Page 30 of This Could be Love

“Well, she saw her playing on a public court in Honolulu and offered to train her. For free.”

“I didn’t know that.” Kay had told me she thought Malia had a lot of talent and that she was worth supporting. But not thatshewas the one doing it.

“This here,” he said, making a circular movement with his index finger, “is something most Hawaiian families could never afford.” He tilted his head toward my phone on the table. “Anyway, your phone there vibrated a few times. Maybe it’s important.” He handed it to me. All of the messages were from Laurie. We’d already exchanged numbers the first time we met and had texted here and there ever since the barbecue.

Hey, you want to come over tonight? Ladies’ night?

It was followed by a GIF of two oversize wineglasses.

Yours will be iced tea, of course…??

I had to smirk. Then came the last text.

Don’t worry, Vince isn’t here.

It had come just a few minutes later. As if my not having responded immediately was due to the tension with her brother. Who, in the meantime, had taken up a starring role in my dreams.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, it was just Laurie.”

I decided to answer later and put my phone back down.

“Laurie Greenfield?”

I nodded.

“You all become friends?”

“Umm…yeah, somehow or other.” I probably sounded just as surprised as he was. “Ever since the barbecue we’ve texted here and there.”

“You went over?”

“Yeah. That’s why I wasn’t at home when Kay had her date and you stopped by.”

“Kay had a date?”

He tried to make it sound casual, but there was something in his voice, and for a split second there was a pause in his movements.

“She met an old friend.”

“An old friend.”

“Hmm…” I watched his reaction.

Within seconds his face was relaxed again. “What’d she have to say? About you going to the barbecue?”

“I only told her the next morning. And asked her to withdraw her complaint against Vince. Which she did.”

His eyebrows shot up.

“Yeah, I was a little surprised myself. Maybe I can get her to change her mind about the hostel too.”

“Sounds like you’ve already changed yours,” he said with a grin. In response to my quizzical glance he said, “Well, the last time you were here, it sounded like you wanted to beat Vince over the head with your racket and now…”

You’re dreaming of him.

“You’re taking his side.”