“Jealous?” Jo taunted.
“Will you give the Lucas thing a rest?”
“Sure, when you admit you like him.”
“Ew, no! I’ve known him since preschool. Once you’ve seen someone wearing diapers while eating paste it’s friend zone for life.”
Jo patted Kendall’s arm. “You keep telling yourself that.”
Kendall shrugged her off. “Whatever, quit changing the subject. I wanna hear about Magnet Lips.”
Jo shook her head, trying to hide her smile. Magnet Lips. It was a pretty accurate nickname. Even now Jo was having a hard time not thinking about those lips and what kissing them felt like.
“Spill it!” Kendall prodded.
Jo took another sip of her soda. “There’s nothing to spill.”
“So, you’re not gonna see him again?”
“No. Why would I?”
“Because you’re young, hot, and single. And you only live once. And he’s got magnet lips! Maybe even a magnet dick.”
“Kendall!”
“What? How many more perfect opportunities do you think are gonna walk through that door, Jo?”
“Hooking up with a random tourist isn’t a perfect opportunity. And besides, I’m not interested. I have Kai.”
“Kai’s in Maui for the next six weeks.”
“So?”
“So, while the cat’s away the mice will play!”
Jo rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well this mouse is more worried about making money than playing.”
Kendall hopped off her barstool and made her way around the bar. She created her famous Kendall concoction of orange Fanta and root beer, then added a shot of whatever booze was in her flask. She twisted the top back onto her pineapple cup and took a long swig before fixing Jo with a serious stare. “Listen, girl, I know I give you a lot of shit and most of the time I’m just messin’ around, but right now, I’m serious. You gotta quit this half livin’ shit.”
“I’m not half living.”
“Yes you are. Kai is not Max. And you’re kidding yourself if you think he can be a substitute.”
This was another reason Kendall was Jo’s best friend. Jo hated everything Kendall was saying right now, but she wasn’t wrong. She knew what Jo had been through with Max and how rough the past few years had been. But she also knew when it was time to call Jo out on her bullshit.
“I know, Kendall, but—”
“But nothing. It’s been three years. You need to move forward.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do. That’s why I’m busting my ass, working two jobs to get my own place.”
“I don’t see why you need your own place,” Kendall argued. “You know Jack and Pam would never kick you out.”
“I know. But I’m nineteen. It’s time I start acting like the adult I’m supposed to be. Plus, it’ll be better for me and Kai if we have our own place. Somewhere away from all the rumors and judgment.”
Kendall paled. “You’re not leaving Lanai, are you?”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to, but I think Maui might be better for us right now. Give us a fresh start, ya know?”
“What the hell has Maui got that we don’t?” Kendall’s sass was showing. She was a proud fifth generation Hawaiian. And with her arms crossed and hip out, Kendall suddenly looked like a much thinner, younger version of her aunt Lena.
“I could go to a real college instead of failing miserably at this online shit. Ethan loves going to school there. Ryan’s stationed there, too, so I’d get to see him more. Plus, most of Kai’s family lives there now.”
“Kai has family here, too.”
“I know, Kendall.” Jo sighed. “Nothing’s been decided. I don’t have enough money to do anything right now. It’s all just a pipedream until I get my ACE check.”
Kendall rolled her eyes. “Why can’t you have normal pipedreams? Like getting laid and surfing waves with me.”
Jo laughed, but it was a sad sound. A few years ago, those were her dreams. But Max changed all of that.
Kendall was still shaking her head making that disgusted sound as she sucked her teeth.
“What now?” Jo asked.
“It’s just a shame.”
“What is?”
“That God wasted that perfectly good set of tits on you when you don’t even use ‘em. I mean look at me. I got all the will and nothing to work with,” she said, patting her flat chest.
