by Margaret Kay
“Me too,” she agreed. She breathed out a heavy sigh once she was outside his door. She wasn’t sure what she’d tell Martin. The man just didn’t seem interested in a card game.
Uniform
Unfortunately, things the next day were still uncomfortable between Michaela and him, much to Lambchop’s disappointment. The group was booked on a morning snorkeling expedition with a beach lunch provided followed by an afternoon beach party. They boarded the catamaran at the pier just down the beach from the resort with a group of about thirty people. He tried to engage Michaela in normal conversation, but she was distant even though she sat beside him. He did delight in seeing the excitement the girls had about going snorkeling, something he discounted as routine.
He sat back in the seat, enjoying the scenery in a way he never would be able to while working. He did love the ocean, and it was nice to be able to not think about a mission while feeling the spray hit his face. Glancing at his three teammates, he saw that they did as well. Sherman had a crooked smile plastered on his face as he watched Brielle’s enthusiasm. It still amazed him, the devotion he saw Sherman regard Brielle with. But that was what genuine love would do to a man, and he was happy Sherman had found it with her.
As the boat staff handed out snorkel masks and fins, he had to laugh to himself. They thought this was snorkeling! He watched Sherman and Sloan give directions to their wives. Annaka of course needed none. His eyes met Michaela’s. “You got that okay?” He called over to her. She had moved seats and now sat closer to Brielle than him.
“Yes, thank you,” she replied. “I’ve snorkeled before.”
He tried to stay near her as they snorkeled. The three other couples swam, holding hands. He felt a pang of jealousy as he watched them. He knew that he was fooling himself, thinking that he didn’t eagerly want a partner in his life. Yes, he believed that God would have the right person be in his life at the right time, but it was hard not to pray for it to happen now.
He said a prayer for patience and faith. Then he felt peace fill him. He focused on the warm water and on the beautiful sea life that swam below. The coral reef they floated over was teeming with incredible tropical fish of all sizes and colors. He allowed himself to enjoy it.
Likewise, on the boat ride to the remote beach where lunch was set up for them, he made himself enjoy the scenery, sunshine, and the music that played over the boat’s speakers. He put the situation with Michaela out of his thoughts and enjoyed the party atmosphere. He focused on his teammates and the great time they were having and kept thoughts of the divide between him and Michaela from ruining the day for him.
As they disembarked from the catamaran later that afternoon, the women chatted about the luau they would attend that evening. They were back in time to relax at their rooms for a few hours before the luau began. Lambchop’s thoughts were on finding Nevaeh. He hoped she would be available for a drink before dinner again.
“You do have a Hawaiian shirt to wear to the luau, don’t you?” Brielle asked him. “I helped Brian pick one out at the Hawaiian apparel store in the lobby.”
“No, you made me buy one that matched the new sundress you bought when you girls went shopping,” Sherman said teasingly.
“You too?” Sherman asked. “We better not have the same one.”
“Relax,” Kaylee told him. “Ours are dark blue, Brian and Brielle bought the red ones.”
“And I bought the mostly black one with a sage green ribbon of foliage and a coral colored orchid on it,” Annaka added. “And of course, a shirt that matches for you, Danny.”
“You did?” He asked.
Lambchop chuckled. It appeared not all of his teammates knew their women had decided on their wardrobe for the evening.
Michaela remained quiet. She felt foolish for even considering buying Landon a matching shirt when she was in the store with the girls. Even though they had agreed to forget about the incident the previous morning, she couldn’t, and she hated how awkward things were with him. Ignoring it wasn’t working. She knew they needed to talk. She decided right then that she’d invite him to go for a walk on the beach with her after the luau and have that conversation.
“When did you go shopping?” Lambchop asked, ignoring Michaela's silence.
“Yesterday before lunch,” Brielle answered. “You really should go to the store and take a look. You need a Hawaiian shirt for the luau.”
Lambchop wished things were back to normal with Michaela. It would have been fun for him if she would go shopping with him. “Alright, I’ll go check it out.” He waited a beat, but Michaela didn’t volunteer to go with him.
As the group dispersed, he went directly to the lobby. As he walked through, he saw Nevaeh and an attractive red-haired woman seated at the concierge desk. They were engaged in what looked to be an intense but friendly conversation. He smiled and threw her a wave.
Nevaeh rose and hurried over to him. “Hi Landon, I was hoping I’d run into you today. I wanted to apologize to you again for having to leave so quickly last night.”
“Trust me, I understand work having to come first.”
“Let me make it up to you tonight. I know you said you had dinner plans again, but could you meet me for a drink before or perhaps after. We could pick up where we left off last night,” she suggested with a lust filled smile.
“How about both? Evidently I have to have a Hawaiian shirt for the luau I’m attending tonight.” He pointed to the store across the lobby. “Then I have to catch a shower, but I could meet you for a drink in say forty-five minutes if you have time?”
