Chief Distraction (6 page)

“Do you still want to come with me? We’ll stick
to the designated paths.”

“If you think it’s a good idea. The last thing I’d
want to do is endanger our lives.”

“Come on, live a little. Besides, I owe you one
after your last piece was cut short at the cane burn.”

“Okay. Sounds like a great scoop. So what kind
of damage are we talking about,” Blythe sat back.

“The wildfire raged and the island ecosystem
suffered for it. Unlike the mainland, the ecosystem can’t adapt and some of the
rare species were destroyed and won’t return. It’s terrible devastation, but
you’ll see what I mean. The minute we step onto that island you’ll see.”

“That’s awful,” Blythe pulled out her notepad
and jotted a few lines down.

“You’re thorough.”

“I am. I want to make sure I have…”

“All the facts, I know.” He winked, surprising
her. Was he flirting or was it her imagination?

“How big an area are we talking?”

“Five acres, enough to make a huge impact.”

“Hmm,” Blythe kept her face on the page,
writing.

“You know, that fire was one of the highlights
of my career, though it was devastating to watch the island go through that.”

“It was a big one I understand.”

“Absolutely. There’s no fire station there so we
had to use helicopters, rescue boats, and our bush attacker hummer.”

Glancing up, Blythe watched his face light up as
he mentioned the oversized vehicle. “Big toys for big boys.”

“I do love our hummer,” he said, grinning
boyishly again. A deep dimple she hadn’t noticed before emerged front and
center.

Blythe wanted to know more about the hulking man
sitting across the table; wanted to know what made him tick. On the other hand,
she didn’t want him knowing too much about her. She would have to stick to
small talk.

“Tell me about yourself. How long have you been
a fireman?”

Chief Kalani pulled his chair in closer. “Is
this line of questioning for your article?” He smirked and in that moment,
Blythe spotted the relaxed version of the Fire Chief. The playful side she’d
witnessed up on the volcano. It was refreshing and drew her in deeper.

“Strictly business,” she said flirtatiously,
surprising herself. “So, how long?”

“Sixteen years. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to
do…to help people. I can’t imagine any other line of work.”

“That’s commendable. Knowing what you want I
mean.”

“Yeah, I think so too. I know what I want.”

Blythe couldn’t help but view the comment as
suggestive. His confidence was infectiously alluring. If only she knew what she
wanted. There’d always been something missing, a longing for more balance.
Being a workaholic will do that to a girl. “So how does it feel to be one of
the youngest Fire Chiefs?”

“It’s an honor. I’m humbled every day by the opportunity.
I’m proud to walk in my ancestors footsteps.”

“Wow, tell me how you really feel,” Blythe
smiled warmly.

He chuckled, “Prior to joining the county fire
department, I was in the U.S. Air Force crash and structural crew. That’s
helped me out in all sorts of areas of my life. After high school, I was in a
car crash. It really changed things. I joined the Air Force to help get through
the pain. I was numb for the first two years after the crash, going through the
motions.”

“That’s terrible.” She studied his face,
wondering if the crash happened before or after he’d dumped and humiliated his
girlfriend into cursing him publically. “Life can be extremely unpredictable.”

“True,” he said, still lost in the past.

“The Air Force, huh? That’s a tough road.”

“You’re not kidding. Training to become a
firefighter was similar to my military training though. They break you down,
level you out, then build you back up better than before. Physically, mentally,
all of that. It was a tremendous accomplishment.”

“Hmm,” she smiled, holding his intense gaze. He
looked lost in thoughts of the past. “So tell me a little about the Maui County
Fire Department.”

“Well, we protect four islands in total. Maui,
Lanai, Molokai, and the uninhabited Kahoolawe.”

“Hold on,” she said, “let me get this down.”

                 
<><><>

It
was Mak’s turn to study her while she wrote. He decided he liked the way she
tilted her head, the way her long silky hair cascaded over her shoulders. She
was stunning, yet natural, with an elegant simplicity about her, not to mention
sexy curves and killer legs. He glanced down the side of their small table,
eyeing her calves and her stylish heels.

“So how many are you?” she asked, interrupting
his nagging fantasy.

“How many?” he asked, puzzled.

“Men. Sorry.”

“Oh, we have 270 fire fighters, fifteen fire
stations across the three islands, ten fire stations in Maui alone.”

“That’s a lot of muscle and testosterone. Any
female fire fighters?”

“Two at other stations. Wanna join? I’m sure
we’d love having you around.”

Blythe’s face flushed. He could tell she enjoyed
his flirtations. “Tell me about your equipment,” she blurted before realizing
how it sounded.

Mak coughed a little and laughed. “My equipment
or the station’s?”

Blythe’s cheeks flushed even more if it were
possible and she grimaced. “The station’s of course.”

“Well, we have fifteen fire engines, five
tankers, three rescue boats, eleven utility vehicles, three personal water
crafts, three mini-trucks, two helicopters, and my personal fave, the hummer as
mentioned.”

“So lots of machine to back up the muscle. And
don’t tell me, each and every vehicle has been blessed.”

“In a special ceremony, yep.”

Blythe wrote feverishly until the waitress
arrived to take their order.

“So how may calls do you get a year, on
average?”

“About eight thousand, give or take a thousand
depending on the year.”

Blythe’s face flashed with obvious worry, “So
you endanger yourself that often?”

“Not exactly, but thanks for your concern. That
number includes major and minor fires, medical calls, technical rescues, car
accidents, and natural disasters.”

“Like floods, hurricanes, high surf, stuff like
that?”

“Yep. And mudslides.”