Jo snorted with real laughter. The fact that Kendall was jealous of anything Jo had was absurd. Kendall had gorgeous cocoa skin, long black hair and was built like a runway model. Whereas Jo looked like every other wannabe beach babe: blonde hair, great tan and big boobs. She was short and thin, her body toned from growing up surfing. Jo probably should have been more grateful to have been born blessed with the assets most women wanted, but all she saw when she looked in the mirror was a constant reminder of the woman who abandoned her. Jo was the spitting image of her mother, making it impossible to appreciate anything about her appearance.
She self-consciously adjusted the straps of her bra. “I’ve told you a million times, these melons are a pain in the ass. You can have ‘em,” she said grabbing her D-cups. “They just get in my way when I paddle out.”
Kendall flicked Jo with a towel. “Yeah, yeah. Rub it in, Hooters.”
And just like that, the heaviness of their earlier conversation evaporated and they were back to Jo and Kendall, two surf girls from Lanai, bitching about boobs and boys.
Jo reveled in it. Kendall was the only person on the island she could be one hundred percent real with. She could mess around and joke with her, but she could bring up the hard stuff, too. And Kendall didn’t judge her or pity her. She gave her honest opinion, sometimes even when Jo didn’t want to hear it.
Having a friend like Kendall was priceless. It would be something Jo missed terribly if she moved to Maui. But that was a future problem. One that Jo didn’t have the luxury to think about, given that her current problem just strode through the door.
Hayden
Hayden pushed through the weathered yellow doors of Locos once again. He stopped dead when he saw Joy standing behind the bar. So, it was gonna be a good six weeks after all. He’d been planning to spend the rest of the day searching her out, which he hadn’t thought would be too hard given the size of the tiny island and Joy’s unmatched beauty. How many gorgeous blondes with three protective older brothers could there be on Lanai?
But here she was, making that stupid smile stretch involuntarily across his lips again—Which were still sore by the way.
Hayden wasn’t bothered by that though. It was the look of fear on Joy’s face that worried him. She looked like a scared woodland creature about to bolt. He took a step forward ready to say anything to make her stay, but she dashed to what was presumably the kitchen and out of sight before he could open his mouth.
He started to go after her, but a bossy female voice stopped him. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
Hayden turned to see a leggy waitress with dark skin, black hair and golden eyes sizing him up. “And why not?”
“Jo’s not big on surprises and from the look on her face I’m guessing she wasn’t expecting round two with those kissable lips of yours to show up here.”
Hayden grinned. “She told you we kissed?”
“I was here last night. I saw it for myself.”
“Oh.” Disappointment gutted him.
For a split second he’d thought Joy had been talking about the incredible night they had making out on the beach, which would mean she thought it was incredible too, and not a mistake, like her disappearing act insinuated.
“Did something else happen between you two?” the nosy waitress asked.
“I just came back to get my wallet. I forgot it here last night since I sorta left in a hurry. I’m not some sort of stalker, I swear. I didn’t even know Joy worked here.”
The girl grinned. “Your wallet, huh? You sure that’s all you want?”
<
br /> No. “Yeah. Have you seen it?”
“I might have,” the waitress replied. “I’ll be right back.”
She disappeared the same way Joy had and Hayden was left standing in the empty beach bar wondering how any of this could be good for his heart. It’d gone from leaping to plummeting about a dozen times since he walked into Locos and he hadn’t even spoken to Joy yet.
8
Joy
“He wants his wallet,” Kendall said when she found Jo hiding in the back next to the salad station.
“I don’t have it,” Jo replied defensively.
“I didn’t say you did. He said he left it here last night. I’m gonna go ask Lena if she’s seen it. But when I get back, you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”
Jo’s eyes widened. Shit. Leaving Kendall alone with Magnet Lips may not have been the best idea. The girl could drag the truth out of the devil. “Kendall, I don’t know what he told you but last night was a mistake. All we did was kiss a few times on the beach.”
Kendall’s eyes doubled in size. “I knew it!”
