You’ve been dating someone here?” Confusion is pinched into his eyebrows.

“No, back in New York.” Yes, I know how silly that sounds. I’ve been in Hawaii for months. That hardly counts as just getting out of a long relationship.

“You don’t want to date, or you just don’t want to date me?”

Both, I think to myself. “I’m not looking to date anyone. It’s complicated. We’re still friends, though. I’ll stick around tonight and buy you a beer when you get off your shift.”

“Yeah, sure.” He gently hits me in the arm. “Make that two Longboards.”

I laugh and then start walking backward. “Deal. I’ll see you later.”

He stands there with a wave as I turn around and start down the path. God, that was uncomfortable. As nice as Kal is, I’m just not in the right place to get into a relationship.

Jax really messed with my head last year.

Not because he was wrong.

It’s because he was right.

About everything.

I find Raf in the convention room where workers are setting up for n event. He turns his suit-clad body toward me, his gold nameplate shining under the lighting of the room. Rafael Dalorez, Hotel Manager.

“Is there a guest in the Pele suite?” I ask as I approach.