Blythe flipped the page and kept writing. Again,
Mak took advantage of her absent gaze to stare her down and devour her beauty
as he inhaled the scent of her luscious perfume. She intoxicated him to no end.
Did she have any clue what she was doing to him?

                 
<><><>

Over
the course of the meal, the conversation veered away from Chief Kalani’s career
into new territory, as directed deliberately by Blythe.

“How about your family. Are you married? Kids?”
she pried, trying to get a reaction.

“Um, no.”

“Why not? A good looking guy like you?”
She noticed him stall as he rubbed his clean-shaven chin, thinking. “It’s
complicated.”

“Oh, how so?”

“Man, you really are a reporter. Can’t you turn
that skill off for a minute? We’re here to talk about wildfires, not my wild
personal life.”

His use of the word ‘wild’ made her sit up
straighter. “Sorry, I get carried away. And you’re right, your wild personal
life is none of my business, although I’m tempted to ask what your definition
of wild is.”

Chief Kalani laughed. “Very tame, I can assure
you. I’m a pretty simple guy. Just fighting fires and big wave windsurfing,
that’s it.”

“I can one-up you in simplicity,” Blythe said as
their eyes locked. “I only have a career, nothing more. No hobbies.”

“Nothing?”

“Nothing.”

“What about sports?”

“Nope. I’m a city girl, remember?”

“A
haloe
, I forgot. No cooking or shopping
addictions?”

“Cooking? Are you seriously asking me that
question after the ham incident?”

“Right, forgot about that too,” he shook his
head and smiled. “Your sister was right. You should come out to Big Beach with
me sometime. Get on a board. I’ll show you a few things.”

Blythe fought a grin. From what she knew about
his reputation, he probably
could
teach her a few things. But she wasn’t that type of girl. She
suspected she wasn’t
wild
enough even though he claimed to be tame. Besides, his
supposed curse was like an invisible force field keeping her at bay –
that and her secret. Her practical side fought his intriguing lure, but it took
a lot of energy not to succumb. Especially after seeing him half naked at Makena
Beach yesterday. Those images of his taut, tanned physique were burned into her
brain forever.

After
they ate, they chatted lightly about the island and some of the harrowing
rescues he’d been a part of until he paid the bill and they stood to leave.
Again he pulled out her chair, a gentlemanly gesture she couldn’t overlook.
Perhaps the curse had changed his wicked ways? Mellowed him over the years. But
then again, wasn’t that the natural progression of maturation? Judging him on
his actions from twenty years ago was down right petty. Still, once a player,
always a player as they say.

As he walked through the restaurant, Blythe
noticed women at other tables checking him out. Again, she was struck by how
attractive he was, how physically dominant compared to other men around him.
Realistically, if one followed Darwin’s theory, this guy was the very
definition of ‘survival of the fittest’. If anything, she expected he would be
beating women off with a stick, or at least married to a supermodel with a couple
of perfect kids by now – if it weren’t for
the curse
. Local women, especially
native Hawaiian women, take superstition with great seriousness. He didn’t
stand a chance.

The Chief shook her hand, holding it a little
longer than she expected as they said their goodbyes. She agreed to meet him on
Saturday at the peer, knowing full well she could always back out at the last
minute if Lou bailed on her again. If he did, she’d kill him.

Back in her car, Blythe waved and honked as the chiseled
Fire Chief pulled away, a billow of dust rising up behind his SUV’s tires.
Before starting the ignition, she sat for a moment thinking about their
meeting. It would be a long week waiting for a chance to spend time with him
again, but surprisingly she was very much looking forward to it. His energy was
downright addictive.

Blythe’s thoughts were interrupted by a gentle
knock at the window. She’d been so caught up in a daydream about Makaio Kalani
that she hadn’t noticed anyone approach. Standing beside her car was a woman,
around her age, nicely dressed and squinting in the bright sunshine. Blythe put
her window down.

“Hi there,” the woman said, leaning down so they
were eye to eye. “I don’t mean to be rude or presumptuous, but were you here
with Chief Kalani romantically?”

“Um, no. Why do you ask?” Blythe knew exactly
what was coming.

“It’s just that you don’t look like you’re from
around here, and, well, I just wanted to warn you about him.”

“Oh?” Blythe couldn’t wait to hear the woman’s
interpretation of the sorted details.

“How do I say this,” she leaned in even closer.
“He’s cursed. But since you’re not interested in him that way, I suppose it’s
irrelevant.”

Blythe smirked, her annoyance heightening over
the woman’s unnecessary meddling. “Oh, I’m fully aware of the curse. And, now
that you’ve so graciously given me your advice, I think I will pursue him
romantically. I like playing with fire. Thanks!” Blythe smiled a giant smile as
she raised her window. She started the car as the woman took a few steps back,
mouth gaping. Blythe laughed as she pulled away, feeling defiant and triumphant
all at once.

                 
<><><>

Mak
turned out of the parking lot and hit the open highway, passing pineapple
fields to his left and palm trees to his right. He lost himself in thoughts of
the feisty reporter. Why couldn’t Blythe be like the other women on the island
and avoid him at all costs? It would certainly make things easier. She seemed
to pop up everywhere in his life. Except for this lunch – which he’d calculated
thoroughly – and their interview on Kahoolawe. He knew he was playing
with fire. Perhaps subconsciously he enjoyed orchestrating his own rejection.
After all, it was inevitable. If she already knew about the curse, she was a
damn good actress. If she didn’t, it wouldn’t take her long to vanish like all
the others. Why did she have to be so drop-dead gorgeous? And smell so damn
good, and have insightful intelligent things to say? He’d met his match and he
knew it. He could feel it deep down, all the way to his overdriven libido.