Shit! Jo had just fallen for the oldest trick in the book, outing herself. She wanted to scream. She would’ve thought getting played by her brothers enough times would’ve wised her up, but nope, she was still just as gullible as always.
“Stay here,” Kendall ordered. “I’m going to look for his wallet.”
Jo sent up a silent prayer that the wallet was nowhere to be found while she paced a track in the greasy kitchen floor. She didn’t want Kendall to find it for a few reasons.
One: she didn’t want to know Magnet Lips’ real name. That would make last night feel too real.
Two: if his wallet wasn’t here he’d have to leave and go look elsewhere for it.
Three: there was no three. Not that she could think of anyway. But counting was the only thing keeping her sane.
Jo really didn’t want to have to go back out there and face her one slip of character in the last three years. Seriously, what were the chances that she’d ever run back into him again?
Jo gave up praying and silently cursed the stars, the moon, the gods and everything else for her terrible luck. And when Kendall came back grinning with a fat brown wallet in her hands, Jo cursed some more.
“Found it,” Kendall sang. She flipped open the wallet and read from the ID inside. “One Mr. Hayden Anderson of New York City . . . wait a minute.” Kendall pulled her phone from her apron and started tapping it furiously. Then she gasped. “Holy shit! I knew he looked familiar.” Kendall turned her phone toward Jo displaying a full color image of the boy currently waiting in the bar for his wallet. He was wearing a sharp black suit and a fantastic smile. “Jo, do you know who you made out with last night?”
Jo’s hands flew up to her ears and she closed her eyes. “No! I don’t wanna know. I’m not listening. La la la la . . .” She knew she was being childish as hell. God, if Kai could see her now she’d never hear the end of it.
Kai. He was reason number three why Jo wished Hayden wasn’t here right now. She didn’t want to have to explain any of this to Kai. That thought made up her mind and steeled her resolve. She opened her eyes, snatched the wallet from Kendall’s unsuspecting hand and stomped back out toward the bar.
Hayden
The Joy that had run from Hayden a few minutes ago was not the same Joy that was marching back toward him now. Hayden swallowed when he noticed the tight set of her mouth and the way her green eyes blazed with fury. He really wished the Joy from last night was charging toward him—the one who drank beer in a bikini and rubbed ice on his sore lip. Where the hell was that Joy?
Had she neglected to mention she had a twin or perhaps multiple personalities?
“Here’s your wallet. Now please leave,” Joy said shoving the brown leather into his hand. Their fingers brushed for a moment and that familiar jolt of electricity passed between them.
Joy pulled her hand away like he’d bitten her.
So, you felt it too, Joy?
Hayden took the wallet and decided to play it cool. He didn’t know why she was so pissed but he was determined to find out, especially if he was somehow the reason. “You didn’t even ask me to verify my identity. What kind of place is this?”
“I didn’t need to verify your identity. Your photo is on your license. And since I’m rather familiar with your face I can safely say you’re you.”
Shit. That meant she knew who he was now. Was she pissed he didn’t tell her? This wasn’t the typical reaction he got from women. Usually, women fell all over themselves and forgot how to speak once they Googled him and realized how much he was worth. He wasn’t quite sure why Joy was pissed but he moved to the offensive, sticking his hand across the bar as a good faith gesture. “Hayden Anderson, nice to officially meet you.”
Joy disregarded his hand. “I can read, Hayden. I don’t need you to spell out your name for me.”
“Well, could you maybe spell out why you’re so pissed at me?” he said, smoothly.
Just then, two couples walked into the restaurant and took a seat at the bar.
“Sorry. I’m working,” Joy replied.
Hayden smirked as she turned her tight little ass away from him and marched down to the other end of the bar to serve the patrons.
Goddamn he had it bad for this girl. She was rude and feisty as hell. Strangely, it was a turn on. No one was ever rude to him. Scratch that. Women were never rude to him.
He decided to pull up a chair and make himself at home. He wasn’t sure why Joy was drawing lines in the sand, but Hayden was always ready for a fight.
