I push myself up and regret it even more.The vodka comes back to me like a slap in the face. What the helldid I drink? I remember chunks of pineapple. I remember that it wasgood. But I don’t remember coming home or where I put my phone.
I crawl over the blankets, my head feelinglike a blimp, and make my way to the foot of the bed where my pursesits on the floor. I reach into it and feel around for my phone.It’s hidden under a bottle of sparkling water. I don’t even drinksparkling water.
Then I sober up fast. Dominic gave me thewater. I was rinsing my mouth out because I threw up on a plant. Iwas under the porch light, and bugs were surrendering to it like itwas an alien spacecraft coming to abduct them. I hope I didn’t sayanything stupid about bugs to him.
According to my phone, it’s late into theafternoon. Dad and Dominic should already be back, but the bungalowis completely quiet. I wonder if Dad even knew I came home lastnight. For all I know, he thinks I’m still at Sloane’s house. Andspeaking of, she’s texted me multiple times this morning.
I scroll through them, reading her accountof how I asked for fresh pineapple in my drink before going backfor seconds and thirds. She isn’t sure how much I actually had, butI puked on a hibiscus plant after apparently hugging up onDominic.
“I’m not sure what you said to him, butyou were clingy and smiled a lot. Maybe he can fill in those gaps,if you want him to.”
Oh God. I cringe upon seeing the word‘clingy’ in print. There’s no telling what the hell I said to himwhile I was inebriated. Hell, I might’ve asked him to marry me andlet me travel the world with him and my dad. I could have saidabsolutely anything under the influence of pineapple and vodka. Atleast that’s what I’m blaming it on.
After showering and eating some crackers outof the kitchen cabinet, I feel well enough to text Sloane back andlet her know I’m okay. I thank her for helping get me home safelylast night, but she assures me that it was all Dominic’s idea. Ishould’ve known my bad choices would open the door for her to putin a good word for him. Unlike silly boys, I can see straightthrough her subtle ways.
But I don’t need Sloane to seep into mysubconscious. I know Dominic isn’t the horrible person I thought hewas. A little spoiled and definitely not hurting for money (or goodlooks), but he’s more human than I gave him credit for. After all,I was the one falling apart last night. He behaved, proving yetagain that he’s not the guy who is trash talked on surf forums.
I decide to walk down to the resort to eatsomething of substance, but two familiar faces meet me halfway downthe pier. Dad drags a surfboard back with him while Dominic talksto him, moving his arms too much not to be excited over something.Must’ve been a good day for catching waves.
“The dead has risen,” Dad calls out. “Thatmust’ve been some hell of a sleepover for you to have slept allday.”
In moments like this, I’m almost certainthat Dad knows more than he lets on. He probably knows about everytime I snuck out of the bedroom window at his house. I’ll bet heknows all about those bonfires and late nights, my partying habits,and how I always manage to make it home before the sun comes up. Ifhe does, though, he never condemns me for it. Maybe he knows I’lleventually condemn myself. Last night’s antics are definitelymaking me rethink my life.
“I’m starving,” I say as they approach me.“I think I’m going to walk down to the resort and getsomething.”
“Want company?” Dominic asks. He smiles likethe universe has gifted him with a brand new surf maneuver. “I cantell you all my awesome surf news while you eat.”
I shrug. “Sure, if you want,” I say. I tryto play it cool, but I’m growing increasingly worse at playing itcool each and every day that I’m on this island.
There’s a part of me that’s ready to getback to California and back to normal life, but leaving St.Catalina Island means leaving behind Sloane and our new friendship.Leaving the island means that I may not see Dominic much, even ifDad is coaching him. This place has given me something new, eventhough I’m not quite sure what that something new is. I just knowI’m not the same girl who stepped off the plane a few weeks agowith Dominic’s busted boards.
Dad takes Dominic’s board back to thebungalow, and the pretty boy follows me down the pier toward theresort.
“Thank you for your help last night,” I tellhim. “I normally don’t lose control like that. I can’t evenremember half of what I said, but I do remember throwing up and youforcing me to drink the water.”
He wraps his arm around my shoulder and hugsme. “You don’t have to thank me,” he says. “And I’ll even spare youthe details of when you confessed your undying love for me.”
I push him off of me. “No,” I say. “Pleasetell me I didn’t.”
He laughs. “You didn’t. But someday, ifyou’re lucky, I will tell you exactly what you said.”
“Maybe by then I’ll be ready to hear it,” Isay. “So, what awesome surf news do you have?”
Chapter Twelve – Dominic
Kaia forgoes the expensive sandwich at theresort for a food truck down on the beach. She swears that Sloaneintroduced her to The Tiki Taco, and if I never do anything for heragain as long as I live, I have to try their nachos. I haven’t hadgood tacos since my Hooligan days, so I give in. We order thegrande platter from a lady named Sylvia, who greets Kaia by hername, proving that she has eaten here before and isn’t justtricking me into losing my food truck virginity.
When Kaia decides to go for tacos as well, Ithrow all caution to the wind and order one too. Then I requestextra hot sauce because the love of hot sauce is one
