by Susan Stoker
“Nope. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t date. She always made sure I was well taken care of, but she loved having her weekends free so she could hang out with her friends and boyfriends.”
“She sounds…interesting,” Aleck said.
Kenna smiled. “She is.”
“And your folks are all right with you being out here?” he asked.
Kenna’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“Well, it sounds like you had a stable job, then you left to come out here to Hawaii without a plan and are now only a waitress.”
“They want me to be happy,” Kenna said, the friendliness in her tone gone. “And being here makes me happy, so yeah, they’re all right with it. My mom visits every few months and my dad’s been here a few times too. But it doesn’t sound as if you’re all that impressed with me or my job.”
Aleck blinked and realized she was offended by his questions. And no wonder. “Shit, it’s my turn to apologize now. I didn’t mean to disparage what you do.”
Kenna glanced at the water without responding, and he knew he needed to dig himself out of the hole he was in. “Honestly. That was a shitty thing to say. I just know my parents at first weren’t all that thrilled about me being stationed out here in Hawaii. They complained that it was too far away. They’ve come to appreciate me being out here, though. They come visit all the time, but I’m just a convenient excuse. They see me for like three hours, then spend the rest of the week on the beach and being tourists.”
Aleck was relieved to see Kenna’s lips twitch.
Taking a chance, and hoping like hell it wouldn’t backfire, Aleck reached over and took her hand in his. He ran his thumb over her knuckles, once again noticing how silky smooth her skin was. “I’m sorry for being insensitive,” he said softly. “Most people I’ve met are always trying to work their way up the corporate ladder. Even in the Navy. It’s all about rank and moving upward.”
Kenna didn’t yank her hand out of his grip, which Aleck appreciated. She stared at him for a long moment before saying, “You’re a snob.”
Aleck blinked. Was he?
Yeah…he probably was.
“I mean, you’re cute, so you have that going for you though.” Kenna smiled. “I know being a waitress isn’t what most people aspire to do with their lives. But I had that cushy accounting job, and I hated it. I felt hemmed in. If I had continued to work there, it would’ve smothered me. I might not be making a million dollars a year, but I’m happy. I meet all sorts of interesting people. I get to spend time at the beach during the day and I’m not trapped in a cubicle, staring at a computer.”
Aleck felt horrible. He was a snob. He’d never considered that someone who worked as a waitress might want to do so. Might actually like it.
“Do you like your job?” she asked.
“Yes.” He didn’t even hesitate.
“Even though you could die? That you could be shot and no one would ever know the circumstances behind it? Even though you can’t really talk about what you do? I’m just assuming that’s the case, by the way. I don’t know for sure. Some people would look at you and think you’re crazy. Why would you want to put yourself in danger for people you don’t even know? And while the world isn’t like it used to be—most people appreciate our soldiers and what you do—there are those who still think you’re the devil incarnate, that you enjoy killing people. And yet…you still do what you do.”
“Point made,” he said quietly.
“I just…it frustrates me that people look down on me because of my job,” Kenna said. “There are some shitty parts of being a waitress, for sure. My feet always hurt at the end of the night, I have to deal with entitled people who can’t understand why they have to wait longer than two-point-three minutes for their food. They treat me like a servant, give me shitty tips or no tips at all. I’ve been yelled at for refusing to serve alcohol to someone who’s obviously already had enough, screamed at because their food wasn’t to their liking, and even spit on.
“But you know what? The good outweighs the bad. Just as I’m assuming it does for you. I don’t save lives—well, I take that back. I have saved two lives…one was a kid who was choking and the other was a man who’d had a heart attack, and I did CPR until the paramedics got there. But anyway, my job might not be at the top of the importance scale, but I work damn hard, and like I said…the good outweighs the bad.”
Kenna paused for a deep breath. “And now you’re probably regretting coming tonight.”
“No,” Aleck told her. “Actually, I’m even more impressed. You’re pretty damn amazing.”
