It was rare that I took any time off from my work with Chris. It seemed everywhere we went was work-related. I finally drew the line when things slowed down for us. We'd done a long national tour with Tigress and followed them around on any other events they were at. Our work on the film "Sunshine Dreamer" had taken us to San Francisco, and then there was the adventure in London.
In other words, I was beat.
Chris felt the same way.
"How does 2 weeks sound to you?" he asked one afternoon.
"2 weeks of what?" I replied.
"2 weeks away from cameras, photo shoots...me." He said with a weary smile.
"Sounds good." I knew exactly what he meant.
"I think I know just the place for you." Chris said as he picked up his phone. "Go home, pal. I've got things covered here, see you tomorrow." He said.
That night, Chris called me back.
"Pack your bags Hollywood. You're going on vacation." He said.
"I am?"
"Right, I called in a favor to Chuck, you have a week to yourself."
"Uh-huh, and where's that?" I said, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Maui, Hawaii. On the beach. At the company beach house." He said.
"WHAT?" I yelled.
"You heard right, you get the first week, I get the second. I think that's fair, right?"
"How did you arrange this?" I was still getting over the mere idea I'd be in Hawaii for a week.
"Like I said, Chuck owes us a lot of favors." Chris said. "So start calling the airlines and pack your sunscreen, aloha Hollywood."
Chris emailed me all the info about the place soon after and I was on a jet before you could say "Up, up and away!"
As soon as I walked off the plane in Honolulu, I knew I was in another world. Especially when at the entrance to the terminal were the traditional smiling Hawaiian girls with leis for passengers.
"Man, I thought you girls were only in the movies." I said with a smile.
"Oh no, we're real." She said with an equally large smile and a body sure to provoke more than a smile.
A limo driver soon appeared with my name on a card.
"Right this way, sir." He said as he took my carry-on to a waiting Lincoln Town Car.
And we were off, to the company beach house. I saw the ocean unveil itself to me as we headed along the roads. I couldn't believe where I was, it was all so unreal.
It got even better.
The beach house was actually owned by Chuck's record company and located in what appeared to be an ultra-exclusive community. When we pulled up to it I gasped. It was an ultra-modern palace straight out of Architectural Digest. It was all angles and high ceilings, with ocean views everywhere. I stood in the middle of the main room and just took it all in.
I was really here. And for a week, it was mine.
I knew I'd have to resist the temptation to do everything at once so I really had to try and slow myself down.
I knew the beach would be the best thing for me. I immediately changed and headed out there. The tropical sun and sounds of the ocean were intoxicating as I walked along. The other homes were just as vast and elegant. I could hear sounds of music and laughter in each one, not to mention rather pretty girls on the decks or on the beach. I had my camera with me (and Chris had suggested I needed a break from cameras) and was snapping shots of the ocean. My eyes caught a glimpse of a busty, raven haired beauty on a deck chair outside an equally large beach house. Not bad, I thought to myself.
