Oh Damn One Night of Trouble (2 page)

“
Are you trying to tell me that you're lonely?” Kailani asked, with a tinge of anger.

“
Yes,” he said, looking up at her.

“
Maybe if you weren't...” Her words faltered.

“
What?”

“
You might try changing your...profession,” Kailani said as tactfully as she could. “You might try working at an honest job.”

“
My job is honest.” He winced as her eyes narrowed on him. “I know what you mean,” He said, “a job like yours.”

“
Well, I don't necessarily mean waiting tables but you must have other skills besides...”

He grinned. “I guess I have a few others.”

“
Good,” Kailani said. “That's good to hear.” She had to get out of there, away from that table. In a brisk walk, she took the coffee pot and went across the room.

After a while, he finished his breakfast and left. The booth was empty. Kailani went to clear the dishes away and she saw pen marks through the back of the receipt. She held her breath, turned it over and smiled. He'd drawn a heart and put their names in it, as if they were in grade school.

Lily glared at her.

Kailani smiled and put the receipt in her pocket.

The rest of the day was ordinary, like most days and unless something brilliant happened along the way, Kailani knew years could become ordinary. That was why she had a plan and she was going to follow it.

The diner closed and she went home, stopping by
Kula Lake and she sat down on a bench. She didn't have any classes that evening and she had time to relax. She watched the tourists having fun and taking more pictures.

She put her hands into her pockets to rest them there and her fingertips touched the folded piece of paper. Joshua Chandler was smooth, she thought. He probably had a million friends and most likely, he told all the female ones that he was lonely.

Poor lonely Mr. Chandler, she mused, going home alone to his cat named Tubbo. Kailani laughed at the thought of it.

“
Can we take your picture?” a man asked. He was standing beside his wife and she was holding a shopping bag stuffed full of souvenirs.

Kailani smiled. “Why do you want my picture?” she asked. She knew why. Tourists had been taking pictures of her ever since she was little.

“
You're Hawaiian, aren't you? I mean, a Native to the island,” the man said.

“
Yes, I am.”

“
You're beautiful,” the woman said. “Can we put this flower in your hair?”

Kailani smiled. “I finished at work and I smell like hamburger grease. I don't think a flower is going to help me.”

“
It's all right, you are very beautiful,” the woman said. “Can our little Casey sit beside you?” she asked.

Kailani looked down at the white fluffy dog. She hoped he was friendly. “Sure,” she said. She patted the bench and Casey hopped up beside her.

The tourist man smiled and took the picture as Casey licked her face.

Kailani laughed. They went away and she saw him coming toward her. She muttered under her breath. What was he, a stalker?

“
If you pat that bench, I'll sit down,” Joshua said, with a grin.

“
Ok but don't lick my face,” Kailani said.

He laughed. “Do you like animals?”

She looked directly into his eyes. “Most of them,” she said.

“
I'm sorry I put you in an awkward position at work,” he said. “I wanted to apologize and tell you that I got the message.”

“
Oh good,” Kailani said, “Because I have a lot to do. I'm working. I take all those classes...”

“
I understand.”

“
It's nothing personal...”

“
Yes it is,” he said. “You don't date man whores. I get it.”

Kailani's smile fell to a straight line. “I...”

“
Lily told me what you said and I understand how you feel about it,” he said, rising to his feet. “Maybe it is time for me to get another job.”

“
Lily had no right...”

“
But it's the truth, isn't it?” he asked.

“
Yes,” Kailani said.

“
Thank you for being honest Kailani,” he said and he went away.

She watched as he went across the street to the pet supply store and bought a huge bag of cat food, put it in his Audi and drove off.

She went home alone. She didn't have a Tubbo. Her apartment was empty and without any creature except for herself and a dead cactus that she had somehow neglected and killed.

Chapter 3

The next morning the diner was packed full of people. Kailani wondered what was going on and then she saw
him.

The muscles in his biceps bulged as he waited at the table, smiled and took the woman's order. His wavy black hair was styled, slick with gel and he was wearing a bright yellow
Ma kai
Diner T-shirt and a very well-fitting pair of jeans.

“
No...” Kailani uttered and she immediately went to find Susana, the owner. She discovered the older woman sitting behind the coffee counter on a stool, smiling. “Susana, why did you hire him?”

“
He's good for business,” Susana said. “The place is full. Look, there is a line outside. We never had a line of people waiting to get in.”

“
I understand but...do you know who he is?” Kailani asked, in a quiet voice.

“
Oh yes, I know. The lady tourists have to eat somewhere, why not here?” Susana said.

Kailani couldn't argue. The diner had never been so crowded. She put on her apron and went to work. Luckily, her tables were in the back corner of the restaurant and she didn't cross paths with him often. When she did, he smiled at her and continued working.

At the end of their shift, she saw him in the back room. He'd changed into a suit and tie.

“
You're going to be tired in the morning,” she said.

“
I have a meeting to go to,” he said, “and then I'm going home to eat pizza and watch the game with Tubbo.”

Kailani smiled. “Why did you take a job here?”

“
I needed a break,” he said, “and I wanted to do something different.”

“
Oh so you plan to continue...”

“
Whoring around?” he asked. “I make a lot of money as an escort and I'm good at it.”

