An Indian Summer in the Middle of Winter
The sun on her face was warm and Angela turned her face upwards, basking in the glow. After the long New England weather a trip to Hawaii was exactly what she needed. She’d gladly take the sun, and juice served in hollow coconuts over the manual labor that was scraping ice off the windshield of her car, and the flu. The scent of flowers, the island was covered in them, tickled her nose. Angela inhaled, a sneeze rushed past her lips as she exhaled.
“bless you,” a warm voice said.
Her face warmed and she slowly opened her eyes. “thanks,” she replied, reaching for her coconut. “Allergies.”
The man smiled. “The flowers,” he said motioning the bushes lining the pool.
Angela shrugged smiling. “It’s the price you pay,” she said. Leaning to the left she reached for her bag and withdrew a small, square box. She popped a pink and white tablet out of its clear bubble. Angela placed the tablet on her tongue and took a sip of juice.
“All better?” the man asked.
Angela smiled. “All better.”
“I’m Nick,” he said.
“Angela, but everyone calls me Angie,” she replied.
“Angela, I like that. My mom’s name was Angela. Do you mind if I sit?” he indicated the empty chaise beside her.
Angela shook her head no, a few curly tendrils escaped her messy pony tail. She shifted nervously in her seat, dogged eared the page of A Farewell to Arms and set the book inside her striped bag. She folded her knees under her and turned toward Nick.
“So Hawaii in January. What brings you here?” she asked shoving the strand of hair behind her ear.
“Actually,” he said sheepishly, “I live on the big island. I was dropping my brother off here and I saw you sitting her, and I had to stop and say hello.”
Angela blushed. She knew Nick’s compliment was insincere, she wasn’t stupid, a little naive, yes, but not stupid. But still…to hear a man even utter the words he had to stop and say hello, well it tickled her all the way down to her toes.
“You don’t believe me,” he said.
Angela stared down at the concrete. “It’s not that,” she said blushing. “I mean, I just, you know…”
“Men don’t approach you often do they?”
Angela shrugged. “Not really.”
Nick chuckled softly. “Its probably because they’re intimidated by you.”
Angela blushed deeper, her skin burning like bad sunburn. “I really doubt that,” she mumbled.
“Why’s that? Nick asked. “Look at you. Legs for days, and you’re hair is a beautiful color.”
Angela smiled. “And that, right there. It’s like seeing the sun rise and set on the big island, which is possible in case you were wondering. Would you like to have dinner with me?”
“I-I, uh, um-“
“Say yes,” Nick breathed.
“Okay,” she said laughing, “what time?”
“Is eight okay? I can pick you up in the lobby of the hotel, I know this great place, it’s not in the tour books, sort of a local thing. Interested?”
Angela smiled. Why not, she thought, after all she was on vacation. Isn’t that what single twenty eight year olds were supposed to do, go out on dates with nice looking men when they asked. Angela thought about her new year’s resolution, be more daring. Well this was as good a time as any. She glanced up, meeting Nick’s eyes. “Okay,” she agreed. “I’ll meet you in the lobby at eight.”
No comments:
Post a Comment