“I can make that happen,” she replied with a smile.
“How about the bar over by the east pool?”
“It’s a date,” she said. She crossed back through the lobby and retook her seat beside Shawna.
His shopping trip was quick. He bought the first shirt he found in his size. It was mostly black with some brilliant purple tropical flowers on it. He hurried to his room. The maid had been in, but all his belongings were where he’d left them. He retrieved his .9mm from the safe. He’d holster it to his ankle again tonight.
After a lengthy shower, he opted not to shave. He was on vacation, wasn’t he? He dressed in his new Hawaiian shirt and a pair of jeans and headed towards the east pool bar. He was genuinely eager to spend time with Nevaeh. He tried to block thoughts of how awkward the day with Michaela had been. While snorkeling, she swam off on her own. He would have liked to hold her hand and swim with her, even if it was just as friends. Had the incident in the water not occurred the previous day, they would have.
He calmed his thoughts and opened his heart. He said a prayer, reaffirming his belief that God had plans for him. He turned his feelings over to God and felt peace fill his heart. Then he saw Nevaeh approach. She was dressed in a very flattering, fitted blue dress that accentuated her trim figure well. She walked like a pro in the spike-healed open-toed sandals that were sexy, yet still threw off a professional vibe. He rose as she reached the table.
She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Hello. I am so glad this worked out, to have a drink this evening.”
“Me too,” he said as he pulled a chair out for her. He waived at the server. She ordered a glass of wine. He ordered a beer. He never drank much, given that he was usually armed.
“I saw you board the catamaran for the snorkeling expedition this morning,” Nevaeh said. “I hope you enjoyed it.”
“I did,” Lambchop said. “More than I thought I would.”
“Ah, is the ocean not your thing?”
Lambchop couldn’t help but laugh. At some point, he probably had to be somewhat honest with her about who he really was. “No, that’s not it at all. I’m very comfortable in the water. I normally dive under different circumstances. Let’s just say a group snorkeling tour is not my normal.”
The server brought their beverages. Nevaeh raised her glass. “A toast to enjoying learning about each other.”
Lambchop tapped his bottle against
her wine glass. “I look forward to it.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Michaela. She stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes landed on him. Besides the hurt look on her face, he noticed how beautiful she looked in the Hawaiian sundress.
His eyes went back to Nevaeh when she spoke. “So, why did you go on the snorkeling tour then?”
“I’m here with a group of coworkers and their wives, and the ladies wanted to go.”
Nevaeh was confused. His reservation hadn’t been linked to anyone else’s, which was normally the case for groups traveling together. “I will assume that is the same for the luau this evening?”
“Yes, though I have never attended one. It should be a good time,” he said, except that he was sure there would be more awkwardness with Michaela. The expression that he’d just seen on her face bothered him. She looked genuinely upset and that was not the reaction he ever wanted his actions to cause. “I’d like to see you again later tonight, after it.”
“I’d like that too,” Nevaeh said. “How about eleven again, your room?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Lambchop said. “I hope you don’t get called away again. Does that happen often?”
“On occasion,” she said. “Is your cell phone working alright?”
Lambchop pulled it from his pocket. “I assume it is,” he said. “I haven’t had the need to use it much.” He unlocked it and opened a few programs. “Yes, seems to be. Why do you ask?”
She forced a smile and nodded. She knew that Martin had tried to get a hold of him several times by both phone call and text. He hadn’t returned Martin’s calls or text messages. “I had more than a few guests today complaining about cell service issues.”
“Oh,” he said, draining the last of his beer, just as Sloan and Kaylee walked by. He gave them a nod of acknowledgement. “Tell them they’re on vacation and to leave their phones in their room and enjoy the beautiful scenery. There was one woman on the tour today that spent most of the trip tapping out text messages.”
“That’s too bad,” Nevaeh said. “A wasted opportunity to enjoy nature.”
Lambchop glanced at his watch. “I hate to do this, but I have to go. The luau is about to start.”
“I know,” she said. “Go and enjoy. I will see you later this evening.” She pressed another kiss to his cheek and then retreated up the path that led towards the main pool area.
Lambchop bent his torso down and accepted the lei the native woman dressed in a grass skirt dropped around his neck. He was the last to arrive of his group. Again, the only free chair was beside Michaela. He sat and greeted everyone, his gaze sweeping over the group. “Nice matching outfits,” he told the three couples. When his eyes landed on Michaela. Her return expression was sad eyes and a frown. “And you look very lovely this evening. I like that dress on you.”
“Thank you,” she murmured. “I like that shirt on you too.”
He leaned over, his lips near her ear. “We need to talk. I miss how we were. I miss my best friend.” He was sure he saw a tear escape from her eye. “After dinner. Until then, let’s enjoy this. I’ve never been to a luau before.”
