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Chapter 9
"What's going on?"
Grace, Promise and Faith turned and faced the doorway, where Hope stood with a confused look on her features.
"We're having a picnic on the beach tonight," Grace explained. "Come help us make some more food."
Hope obediently began helping Promise with fruit jello, and the four girls worked for almost an hour when they heard Destiny barge in.
"I just met the cutest guy," she burst out. The other girls looked at each other and laughed. Faith shook her head, smiling. She had known Destiny for awhile, and she could use a cute guy in her life.
"I did, too-" Grace began, and Faith started to share her news, but the pandemonium it created drowned their words out.
Hope and Promise looked at each other.
"I didn't meet a guy, did you?" Hope laughed. Promise shook her head, grinning.
"Everyone shut up!" she shouted. "Let's talk about our new guys tonight after the picnic, okay? Right now, I just realized we forgot to get plates and plastic-ware, cups and napkins. Who wants to go?"
It got quiet, then once again everyone started talking. Grace wanted to go in hopes AJ would be there again, and Faith for the same reason, only Brian.
Hope sighed and stuffed her feet in her sandals, then decided against it and took them out. "I'm going. See ya," she said loudly. If anyone heard her, they didn't let on.
She walked out of the condo and towards the market. She ran her hand through her dirty blonde hair and squinted into the sky. It was brighter than she thought it would be, and she missed her sunglasses.
When she arrived at her destination, she realized that it would be hard to find paper products in an outdoor market. After asking around, she found that she could walk farther up the boardwalk and find a small Drug Mart.
Hope entered the store and headed for the paper products aisle. Ten minutes later, she had everything but the paper plates. She had asked where they she could find them, but everywhere they said, the spot was void of plates. She knew she couldn't give up, because they needed plates to eat off of.
"You look frustrated."
Finding the voice familiar, Hope turned around. The face was as familiar as the voice, but she couldn't place it. He was tall, and his green eyes smiled at her. His spiky black hair had a sexy look to it, and what was even better was his upper torso, easily displayed by his tight white tank top.
"I am frustrated," she sighed. "Don't Drug Marts usually have paper plates?"
"Yeah, they do," he said. "Can't find any?"
"None anywhere."
"Wait a minute," he said. He lifted his chin, and smiled triumphantly. "Here you go." He pulled a bag from the highest shelf and handed them to her.
"I'm Kevin," he said, and grabbed her hand. "You are?"
"Hope," she said. "Thanks so much. I guess I'm too short to see that high. It gets annoying."
He shrugged. "Life goes on."
Life goes on…as it never ends, eyes of stone…
"Jeepers!" she exclaimed. "I just realized who you are!"
Kevin looked surprised. No doubt that she hadn't known who he was until that moment.
"Jeeepers?" he repeated.
"You're Kevin from the Backstreet Boys, right?" she asked.
He nodded.
"It's so cool to meet you. My cousin is so in love with yours," she said.
He laughed. "Everyone's either in love with him or Nick."
Hope wanted to say that he was worth being in love with, too, but she couldn't find the courage.
Kevin was disappointed when he heard her silence. He studied her features. She had blonde hair, not as blonde as some, but not dark either. It was kept in short layers here and there. But then, the uneven look was very in, looking at her. Her blue eyes had tints of green them, and they reminded him of the ocean. His eyes traveled down, and he couldn't complain any longer when he saw her denim shorts and 'Boardwalk of Maui' tank top. She was barefoot, and he wondered how she managed to get into the store without shoes. Probably she was so beautiful that no one was looking at her feet, he thought.
"Well, Kevin, thanks for helping me find the plates, and I guess I'll see you in about an hour at our picnic," she said, and turned around.
She waited a second, and hid her smile when he followed her to the check out counter.
"You're one of the picnic girls?" he asked, astonished. She laughed.
"Is that what you guys are calling us?"
He turned red, and she laughed again.
"No problem," she assured him.
"No, that's not what we call you," he protested. "I was just surprised, that's all."
Hope paid for her stuff, and walked out of the store.
"Can I walk with you?" he asked.
"Sure," she said. As they walked, Kevin couldn't take his eyes off of her, and it would be a lie for Hope to say she didn't notice his glances.
"So are you guys doing a concert here, or what?" she asked.
"No, we're staying here for two months," he replied. "We've been going through some rocky times, and that's an entirely different story, but management decided to give us some time off to relax."
Hope felt relief when he said he'd be there for two months. She had never understood what Faith was talking about when she said how she felt as she looked at a picture of Brian, or when she heard him sing. But now that Kevin was walking beside her, she understood perfectly. His arm brushed against hers, and she sighed when she felt his bicep's strength. He was irresistible, but she had to contain herself. After all, Promise was only 20-years old, and if she ever heard about 27-year old Hope doing something that Promise shouldn't do, she might take no heeding.
"I have to help get everything ready and shower, so I'll see you tonight at the beach," she said, turning to him and smiling.
"Now I can't wait," he said, smiling down at her.
"I won't tell anyone you said that," Hope joked.
"Aw, man. You know I didn't mean it like that, Hope," he groaned. "I couldn't wait before either, I just…need to get my foot out of my mouth, don't I?"
She grinned, and put her hand on his arm. It was cool compared to how warm he suddenly felt.
"See you, Kevin," she said.
"Bye," he said, and watched her walk away. He had to get back to his condo
and take a shower.
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