“Yeah,” she said with a short laugh. “I’ve chastised you for feeling the way I’m sure most people do, have ignored you because I’ve been working, and kinda insulted your own job—which, by the way, is cool, and I want to know everything about it.”
“You’re real,” Aleck told her. “You have no idea how refreshing that is. You rightfully called me on my bullshit, you’re obviously smart, you’re independent, and it’s more than obvious how much the people you work with like you. All that adds up to someone I really want to get to know better. If you can forgive me for being an ass.”
Kenna smiled. “You’re a guy,” she said with a shrug.
Aleck laughed. “I am,” he agreed. “But we’re not all assholes. At least not all the time.”
“I’m thirty years old, Marshall,” Kenna said. “I probably say what I’m thinking more than I should. I don’t have the patience to deal with angst in a relationship…friendship or otherwise. I am who I am, and I want to be around other people who are just as honest. I can’t stand secrets and subterfuge. I’m probably screwing everything up here and jumping the gun, but…I like you.”
“I like you too,” Aleck said immediately. “And I want to see you again.”
“Me too,” Kenna agreed.
They smiled at each other.
“I do work the dinner shift a lot though,” she warned him.
“But not every night.”
“No, not every night.”
“I can work with that,” Aleck told her. “I work during the day. Meetings, training, and there will be times I’ll be deployed for indeterminate periods. But I think you’re worth any effort it takes to work around both our schedules, Kenna.”
She smiled at him. “I’ve got enough seniority here that I can pretty much pick which shifts I want…although I do have to plan ahead.”
“Great,” Aleck said. He was more than aware he was still holding her hand. He hadn’t really been a hand-holder in the past. But with Kenna, the connection felt…good. Especially because he was more than aware he’d almost fucked up.
“Can you see the fireworks the Hilton Hawaiian Village sets off on Friday nights from here?” he asked, steering their conversation back toward a more neutral topic.
“Well, not from the restaurant, no. But if you walk a bit down the beach and sit on the breakwater wall down that way,” she said, pointing down the beach toward the Hilton’s large hotel complex, “you can,” Kenna said. “Is it bad for me to admit that the fireworks don’t do anything for me anymore?”
Aleck chuckled. “Nope. Fireworks aren’t my thing either.”
“Oh, because of PTSD?” Kenna asked in concern.
“No. I mean, that doesn’t help, but we had a dog back home who hated thunder and fireworks. Like, they’d both totally traumatize him. So around the Fourth of July, we had to sedate him in order to help him get through the night, as well as the week before and after. Unfortunately, we had neighbors who bought a shitload of fireworks and would set them off every night. It was awful.”
“Aw, what kind of dog?”
“Doberman.”
Kenna tried not to laugh.
“Yeah, Maximus wasn’t exactly the best guard dog,” Aleck said with a grin. “He would lick someone to death rather than bite them if they broke in.”
“I miss having a pet,” Kenna said. “My dad and stepmom had cats.�
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“You could get one,” Aleck suggested.
“My apartment complex doesn’t allow them,” Kenna said simply.
Immediately, Aleck thought about his own place. He had no idea if pets were allowed or not, but he had a feeling if he wanted to get a dog or a cat, he’d be allowed. Living in the penthouse had its perks.
And that thought was how he knew for sure that Kenna was different.
He’d never, ever contemplated getting a pet because of a woman before. His schedule was definitely not conducive to having a dog. A cat…maybe. If he could find someone to check on it while he was deployed.
“Am I allowed to ask how you and your friends got your…unusual names?” Kenna asked.
Aleck chuckled. “Of course. You can ask me anything. I might not always be able to answer your questions…operational security and all. But if I can’t, I’ll tell you why. Anyway, yeah, so my nickname is Aleck. My last name is Smart.”
Kenna laughed. “Smart Aleck, huh?”
“Yup. And I’ll warn you, it fits me pretty well.”
“Noted,” Kenna told him.
“Mustang’s name is kind of complicated, but it involves a prank when he first joined the Navy. Midas was an amazing swimmer in high school and won a bunch of gold medals. Pid’s first name is Stuart—or Stu, for short.”