Michaela nodded. “Are we going to be okay?”
Lambchop projected a confident smile at her. “I’m counting on it.”
The show started on the stage and the food arrived on trays that never ended. There was music and dancing, fire sticks twirled, and audience members pulled on stage, including their two newlywed couples. Lambchop laughed harder than he probably ever had watching Sherman try to hula dance.
The rhythm of the drums and the gyrations of the dancer’s hips captivated Lambchop. His mood lightened. The tension between Michaela and him also eased. For the first time in two days, he felt truly happy. He was glad that he and Michaela would talk after dinner. They had four days of their vacation left and he wanted them to be good days.
The group lingered longer than the other guests at the luau. The sun had long set, and the resort staff was cleaning up the remnants of the event around them as they finished their drinks by the glow of the tiki torches. Unfortunately, as the group stood and moved away from the seating that was literally being picked up and put away all around them, Mother brought up Nevaeh, or rather brought up the beautiful woman he’d seen Lambchop having drinks with before dinner.
“Yes, that was her,” he told Mother. “Her name is Nevaeh, and she works here at the resort.” He saw Michaela’s face take on a sudden look of disappointment, and he knew it bothered her.
“Oh, is that who I saw you at the bar with before dinner?” Michaela asked innocently.
“Yes,” Lambchop confirmed without elaborating.
He remained behind the others. Michaela too dropped back after they’d all said their goodnights. “Are we still going to talk?”
“I’d like to,” she confirmed. “I’d like to take a walk on the beach. Will you join me? It’s a beautiful night.” She was fighting to keep her emotions under control. Seeing Landon with that woman earlier, really upset her.
“Yes, that sounds nice,” Lambchop confirmed.
They walked down close to where the waves gently lapped at the smoothed-out sand, being careful to stay out of the water’s path. They walked in silence for quite a while. He wasn’t sure how to bring up how disappointed he was by her reaction but be direct and blunt. He didn’t want to sound like he was blaming her, though. He understood it was how she felt, and he couldn’t attack her for her feelings. He needed her to understand that it wasn’t something he could control. And he would do anything to get things back to normal between them.
Michaela took hold of his hand. “Thank you for walking with me.”
Lambchop gave her hand a squeeze. “You know I like your company.” He stopped himself from saying anything more.
“I don’t like how things have been between us since yesterday.”
Lambchop glanced out at the dark ocean. “You know that I don’t either, Michaela. It wasn’t anything I could control.”
“I know. And I know I overreacted. I’m very sorry about that. I really feel like a fool for how I responded to it.”
“Apology accepted. I really just want to get past this and have everything be the way it was.”
“I want that too. You are one of my best friends.”
“You refused to talk with me about this yesterday. That hurt the worst.”
Michaela’s breath caught in her chest. “I never meant to hurt you. My refusal to discuss it was more about me being disappointed in myself for reacting the way I did. I didn’t need to hear how childish of a reaction it was from you too, when I was already beating myself up for it.”
“I’d hope you know me better than think I’d be mean to you or beat you up in any way.”
Michaela squeezed his hand. “I do. You’re a good man, Landon.”
“Okay, can we put this to rest and let things go back to normal?”
“Gladly,” she agreed. But the fact that he was spending time with that beautiful woman weighed on her. She knew that would interfere with things getting back to normal too.
“I don’t ever want to make you uncomfortable.” Though he really didn’t understand how she could have been mad at him about it. He hadn’t acted on any feelings. He had always respected her wishes, even though he would like for their relationship to move past just friends.
“Thank you,” she said. They walked a bit farther in silence. “Are you planning on seeing her this evening after we get back?”
“Her? Nevaeh?”
“Yes,” Michaela said. She heard him sigh. Even she hated that she asked him that question. She could only imagine what he thought of it.
“Yes, I have plans to meet her later.”
“I see,” she stammered.
“I’d prefer to spend time with you, but I want to explore a meaningful relationship with a woman.”
“A woman, any woman?” She regretted the words as soon as they’d left her mouth. Her tone sounded as though she was mocking him.
Lambchop decided he had to address this, even if it would bring irreparable harm to their friendship. “If we’re being completely honest, no, not any woman. You know I would like to explore the possibility of us sharing a more personal, intimate relationship that goes beyond friendship, but that wasn’t my intention of inviting you on this trip.”
“Landon, you’re really suggesting I get romantically involved with someone from the office?”
“No, not just someone. Me. That’s it. One person from work, me.”
“I cannot be romantically involved with you, Landon, ever. I’ve told you that. I’ve asked you to respect that.” She knew her tone sounded harsh.
“And I have,” he countered. “I like Nevaeh. I’d like to get to know her better.”