Page 64 of The Worst Vacation Crush

The rain might have dried up, but the bright light of day didn’t invigorate me like I’d hoped it might. If I were honest, it kind of made me want to hiss at the sun like a grumpy vampire who was dead on her feet. My heavy luggage probably wasn’t helping my mood much either.

But the real thing eating at me, was my next destination—the beach where I’d met Kai’s mother. I was on my way to the hut they operated their family business from.

I was terrified but I hailed a cab just the same.

I hoped Kai would be there. But I also hoped he wouldn’t be. I didn’t want to see that look of disappointment in his eyes again. I hated that I’d put it there in the first place.

I hardly had time to reflect on the state of my life before we arrived. The taxi driver left me on the side of the road with my knees knocking and my eyes trained on the hut.

Storm clouds were on the horizon, and I hoped it wasn’t an omen for what was to come. I gulped down my nerves and walked toward the front door. What did I have to lose? I had no job. No home. And no friends on the island—and by friends I meant Kai.

I’d lost him.

My trembling fingers had almost reached the doorknob when it was suddenly snatched away. The door flung open, and a pair of wide brown eyes looked down at me in surprise.

“What are you doing here?” Goosebumps raced up and down my skin at the sound of Kai’s voice. Obviously the goosebump generator in my body couldn't tell the difference between someone who was glad to see me and someone who wished they'd never met me.

I took a deep breath and held it for a moment. I was about to take the biggest risk of my life. Every chickenhearted cell in my body screamed at me to cut and run, but every brave one urged me to make this one last-ditch effort to make things right.

I have no idea how those outnumbered cells won, but I took half a step closer to Kai. “Can I come in?”

His wide eyes turned into narrow slits. He rested his hands on his hips and shifted his weight. “I don’t know. Can you?”

I wasn’t expecting anyone to roll out the red carpet for me, but Kai's voice told me everything I needed to know.

This wasn’t going to be easy.