9
Joy
“Why is he still here?” Jo groaned as she stood by the kitchen watching Hayden eat his messy cheeseburger. He’d even ordered the kind with pineapple rings on it. Such a tourist move.
“Because he obviously has it bad for you,” Kendall replied. “Tell ya what, I’ll take your second shift and you take off so you can get to know New York.”
Jo cut her eyes. “Not happening.”
“Fine,” Kendall said, starting to untie her apron. “I can’t stand to see a fine ass man like that looking so lonely. And since you’re not interested, I guess I’ll take New York out.”
Two could play that game. Everyone on Lanai knew Kendall had it bad for Lucas. Well, everyone except Kendall and Lucas apparently. But Jo knew there was no way Kendall had eyes for some tourist, no matter what she read on Google. Jo crossed her arms. “What would Lucas say?”
Kendall narrowed her eyes. “I don’t know. Why don’t you ask him? Or better yet, ask that haole hussy he went home with last night.”
Jo’s mouth fell open. “For real?”
“For real.”
Jo sighed. “When are you two gonna stop playing games?”
“Who says this is a game? Anyway, Mr. New York is fine, and just ‘cause you wanna pass up a good thing, doesn’t mean I do.”
“You’re not gonna go out with him.”
“Why not? Would that bother you?”
“No, I don’t even know the guy. But I do know you like Lucas, even if you’re too stubborn to admit it.”
“I’ll make you a deal. You admit you liked kissing New York, and I’ll admit just maybe I might like your brother. Like in a hell-freezes-over, he’s the last man on earth kinda scenario.”
Jo rolled her eyes. “Kendall, take it from me. Don’t waste time hiding your feelings. Life is too short.”
“I could say the same thing to you.”
“About what?”
“I saw the sparks. There’s no denying you liked kissing New York.”
“It was a dare!”
Kendall huffed a laugh. “Then maybe I dare myself to see what all the fuss is about.”
“Fine by me,” Jo drawled.
“Fine.” Not to be outdone, Kendall clocked out and swaggered over to Hayden. She whispered something in his ear and he glanced Jo’s way, then laughed.
Kendall looked over her shou
lder at Jo, giving her one last chance to call her bluff.
But Jo only crossed her arms defiantly.
Kendall huffed a laugh. “Adios bitchachos,” she called with a dramatic wave.
The next thing Jo knew Hayden was slapping some cash on the bar and walking out of the bar—with Kendall!
Jealousy flared unexpectedly in Jo’s chest. She told herself it was only outrage that her best friend was being a ho-bag. But deep down, Jo knew that wasn’t true. Kendall was doing this just to piss Jo off. And what made her even more upset, was that it was working.
Jo watched the damn doors at Locos for the rest of the night, but neither Kendall nor Hayden reappeared, leaving her to contemplate Kendall’s eerie warning. ‘How many more perfect opportunities do you think are gonna walk through that door, Jo?’
Hayden
It turned out Kendall was a pretty cool chick. And a wealth of knowledge on all things Joy—although Kendall called her Jo, too. Something Hayden still refused to do. Joy was too fitting of a name considering the way she made him feel.
Kendall actually worked at ACE. She was one of the lifeguards on staff, which she explained was a necessary evil since the ACE coordinator, Jack Wright, decided that swimming in the ocean and running the beach were much better workouts than the climate controlled pool and gym facilities the campus boasted.
Hayden groaned when she finished giving him a quick overview of what the next six weeks would be like at ACE.
“Are you for real with all that whining?” Kendall teased.
“I’m from Manhattan. Boot camp isn’t really my style,” he cracked.
“Then why’d you sign up, New York?”
“My father made me.”
“For real?”
“Yeah.”
Kendall whistled low. “Well, I hope you’re ready for this shit, because ACE is no joke, city boy.”
“I’d be a whole lot more ready if you’d give me Joy’s number.”
The Summer Boyfriend Page 4