Chapter 1

Soft summer rain

Summer 2004

Vanessa recognized the Kahuna’s Dodge as soon as the bumper cleared the mailbox on the corner, sleek and black as a seal in the bay. She let it come to her, reclining on her parents’ front stoop, elbows on the step behind her, legs stretched out in front of her, ankles crossed, one heel a pivot on the cracked concrete walk.

The Dodge stopped in front of her, parked the wrong way on the street so the driver could lean out the window. He shook his long, black hair out of his eyes and said, “Howzit, babe. Why doncha come ovah heah?”

Vanessa regarded him for a long moment, eyes half open. She tilted her head to say, “What for?”

The Kahuna held a hand out of the car window. Something long and thin dangled from his hand, glittering in the light of the setting sun. “Gotcha a present.”

Vanessa’s heart pounded, but she didn’t show it. “What is it?”

“It’s a set of hubcaps. Cantcha tell?” 

Vanessa couldn’t resist any longer. She jumped up and almost skipped down the walk to the curb. Her ponytail, tied in an attempt to bring cool air to her shoulders, bounced against the back of her neck. When she reached for the gold necklace, though, the Kahuna jerked his hand back into the car. “What a minnit. I get honi, first.”

The Kahuna leaned out of the car as Vanessa bent down. She pushed his thick black hair away from his face and gave her boyfriend a peck on the mouth. “There. Now gimme.”

“You call that a kiss?” The car rocked a little as the Kahuna killed the engine. He got out, a young god in an open-necked shirt and board shorts. He pulled Vanessa into his arms, leaning down to a deep, slow kiss.

Vanessa savored the feeling of the Kahuna’s full mouth over hers, the strength of his arms around her, then pushed him away as his hands roamed lower down her back. “Not here,” she said, squirming out of his grasp. “My parents might see.”

“So? They don’t know you have a boyfriend?” 

“They don’t mind that I have a boyfriend, but they don’t necessarily want to watch you groping me. Now give me my present.”

The Kahuna smiled broadly and held up the necklace, a delicate gold braid. He reached around Vanessa to clasp it behind her neck, and kissed her gently again. He stood back like a sculptor admiring his own work. “You make it look even more nani, babe,” he said, using the Hawaiian word for beautiful.

Vanessa lifted the necklace for a better look. “Oh, Dylan, it’s beautiful. Thank you. But it must have been very expensive.”

“Nah. I got it for a steal.” 

“Dylan—did you steal this?” 

“No, I didn’t. I told you before, I don’t steal anything. I bought this from a guy I know.”

“From a guy. Is that why there’s no box?”