Page 32 of Home Body

She turned around to find Bart, the bartender she’d met the night before at the hotel bar. “Oh, hi.” She knew that sounded lame but couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“Hi Bart.” Jessa said his name gamely, knowing why he was there. “Listen, I’m gonna go pack. You two have fun – at least as much as possible in so little time. ’Bye Bart!”

“See ya,” he said as she trotted off. “Oh wait. If you two are leaving soon, I guess I might not see her again.”

“Yeah, we have to leave the hotel in a couple of hours. We don’t want to go home, but…” Kenyon shrugged helplessly.

“Do you have a ride to the airport? I could take you.”

“That would be nice.”

As they walked toward the water Bart said, “I’m sorry you have to go. I was gonna ask you out.”

“You were?” She swept hair out of her face again, wayward as it was in the beach air. “I would’ve liked that.”

“Great. Can this be our date?”

“Sure. Where are we going on our big first date?”

He spread out his arms. “How about the beach?”

“Perfect. Oh look, we’re here.”

“We can wade in the surf on our way to my favorite outdoor Tiki bar down there.” He pointed. “Not my bar, mind you. One that’s even better.”

“I see. Well, the bar itself might be better but I’m sure the bartender is not.”

“Let’s go see.”

They smiled at one another, taking each other in. Chatting all the way, they landed on the only two available barstools at a Tiki bar outside a hotel. The place was packed with people having agood time. A gaggle of hotel guests frolicked in the nearby pool. Recorded Mexican music could be heard in the background.

“I want to try a new tropical drink before I go.” Kenyon eyed the extensive beverage menu on a large board above the bar. “What do you recommend, Mr. Bart the Bartender? I’ve had daiquiris, piña coladas, and mojitos. I’m never having a mojito again but that’s a long story.”

“Hmmm. Let’s see. Would you like something light?”

“Oh yes please.”

“Do you like coconut and pineapple?”

“Yes. A lot.”

“How about cranberry juice?”

“One of my favorites.”

“A Tropical Bay Breeze is coconut rum with pineapple and cranberry juices. It’s really good.”

“Sounds perfect.”

The bartender took their order and when her drink came, Kenyon sucked on it zealously.

“This is delicious! I’m glad I didn’t know about it earlier. I’d have been drinking these all day long every day and would have kept myself drunk as a skunk.”

Bart took a swig from his bottle of Tecate beer and pointed at her with it. “I want to hear the mojito story. I suspect that being ‘drunk as a skunk’ has something to do with it.”

She rolled her eyes. “You have no idea. You sure you want to hear a pitiful sob story about an almost-bride and a cheating-groom and their wedding-funeral?”

“Hit me.” He took a long drag on his beer in preparation.