About Summer Boy's

by Eden Winters
31 pages / 7900 words
Ebook zipped file contains - html, lit, Adobe and Sony optimized pdf, prc, epub

Ferris Stuart has two missions to accomplish while on vacation on Oahu: research for a new Hawaiian Islands themed hotel, and have a little fun, something he hasn't had much of since his partner died two years ago. So far he's managed to halfheartedly accomplish the first task; however, he's failing miserably at the second. That is, until a charming islander shows him both the locale and how to start living again.

Sample

Soon a slow, steady drum beat summoned them across the expansive lawn, shadowy now as the sun slipped lower in the cloudless sky. Ferris stood on the sidelines instead of crowding around a band made up of bongos, guitars, and a ukulele.

A trio of bare-footed, dark-haired, dark-eyed lovelies emerged from a faux grass hut, hips swaying in time with the music, hands fluttering, and smiles impossibly wide. Two wore orchids over their right ears, the other one over her left. Ferris struggled to remember which direction meant "married" and which meant "single." The flowers matched the women's brightly-hued sarongs.

An emcee followed the dancers, microphone in hand. "Good evening, Cousins," he greeted the audience. "Aloha and welcome."

Remembering his mission, Ferris disentangled the camcorder strap from around his neck, made a few adjustments, and began filming, tuning out the emcee's instruction on proper sarong-wrapping in favor of the visual of the women deftly demonstrating three different methods. His sister-in-law, in charge of uniforms for the new hotel, would get a kick out of it.

A hula lesson commenced, standard fare at luaus, from what Ferris had learned during his time on the island. Thankfully, when asking for volunteers from the audience to participate, no one looked his way. He'd never been much of a dancer.

Ten minutes of tourist-embarrassment later, the band struck a more aggressive tone, the merriment of hula music giving way to something more primal, a tom-tom-tom that brought to mind angry natives rattling spears.

The sun had all but slipped from the sky when the women wended their way around the perimeter, lighting tikis, black smoke wafting in their wake. The drums beat in earnest, matching the increasing rhythm of Ferris' racing pulse. When anticipation built to a boiling point, a man jumped from behind a grass hut. Ferris' heart skipped a beat. He'd found his gardener -- bare-chested and dressed in a loincloth -- and nearly dropped the camcorder. Taking several deeps breaths, he willed his wildly pounding heart to calm.