“
Oh,” Kailani said.

“
Would you like to come and watch the game with us?” he asked. “Tubbo won't mind as long as you don't sit on his couch.”

“
His couch?”

“
He needs his own couch,” Josh said. “He's a large cat.”

Kailani smiled. “For some reason, I can't imagine you as a cat owner.”

“
I like animals,” Josh said. “They're kinder than people. Tubbo wasn't planned and I certainly never intended on keeping him in the house but he has a mind of his own.” He paused. “My meeting is from 6 until 7 pm. I could pick you up, if you're not busy.”

“
You're very persistent,” Kailani said. She didn't have any classes that night. In fact, she didn't have anything to do except spend time at Kula Lake, shop for supper and go home. “All right,” she conceded, “as a
friend,
I will come and watch the game with you and Tubbo.”

“
Perfect,” Josh said, smiling at her. “Where do you live?”

“
Bright Side Apartments,” Kailani told him. “I'll meet you out front at 7:00.”

“
I'll be there,” he said. He winked at her and went out the door.

Kailani was nervous. What had she done? She accepted a date with a man whore! By the time it was 6:45 pm she was ready to back out but she looked out the window and saw the Audi parked at the curb. He was early!

She had chosen a casual flowered sundress and sandals but she was having second thoughts. She looked good, too good for a male escort with a cat named Tubbo.

She didn't have time to change so Kailani went downstairs with a pleasant smile and approached his car. He started to get out, to open the door for her. “Oh no, don't bother,” she said, grinning and getting into the car. “I'm not paying you,” she added.

He looked at her and laughed. “Fair enough,” he said, accepting her humor. “After all, I asked you out and we're going as friends, to watch a game. No big deal,” he said, “right?”

“
Right,” she said, putting her sunglasses on. He put the top down on the convertible and her hair blew softly past her shoulders.

“
Do you like cats?” he asked.

“
Sure,” Kailani said. “I don't have any because I'm not allowed to have them in my apartment but I like them. I've tried to keep plants but...” Her voice trailed off. He was listening, paying close attention to what she was saying. “I'm not very good with them,” she added.

“
With the plants?”

“
I killed a cactus,” she said.

He grinned and turned his head so she couldn't see his smile.

“
I'm a very busy person,” she told him. It was Kailani's turn to smirk when she saw his house was beneath the cliff of a mountain and near the beach. He lived under a rock, a big rock.

“
This is it,” he said, pulling into the driveway. He was quick to get out and go to her side of the car. Josh opened the door, smiled and said, “No charge.”

Kailani smiled but reminded herself that he was
paid
to be charming and he was very good at it. Wasn't that what he'd told her?

He walked her to the front door and tapped on the wooden door before he opened it.

When the door swung open, Kailani shrieked and grasped Joshua by both arms. She moved him in front of her.

“
That's Tubbo,” Josh said, motioning to the large cat on the couch.

“
That's...” Kailani began, staring at the beast, “that's a tiger!”

“
A Bengal Tiger,” Josh informed her. “He's friendly and well fed.”

“
You feed that thing cat food?!”

“
Well, that was his treat.”

Kailani froze at the door, holding onto Josh. Something shrieked and swung from a rope in the corner. She stumbled backward, gaping at the monkey.

“
That's Burt.”

“
Burt?” She looked at Joshua and wrinkled her nose. “You live with a monkey and a tiger?”

He smiled. “Yes, I do,” he said, “They're a part of my dream.”

Tubbo yawned, reclining on his couch and twitched his tail looking at Kailani.

“
Maybe we should take a walk out back before we watch the game,” Joshua suggested, glancing at his watch. “We have time.”

“
What's out back?” Kailani asked. She was afraid to move.

“
You're perfectly safe,” he said, placing his hands on her arms. “I won't let anything happen to you.”

“
Yes but...” Kailani pointed at Tubbo.

“
As long as you don't try to sit on his couch,” Josh explained, “he'll lie there all night long.”

“
All night?”

“
Unless he wants to come outside,” he said, taking her small hand in his. “Come on. I'll escort you on a tour.”

Kailani was too terrified to laugh. She watched the tiger as they moved to the back door. Thankfully, Tubbo seemed bored. The monkey scampered past her and she jumped, startled.

“
Burt! That's not nice,” Joshua said as the monkey jumped up onto his shoulder. “Behave.”

Burt chattered at him.

“
He's a squirrel monkey,” Joshua told her. “He eats leaves, fruit and insects but he can be very tricky, so watch him.” He smiled as Burt bounded from his shoulder to a shelf. He placed a calm hand on Kailani's shoulder and opened the back door.

“
Wait,” Kailani said, “Maybe you should tell me what is out here first.”

“
Don't worry,” he said. “They're all in cages but they have plenty of room to move about. I have eight mammals here at the moment and two macaws. They were all wounded at some point and the wildlife officers brought them to me. No one in Hawaii is permitted to keep exotic animals but they're smuggled in. If they're hurt or sick people don't want them anymore. They're dumped roadside or left on the beach to die.”

“
That's cruel,” Kailani said, walking past the cages. She saw a small, sweet looking animal with large dark eyes lying in a basket and looking at her. “What is that?” she asked.