“Oh, man, that’s harsh,” Kenna said.
“Yeah, nicknames often are. The more someone protests about it, the more it’ll stick,” Aleck told her. “Jag’s first name is Jagger, and Slate’s last name is Stone.”
“So most of your nicknames are because of your real names,” Kenna noted.
“Yeah. They usually come about because of our name or something stupid we did,” Aleck said.
“It’s a good thing I don’t have a nickname based on that,” Kenna quipped. “I’ve done a lot of stupid things.”
“Nope, I don’t believe it,” Aleck said.
Kenna laughed, and once again Aleck was struck by her beautiful smile. It lit up her face. And he loved that she didn’t seem self-conscious about laughing either. Some women he’d known had covered their mouths with their hands while laughing. Or they’d just giggle. Or they’d complain about getting laugh lines on their face. But Kenna’s laugh was genuine.
They sat on the lounge chair for a while longer, talking about nothing important. The amazing Hawaii weather, how impressive surfers were, the necessary evil of tourists in Hawaii, and Kenna told him that it was a personal mission of hers to find the best beaches on the island, even if they weren’t open to the public.
“The best beaches?” Aleck echoed.
“Yup. Some of the best places to body surf, or lie on the sand without having to deal with hundreds of tourists, or to snorkel, are privately owned. I’ve been able to find a lot of them, have been kicked off a few, but for the most part, as long as you aren’t being a jerk, no one cares if you’re there.” She gave him a side-eye. “I bet the Navy base has some good beaches.”
Aleck chuckled. “Probably not as many as you’d think. Unfortunately, the top officers don’t really look kindly on sailors lounging around on a beach while at work.”
“Darn,” Kenna said.
“But I’m happy to get you on base and drive you around if you want to look for yourself.”
“Yes!” Kenna said enthusiastically. “And in return, I’ll be happy to show you some of my favorite private beaches. But you have to promise not to do anything to get us kicked out.”
“Promise,” Aleck said.
The beeping of an alarm sounded from inside Kenna’s pocket, and Aleck reluctantly let go of her hand so she could shift on a hip and pull out her phone.
“Shoot. My break is over,” Kenna said as she turned off the alarm.
Aleck was surprised at how fast the time had gone. But then again, he had a feeling he could’ve talked to Kenna all night and not gotten bored.
“I really would like to see you again. Maybe on one of your nights off,” Aleck said.
“I’d like that,” Kenna said.
Aleck let out the breath he’d been holding since his screwup. He was happy she was giving him a second chance after putting his foot in his mouth. “Can I get your number? Or I can give you mine,” he said, not wanting to be too pushy or get a set of fake digits.
“Give me yours,” Kenna told him.
Aleck rattled them off and she programmed them into her phone. He felt his cell vibrate in his pocket after a moment.
“I sent you a text so you’d have mine too,” Kenna told him.
Aleck beamed. “Awesome.” He stood and held out his hand. “Come on. Let’s get you back. I don’t want your boss to be pissed.”
“Alani’s cool. She’d understand.”
“Still.”
Kenna put her hand in his and let him help her up. And instead of letting go immediately, she held on as they walked back toward Duke’s. The lights of the restaurant seemed extra bright after their time on the beach.
A loud burst of laughter came from the bar area, and Aleck couldn’t help but smile.
“Sounds like Elodie and Lexie are having fun,” Kenna noted.
“Yup.” Looking over at the bar, he saw the women were laughing it up with the two bartenders. Mustang, Midas, and Jag were sitting at a table near the bar.
“Should I be worried about how much they’re drinking?” Kenna asked tentatively as she looked over at Elodie and Lexie.
“No,” Aleck said. “Mustang said he was going to have a word with the bartender and ask that they go easy on the liquor in their drinks.”
Kenna stared at him. “That’s…kind of presumptuous, isn’t it?” she asked.
