Below the Surface

Chapter Nine: Kissing Strangers

"See ya!" he shouts loud enough and I turn my head slowly to see his arms folded across his chest with a big grin on his face. He winks at me and I scowl as I walk swiftly out of the beach. 

I'm practically jogging to the Cool Cat Cafe, damn that cute british guy and his pestering questions. I enter the cafe with a ring from the bell on the door announcing my arrival. Besides Lahaina Grill, this is my favorite restaurant, mostly because the food is great and simple and it has that retro sixties diner look with black and white tiles, and red leather seats and booths.

"Aloha Gabriela!" The owner of the cafe greets me, she's a short middle aged woman with a big heart.

"Aloha Kalea." I smile and she nods her head to the table where Bella is sitting. I smile gratefully and make my way over there. "I am so sorry I am late." I put my bag down and see that Bella had already ordered my regular, hula ham, a regular ham sandwich hawaiian style. 

Bella smiles as she sips her coke, "Relax, I actually just got here. I thought I'd never leave work. How are you?"

Besides me kissing a british stranger? "Peachy." I sip my water, and take a bite of my sandwich. Bella puts down her phone and wipes her mouth with her napkin and then takes a long sip from her coke.

"Uhm, I just got a text saying Jess's bonfire got moved to seven." I glance at the clock hanging on the wall reading five-thirty. 

"We have time. Will Jay be meeting us there or is he coming with us?" 

She swallows her bite, "He's coming with us. Is that okay?" 

I nod my head reassuring her, and take a bite out my sandwich when I think about couples, "Does Liam have a girlfriend?" Bella is surprised by my sudden question about Liam, "I'm just wondering." I quickly add. 

"Not that I know of," she says, "Why...?"

"Like I said, I'm just wondering - " I shift my eyes over to the entrance when I hear the bell ring and see Liam pop in, "Shit! Speak of the fucking devil." I hiss as I duck my head. Bella quirks her eyebrow and looks over her shoulder just in time for Liam to see us, she gives him a friendly wave and he grins back waving. 

"Liam, aloha!" Kalea exclaims with such joy that she goes around the corner to give him a hug. Are you kidding me? "Isabella and Gabriela are over there." What can I say, a small town like Lahaina means everyone knows you. 

"I swear he is everywhere." I scowl.

"Well, we do live on an island." Bella says with sass causing me to glare at her. 

"Did you invite him to have lunch with us?" I whisper sharply before Liam walks over.

She shakes her head as she swallows another bite, "No, for a second I thought you did." I glance up to see Liam heading our way with a tight smile on his face when we make eye contact. He places his hands on the edge of the table and leans against it. I notice how close our hands are and I casually move it away and onto my lap. 

"Aloha," he greets us nonchalantly and I stand frozen still. Shit. I'm physically impaired again. 

"Aloha, how are you?" Bella kicks me under the table and I slightly jump. 

"Aloha." I mumble. 

"I'm great, how are you two." He said two, he included me. I pull my eyes up from my sandwich and try to look at Liam, but once we make eye contact, I look away and over to my sandwich that possibly looks more appealing. 

"Great, we were actually just talking about you." Bella says and my eyes widen and I stare at her with a pointed look. What the hell is she doing. The ends of Bella's lips curl upward, "Are you coming to Jess's bonfire?"