They say the worst part about looking for work is the resume writing. I say the worst part is figuring out what job you want in the first place! 

Clutching my laptop, I grabbed a bottle of cold water from the fridge and went out back on the lanai to look through job postings for the base. It was sunny out like it always was and breezy. Tiny families of geckos skittered across the pavers in the expansive back yard, their bodies bobbing up and down as they paused to look for bugs. Interesting creatures, and they bring good luck my grandad used to say. 'Never kill one if it gets inside'. He knew what he was talking about, superstitious or not. 

I hated looking online for employment. After high school I went to college using my dads GI Bill and hadn't needed to work so I didn't, until I graduated. By then, I was very naive about the process and how competitive it was applying online. Wanting the wrong jobs became a downfall...and I ultimately had to settle for a city job doing low level clerical work. 

Not exactly a college grad success story.

A beautiful blue dragon fly flitted overhead and slowed by my face as I sat on a lounger chair. It too reminded me of my grandad. I watched it beat its tiny wings at a furious pace, then flit off, searching for water no doubt. This house and everything in it was a reminder of my summer trips to Hawaii, and a life my dads parents led. His mom had long since passed, when I was a baby, but his dad was always here. 

Stop reminiscing..get to looking.

Grandad wouldn't want me to sit around. I settled in the chair and opened the laptop. Searching for 'Marine Corp Base Hawaii' I brought up the marine homepage. I navigated through the endless info until I found civilian employment. That link shot me to USAJOBS. I typed in 'Hawaii' for the Marine base openings. There were only three different jobs....only three! All on the base close by. Counselor, New Parent Coordinator and Sales Associate.

Seriously?? That's it?

My degree is in Human Resources. It fit none of these postings. But, beggars can't be choosers. I'd have good benefits which would be nice. I needed to get a health plan going here. And I didn't need the money. Grandad had left me a lot. He was smart with investing and after his career in the military, he bought some rental properties as well. No...this was just to keep busy. Engaged. Not be a surf bum. 

I bite the bullet and clicked on the sales job listing. Seemed easy enough. Work at the exchange as a cashier or stocker of goods, or a combo of both. I could do that. Heck, maybe I'd make a friend or two. I could use one. Quickly, I typed in my info and added my CV as an attachment. Clicking send, I exhaled and read the automated reply. 

'Congratulations! Thank you for your application. You should be contacted soon.'

Standard message. Someone in hiring, likely HR, would shift through in a few days. I shut my laptop and decided I'd go get lunch. I was feeling sober and much better after having ate the dropped off food from Luca. Plus, Kaneohe had some of the best hole in the wall places. 

💋💋

Sauce dribbled down my chin. 

I moaned as I licked what I could from my lips and dabbed at the rest with a napkin. This food was like mana from heaven. Simply the most tasty fish tacos in all of Oahu. I lucked out too because no one was here but me and the owners. 

"You want more?" The wife called out to me from the kitchen.

"I'll take two more...thank you!" I replied loudly. 

Her husband came out to sit at an empty plastic table next to me. 

"Business will pick up any minute now. The military lunch time is coming up." He said, gazing out the glass front entrance. 

I hadn't thought of that. Dang. I didn't really want to deal with military today...after last night that is. But just as the owner predicted, a loud group of guys drove up and exited from an open top Jeep Wrangler. They were young looking, and were marines. Of course they would be, we were next to the base. 

Swallowing my bite, I got up to pay and ask for my remaining tacos to be boxed up. I felt nervous for some reason as I heard the marines come in. Why was I reacting this way? I had a hunch it was because of Luca. The chances of running into him were slim I told myself. There were hundreds of marines stationed here. 

"Here you go, I added some extra mango salsa in a to go container." 

The wife handed me the food in a plastic bag with a big smile. I gingerly smiled back as I took the bag from her. Feeling the men behind me, I moved around them brushing arms with one on accident. 

"Sorry ma'am." He said. 

I looked up and met his eyes. He had dark chocolate irises, and was smiling. 

"It's ok." I said weakly. 

"Wait....you're the swimmer that our sergeant jumped in to help aren't you? With that huge shark!" 

Great. One of Luca's men. 

"Yep, that's me." I said, walking towards the door. 

"For what it's worth, I think you're a badass! Don't let the gunney scare you away from the beach!" 

How cute of him. He thought I was scared away by Luca. I opened the glass door and turned around. 

"Not a chance!" 

💋💋

The sun was pretty hot by now. I walked slowly through my neighborhood, scrolling on the phone. There were a few other job sites for contractors on the base that I hadn't thought of. None of the HR related jobs needed filled though. Most were medical related and childcare jobs. Neither of which I was interested in or qualified to do. I sighed. This was going to be tough if I didn't get a call back from the job I'd applied for this morning. 

Maybe you could try volunteering?

"Mila Tanaka!" A male voice called out. 

I stopped looking at my phone and scanned for who was speaking to me. In a yard across the street stood an old Asian man, waving his arm at me. I didn't know him. 

"Yes?" I called back. 

"Come come...you look so much like your grandpa, Henry!" 

He beckoned me over so I crossed the road and stood by his driveway. 

"I'm Terry. I was your grandpas best friend. We fished almost every day together. After he died, I was hoping I'd meet you. He said you'd come." 

I smiled and embraced the man. My grandpas best friend. I knew he was a social man, but had no idea who his friends were. I came here after his funeral...I had to bury my parents, his son, first. 

"Look at you! Last I saw you, you were this tall." He said, holding his hand out around his chest. 

It had been many years since I'd come, that was true. Before High School. Once I got into after school activities, coming to see grandpa for the summer wasn't feasible. I went to camps for sports and even astronomy camp my junior year. My grandad missed my visits, I know he did. Guilt crept in. 

"It's nice to meet you. I haven't met any of grandads friends yet." 

He nodded and leaned back against a boat on a trailer in the driveway. He had a 'US Marine Veteran' tee shirt on. 

"Ahhh, I understand. Getting used to that big house is a big adjustment. And after the loss of your parents..." He trailed off. 

A lump formed in my throat. I couldn't think of the losses I'd had, it was far too painful. Terry pushed off from the boat and clapped his hands once. 

"No bother. We go forward! You come fishing with me tomorrow morning. I have a group booked, fellow marines on leave. You can help me. I'll pay you. 500$ for the work." 

I grinned, then chuckled. Me? Fishing? I'd never gone before. There was nothing I could do that would be remotely helpful to him. 

"I can't fish, I..." 

"I teach you. Easy. Tomorrow morning at 5, be ready to go. Wear beach wear." 

Seeing that he wasn't going to take no for an answer, I nod and wave as I walk towards my house. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I do love the beach early in the morning. As far as there being marines there, maybe that too would be better than I was imagining. Really, what else did I have to do? 

I reached my porch as my phone chirped at me. Unlocking the door, I set the food bag on the foyer glass table. Who was texting? 

Checking in. You feeling better?

Luca. 

My body responded with faint tingling, in a place I hadn't expected. This man, this marine. He was going to upend everything. 

**This story is only found on Wattpad. If found on another site, it was stolen. Thank you for reading.💋**