“Not really,” Aleck said easily. “Both Elodie and Lexie already knew, since Mustang and Midas discussed doing it in front of them.”
“Oh.”
“We’re a protective bunch,” Aleck told her. He was somewhat warning her as well as trying to explain. “It’s not like they mind their women getting drunk, but they don’t want them getting sick. And both Elodie and Lexie are all right with it, since they’re not big drinkers. They know they’re being looked after, even as they let loose a little.” He shrugged. “It works for all of them.”
“And your other friend? Why’s he still here?”
“Carly,” Aleck said with a smile.
“Ah, of course,” Kenna said.
“He likes her, even though he’s not ready to admit it.”
“I think I told you earlier that Carly dated an older man? Well, it didn’t go well. Not at all. She’s definitely not ready for another boyfriend right now.”
“I can understand that. But that doesn’t mean Jag is gonna give up.”
“He’s got his work cut out for him,” Kenna warned.
“If a thing is worth doing, it’s worth doing well. If it’s worth having, it’s worth waiting for. It it’s worth attaining, it’s worth fighting for. And if it’s worth experiencing, it’s worth putting aside time for,” Aleck said.
Kenna stopped in the middle of the dining room and looked up at him. “Oscar Wilde said that.”
“Yup. I’ve always loved that quote. I’m paraphrasing a bit, but I memorized it in high school, and it’s amazing how many things it applies to. My job. Friendships. Relationships. Spending time with someone you want to get to know better.”
“Shit,” Kenna muttered. Then she straightened her shoulders and looked him in the eye. “Just for the record, you’ve more than made up for being snobby earlier.”
Aleck grinned. “Good.”
“Kenna!” Charlotte called when she saw her. “Good timing. Vera just sat someone in your section. You want me to grab their drink order for you?”
“I’ve got it!” Kenna told her. She looked back at Aleck. “Time to get back to work.”
Aleck dropped her hand and nodded.
They smiled at each other for a moment, before Kenna spun around and headed for the kitchen.
Aleck watched her go, fee
ling a pang of disappointment. He supposed he would’ve felt it no matter when they parted ways. Kenna was pretty different from the women he’d dated in the past…in a very good way.
He strolled toward the bar and overheard Elodie telling the bartenders the story about what they’d done in the restroom. They all burst out laughing again.
“I’m totally gonna keep that ruse up,” the female said. “Shouldn’t be hard. And if it makes people be nicer to the waitstaff, all the better.”
Aleck couldn’t agree more. He headed for the table where his friends were sitting. He saw that Mustang had a glass of water in front of him, and assumed Midas was drinking iced tea. Jag was nursing a beer.
He pulled out a chair and sat.
“You good?” Mustang asked.
“Yup,” Aleck told him.
“How good?” Midas pressed.
“We exchanged numbers, and even though I said some stupid shit, she still wants to see me again,” Aleck said with a smile.
“Awesome. Even though I don’t believe you said anything stupid,” Jag said.
Aleck grinned ruefully. “Kenna called me a snob. And she wasn’t wrong.”
“You aren’t a snob,” Midas said in surprise.
Aleck shrugged. “I try not to be, but obviously not having to worry about money has affected me in ways I hadn’t realized.”
“But you two are cool?” Jag asked.
“Yeah.”
“Good.” Jag paused, then asked, “She talk about her friend at all?”
He smirked. “You mean the cute waitress you haven’t been able to take your eyes off of all night?”
Jag shrugged.
Aleck sobered. “Just that she’s not all that keen on dating right now. I guess she’s got an asshole ex.”
“Shit,” Jag swore softly, then straightened in his chair. “Well, the only easy day was yesterday.”
Aleck rolled his eyes at the same time as Midas and Mustang. The phrase was a fairly popular SEAL saying, but he wasn’t sure it really applied to dating a gun-shy woman. Though it wasn’t as if he was an expert in relationships.
Just then, the woman in question headed for their table, and Aleck smiled when Jag sat even straighter.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Carly asked Aleck.