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cramped compartment. He was skinny, but at six and a half feet tall not
many cars fit him well, especially not a compact rental car. He should
have paid the extra fifty bucks for the next bigger model.
He reversed out of the parking space and drove back to the hotel in
defeat. At least they had a bar in the hotel he could wallow away his
problems in. It was the perfect place to get drunk because he wouldn t
have to drink and drive. He could just walk upstairs to his hotel room.
****
What s your name? Professor Ryan asked the cute little bartender as
he wiped the water spots from the shot glasses and returned them to their
shelves behind the teakwood bar.
Kai, the man responded simply.
He didn t want to be a whiner, but he knew Kai was probably used to
lending an ear to his troubled customers. It was the life of a bartender to
make a good drink and listen to the reasons his customers were here.
You been doing this a long time? Ryan asked.
Few years now. What can I get you? Kai s cheeks dimpled when he
smiled.
Something to get me really stone-faced drunk. Ryan cupped his
hands over his face and let loose a sigh of frustration. I had the worst day
ever.
That bad? Do you want a beer?
No, I don t like the taste and I don t handle the taste of liquor too
well either. I need something else to make it go down easier and to cover
up the alcohol taste.
I know what I get for you. You like house special. They call it the
Singapore Sling.
Sounds good to me. Ryan let out a choked laugh.
Ryan watched as he prepared the fruity concoction. It certainly looked
pretty with this orange almost red color to the liquid and he poured it in a
frosted glass. The entire thing was topped with a sprig of mint and a piece
of pineapple on the side of the tall fluted glass.
Looks positively beautiful. Ryan said as the bartender pushed the
drink into his outstretched hands. He dipped his mouth to the straw and
drank. Mmm, tastes even better. Thank you.
So why you here so early? Most haoules don t come here until after
they dog tired from sightseeing.
It was early to start drinking. Ryan glanced down at his watch and saw
it wasn t even noon yet. He shouldn t care what anyone else thought of
him. It wasn t like he was an alcoholic but he didn t want the little
Hawaiian to think badly of him.
I don t want to go do the usual tourist stuff. I spent all morning down
at the docks trying to rent a boat and nobody has the balls to go out or they
are too busy. It s just damn frustrating. I came all this way and it looks
like I can t even get off this rinky-dink island. You don t know anyone
who owns a helicopter or a boat, do you?
Kai seemed thoughtful for a few seconds. Yeah, brah. I got a brother
who has a big boat, but it not for sightseeing. It s big for fishing, but he is
on big island. Only other guy I know has a hole in his boat about the size
of your head and it sitting in his backyard.
See my problem? Ryan just shook his head. Flying to the mainland
would be a big pain the ass and take up valuable time. He might as well
write off this trip and finding the rare Crested Hairy-Necked Dodo bird as
not going to happen. There isn t a single boat on the island that I can
seem to use and I can t wait a week to go. My plane tickets to back home
are for Friday and if I miss this opportunity it may never happen.
Ryan looked despondently at his drink and fingered the rim of the
glass.
What so important you have to go now?
I am a college teacher of Zoology at a university in Ohio. It s not a
great job, but I want to do more than just be a professor. I have always
wanted to get out of the classroom and go have an adventure. This was my
one chance. I found out about this rare bird that has been seen on an island
here in the Pacific but if I can t prove it exists no one is going to believe
the Harry Crested Dodo bird is alive.
Not sure I understood all of that, but it sounds important to you.
Sorry, when I get excited I tend to babble. It is important to me. The
bird is considered extinct but if I can prove it still exists, it will make
scientific history. I just need a boat to prove it.
Just then a guy in a black suit came up and whispered something in
Kai s ear. Whatever it was that called Kai away must be important
because he left immediately.
As he left, Kai turned to Ryan and said, I ll be right back, but you
wait here. I may be able to help you.
Ryan slurped his alcoholic beverage down until he was left with a
dizzy lightheaded feeling in the front of his head. He needed at least two
more of whatever that drink was to get him drunk enough to sleep the day
away. It was only a few minutes before Kai reappeared with another man
that looked similar to him. The Hawaiian native had similar facial
features, but his skin looked darker, made almost leather thick by the sun.
His hair was windswept and fell somewhere below his shoulders. It wasn t
too messy but just enough that it looked uncombed. His body moved with
a sinewy strength that reminded Ryan of an animal. He was quite
attractive in a rough and tumble kind of way and the way he looked at
Ryan made him feel like the other man wanted to eat him up.
If Ryan was looking for romance at all in his life, he may have made a
pass at him, but all he cared about at the moment was getting shit-faced
drunk.
Kai spoke with a wide smile on his face. You in luck, Professor. This
my brother and he got a boat he willing to sail wherever you want if you
willing to pay for it.
Coming Soon from Sugar and Spice Press& &
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Where romance is everything nice.
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