Kaneohe. . 

It was beautiful all year long. Large looming mountains framing the inland, which always reminded me of Jurassic Park. There was no place else on earth like it. Hawaii was my home now, and I had partially settled in. Only partially because my mind was still elsewhere. Inheriting something this big is often overwhelming. My sweet old grandpa had left me his big nice house across the road from the beach. How lucky was I?

I stood in the morning sunshine, garden hose in my hand, watering the lush tropical plants out front. The grass had an automatic sprinkler so my work wasn't very hard. Mainly it gave me a daily purpose. As I watched the birds of prey and hibiscus plants bend under the spray, my mind wandered to the night I just had. The very attractive marine had left right after our introduction. He never asked for my number or where I lived. 

Why hadn't he?

I had watched him walk away right after I told him my name. He disappeared into the crowd, just  as he'd done after the first dance. It was confusing and equally frustrating. I had gotten an Uber home and then drunkenly taken a hot shower. Once in bed I played back the night over and over, using my hand to release pent up feelings. He had gotten me too worked up. Or maybe I just missed the company of a boyfriend. 

"Mila! You want, I have extra avocados!" 

My next door neighbor stood on her porch, holding a plastic sack full of them. 

"Hi Mrs. Mahaka!" I replied back, turning off the hose. "Thank you so much. Yours are way better  than the store ones." 

I walked across the lawn and over the wet stone pathway to her porch. She was the first neighbor to greet me when I first moved in a few months ago. I liked her a lot. Plus she gave me the lowdown on everything about the town. To include the people gossip. 

"Have fun last night? I heard your taxi dropping you off around 2 am." She said, grinning at me. 

"I did. Wasn't sure how I'd feel going there but it was nice..." 

"Nice huh? Dance with any hot marines perhaps?" 

How in the hell did she know? Must be that mothering sixth sense you always hear about. 

"I danced with one. But he left pretty fast so nothing happened beyond that." I replied, taking the avocado bag from her. 

"Ohhhh...he was a real gentleman then!" She exclaimed happily. 

How was he gentleman though? By taking off? Not talking to me? Again, she read my thoughts.

"Mila..you were drunk most likely, especially likely since you not partied here yet. And he would rather talk to you when you're sober." She said, searching my face for recognition of her words. 

I looked down at my slippers, or flip flops, and wondered if she was right. He could have avoided me out of honor or rightness, that was a possibility. Or he could have just not been into me. I was just someone pretty to dance with, buy a drink for. 

"You have a lot to offer, any good man will see that." 

She patted my hand and turned to go back inside. Maybe she was right. Even if I didn't feel like it. 

💋💋

"Anytime you want a job here, let me know. It's yours." 

I politely smiled at the manager of the stop shop near my house. It was the only local grocery store I could walk to. Which I preferred over driving. I had my grandpa's Jeep but I never liked being behind the wheel of any vehicle. A passenger, yes, but not driving alone. Call it irrational fears and all. A car accident was how I ended up here ironically. 

"Thanks Kala. I'm still settling in, not sure where I'll look for work yet." 

He grunted as he stocked a shelf. 

"You'll probably end up working on the base, like most everyone else. That's why I need more help. Can't keep employees." 

I shook my head and laughed softly. He wasn't wrong. Most of my neighbors did work on the marine corps base. The military paid contractors and GS or government employees well, with excellent benefits. Maybe it was worth a look sometime. For now, I was content just getting up each day and exploring the area. Watching surfers on the beach and going out into the water myself had become a tiny routine. 

"Have a good day Kala...mahalo." I said, bringing my basket to the checkout stand towards the front. 

The mention of the base redirected my mind towards Luca. His hazel eyes flashed as I inserted my debit card to pay for the groceries. I could see them clear as day. He looked at me like he could read my mind...could tell my secrets. His face chiseled as only an active fit guys face could be. The picture of perfection. 

"You can take your card out now ma'am.." 

I snapped back to reality and thanked the older woman as I left. Needing to get my mind off of the marine that I had no way to contact, I walked back towards my house. Maybe a visit to the beach would do me good. Usually I'd go earlier than this but I really had nothing else to do. A good book and a sandwich were exactly what I needed. 

I got home and put everything away, stopping to make a hasty peanut butter and honey sandwich. Then I changed into a bikini and threw on a worn pair of denim cutoffs and a cropped tank top. My hair was loose, haphazardly flowing down my back. I grabbed a scrunchie for my wrist, just in case it drove me nuts. Trade winds could turn on a dime here. But it was what kept us cooler on the really hot days. Thankfully, it wasn't summer anymore, now it was fall. The real heat was gone. 

Satisfied I'd grabbed everything, I locked up my newly acquired house and headed on foot to the beach. Underneath the cover of my dark sunglasses, I didn't need to worry about making eye contact with anyone. It was also much nicer than where I'd come from. There, my emotions were on full display. 

I heard trucks behind me on the main roadway. I knew the sound by now. It was marines. True to form, the opened back 5 tons rumbled by, stopping in a line next to me as they approached the intersection. The light was red. Just great....now the men were staring as I walked by. I waved back to one's who'd waved at me. Poor guys, they had to go train in the heat. I did feel kinda bad for them. Especially since I had no job or place to be, made me feel like a bum. 

I approached the front vehicle right by the light. Pushing the walk signal I finally turned to face the 5 ton. A familiar tanned face stared back at me. My heart stopped beating.

It's him.

💋💋

He gave me a sly grin, then the light turned green. I couldn't react, couldn't move. Why had this guy managed to get to me so much, so fast? I watched as the truck sped off. Then he was gone. My breathing somehow returned and the light went red again, the traffic crossing sign illuminating green for me to walk. I crossed the road with Luca's face seared in my mind. The eyes, his dark hair slightly damp with sweat and his uniform...the uniform. 

Stop. Thinking. Of. The. Uniform.

Ugh. I really needed to get it together. The beach came into view, Bellows. I loved living within walking distance from this. There was nothing else like it on the face of the earth.  The surf was pumping. Too bad I decided to read instead of surf. Next time, I thought. 

I scoped out a spot down the beach, where I could sun bathe at the same time. It was near the end where the public beach access ended and the military beach began. There was less people down there. More private. I found an outcropping of palms set back where patches of sun lay on the sand. Perfect.

After spreading the towel out, I gingerly took off my tank and shorts and  laid on my back, closing my eyes. The sounds of the waves were calming and never failed to send me to a different place mentally. It was blissful. I wasn't sure at what point I'd fallen asleep, but I did. Dreaming of an island far away from Hawaii, I ran down a vast black sand beach. There was a man ahead that I couldn't identify. He was tall, but blurry. I ran and ran, feeling light as a feather. 'Go to him', a voice said. It sounded like my late dad. 

"Mila?" 

A voice woke me from the dream, startling me. I sat up quickly. Marines were running down the beach covered in sand and saltwater. I looked around until I saw him behind me. 

Luca. 

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