Romani Prince

Chapter 2: Luau

I take one last look at the rearview mirror, pleased with the retro makeup and hair.

It's perfect. 

I can't wait to see Mina and Miriam, and dance all night.

And then, I sigh while walking up to the Monterey Beach Club entrance.  Carl will soon be here to criticize my outfit, my makeup, and hair... Oh, brother...

The smile on my face fades away in an instant.  I'm so not looking forward to seeing him...

"Gaby!"  Mina throws her arms around me as soon as I cross the heavily decorated doorway.

"Hey!"  Be happy and have fun, I tell myself.

"Ohmygod!  You look amazing!"  Mina touches my lustrous dark waves, falling over my shoulders.

"I love what you did to your hair!  Your mom?"  I admire her style.

"Of course!"  Mina adjusts the elaborate hairdo, topped with a vintage-style extension.  "I think she took over a hundred pictures before we left.  Too bad you couldn't be there!  But she made me promise to take more pictures, tonight."

Mina grabs my arm and leads me inside the main ballroom already crowded with dozens of hula dancers and colorful surfers.

"Oh!  Fun!"

I decided not to tell Mina about my embarrassing first encounter with her cousin, and I did all that I could to delay seeing him again.  At least here, I'm sure that he'll be very busy with Miriam hanging on his neck and won't even notice me.

"No one looks like us!"  Mina scans the room all giddy with excitement.

I chuckle with her.  "They did a great job coordinating their costumes, don't you think?"  I laugh at the lack of creativity.

"Yes!  They all look alike!"

Mina waves to someone.  "There they are!  Come meet Luka!"

I see Miriam's back as Mina pushes through the crowd.

"Miri!  Luka!"

Miriam turns to face us and steps away from the guy dressed all in black. 

Didn't he get the memo about the luau party?

I can't hold back a smirk.

Miriam immediately grabs Mina's wrist and pulls her away for some last-minute gossip, I imagine.

A bit uncomfortable, I find myself face to face with Luka Kostic.

His lips part in a slightly amused smirk and a glint of... lust crosses his eyes as they wander over my body with clear appreciation.

I look away.  My face burning up because we both know that he has already seen everything that is underneath my pretty little outfit.

I sigh and give him a curt nod as a greeting.   "Luka..."

He stands up tall and offers me his hand.  That same smug and crooked smile that I already seem to know so well, spread on his sexy lips.

Why does he have to look so hot?

"Gabriella..."  His hand hangs in between us waiting for mine.

Even with my seriously high pumps, I have to bend my neck to look up into his dark and piercing eyes.

"Wow..."  I blush immediately, realizing too late that I said it out loud.  But Luka is the biggest and tallest seventeen-year-old guy that I have ever seen.