I sat there in the shade of the tiki bar and sipped on something smooth from a little umbrella covered glass. It felt good to finally be on vacation and away from work. It had been almost two years since the last time I had taken time off. Hawaii had always been on my 'to do list' so I was thrilled to finally be here and enjoying my vacation.
It had taken me a few years to build my company from the ground up. I had struggled through the first two years and barely turned a profit. I hardly had enough to keep my doors open and keep my employees paid. I got a big contract with a company and it saved me from going under. I signed a few more earlier this year and I was slated to turn in a midrange six figure profit this year. I had more money than I had dreamed of now. I wasn't rich by any stretch but I was living very well. I deserved this vacation and was enjoying it.
It hadn't been all stress free to this point though. I got a phone call yesterday shortly after I had landed. My second hand man Doug, whom I left in charge while I was gone, had run into a problem with some kind of copy right. I had to spend two hours figuring out who to contact and how to get the issue resolved. So far today I hadn't gotten any phone calls and found myself relaxing.
I was people watching and checking out the ladies of course. Most of them were older but they were still nice to look at. There were some young ones around my age but they were toting along their significant others and I didn't want to approach them. I should have been toting along my significant other as well. That was the whole reason for this trip to be honest.
I booked this trip a few months ago and was looking forward to getting away from everything with her. Things were going well between us but they took a dive about a month ago. She said she was bored with the life that we were leading together. She wanted something more exciting and she didn't think I could give that to her. I tried to make a change for her. We started going out more and doing things together. I was only going into work four days a week and piling more and more stuff on Doug.
In the end it wasn't enough. She said she wasn't happy anymore and wanted to see what else was out there. I had to let her go. We had been together for over a year so it hurt to see her go. I dam near canceled this trip but Doug convinced me that I needed some time away and that I should go. I was reluctant to leave him in charge with a project still in progress and having put so much on him over the past few months. I promised him a vacation of his own that I would pay for. He jumped at that so off I went.
I had been here for two days now. I had spent my time relaxing mostly here at the bar. Maybe I was a little boring but with nothing really motivating me I didn't feel like doing anything. I just sat here and sipped away for a while then I would head back to the room for a midafternoon nap before heading out to explore.
I made small talk with the bar tender. It was slow in the tiki hut today so he had time to stop over and chat with me. He wasn't the most interesting person I had run into in my life but he was passing the time. I guess you could say the natives were restless.
"Who is that?" I said mostly to myself but loud enough the bartender heard me.
"Beats me," he answered not really looking.
"She is pretty."
"Yeah, pretty is a dime a dozen around here man," he said uninterested.
I watched as the girl that had my interest walked casually down the beach with a camera in hand. She stopped every so often and snapped a photo of various things. I had always been into art and photography so that coupled with her body really sparked my interest. I had never been a shy person and wasn't afraid to talk to anybody. So what if you got rejected, you never know until you try.
I pushed away from my seat and started to walk her way. I had no idea what I was going to say but the idea would come to me.
"Hey, what about your tab?" the bartender called.
"Yeah, yeah," I hissed. "I will be right back."
I watched the girl as I moved through a few people and lounge equipment. Soon enough I was within twenty feet of her. She didn't even notice I was there as she started shoveling the sand around by her feet and buried them.
"What are you digging for?" I asked.
"Nothing," she laughed.
"Must be something," I teased. "Normal people don't just dig in the sand for no reason."
"Who says I'm normal?" she laughed.
I instantly knew she was going to talk to me and not blow me off right away. Just by those few words she was open and willing to meet new people.
"I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt but I must have been mistaken," I joked right back.
She laughed again before turning her head up towards me for the first time. She had a huge smile on her face. It went from ear to ear it was so big. Her lips were big and full both on the top and bottom. Her teeth were pearl white but they were not perfectly straight but they weren't a mangled mess either. It made her smile sexy.
Her hazel eyes studied me as I smiled back at her. They were full of life and curiosity as they read my look. Her face was full and somewhat long but beautiful nonetheless. She stood up now and held her camera out in front of her as she went to snap a picture.
"I'm trying to make it look like I don't have any feet," she giggled.
I heard the shutter click.
"Here," I offered. "Let me smooth the sand out so you can't tell you piled it up over your feet then."
I knelt down and brushed the sand around to make it look more natural. I made the sand pile up to the bottom of her acid washed blue jeans which I found odd for being on the beach. I looked up at her as she snapped another photo.
"That's going to cost you," I smiled.
She brushed the curly dark brown hair from her face as she laughed.
"Really, and why is that?" she questioned.
"This face is worth a lot of money," I said. "I can't let you just go around snapping pictures for free."
She laughed. She laughed so hard she doubled over and held her stomach. She finally calmed down and snapped another photo of her feet in the sand before kicking them free.
"How much do I owe you for the photo," she asked.
"Let me buy you a drink and we can discuss the details."
"I'm a.....not quite old enough to drink," she said almost embarrassed.
"Are you trying to blow me off?"
"No, trust me, no, I'm almost 20."
"It's Hawaii, I'm sure they will let you slide. You are on vacation aren't you or do you live here?"
"Vacation," she smiled.
"So live a little," I encouraged.
"If you get me in trouble," she started.
"I will bail you out but.......you will owe me big time."
That laugh filled my ears again. It was so pure and innocent. There wasn't a hint of fakeness to it at all. She was genuinely interested in me and what I had to say. I loved her voice too. It was a little nasally and squeaky but in a non-annoying and sexy kind of way.
"I'm Gracin by the way," I said holding my hand out.
"Autumn," she smiled taking my lightly and shaking it.
"I love that name, very sexy and different. Refreshing like an autumn breeze."
"Wow, so original," she laughed.
"I know right, I'm a loser. You've probably heard that one a thousand times."
"This month," she laughed. "Come on loser, where is my drink?"
"Over there where that pissed off looking bartender is standing," I pointed. "He thinks I'm going to run off with you and not pay the tab."
"You want to ditch him?" she asked slyly.
"After I get you a drink," I laughed.
We started walking to the bar. She followed me through all the chairs and people as I took us back to right where I had come from. I pulled out a stool for her and she sat willingly and smiled at me as I took my seat.
"What will it be?" the bartender asked.
"I will have what he is having," she said.
He didn't even bother to check her I.D. he just went and started making her a drink.
"So, where are you from?" I asked.
"I'm from Sunnyvale. What about you?"
"Where's that at?" I asked lost. I knew my geography and thought it was in California but I wasn't sure.
