Chapter 111: Coconuts
** Harper **
The four of them made their way toward the Luau village. The walk was as beautiful as everything else around the resort, taking them through the lush garden along breezeways and cobble paths lined with hibiscus and plumeria trees, branches heavy with blooms. After ducking under rampant palms and fronds waving in the sea breeze, they emerged in front of a huge archway that served as the gate to the festival grounds, adorned with torches that waited to be lit by the bonfire.
A seating chart was posted at the gate. It turned out that Wallace was right — the tables were indeed mixed, and ironically, when Harper located her seat, she found herself surrounded completely by unfamiliar names ... except Wallace’s, who was assigned directly to her left.
She managed a not-awkward-at-all smile, looking wistfully in the direction Lindsey and Naomi were leaving.
Wallace, on the other hand, seemed to have only brightened up more in spirit, practically glowing in excitement as they got to their table and took their seats. "I heard the Luau at this resort is the best on the island." He grinned and studied the table setup with a fascinated expression. "It looks to be true! Do we even get to do our own hula dances to kickstart the evening?"
Harper followed his gaze, seeing what he was referring to. The wooden table and chairs they were seated at were far from bare. Tiki mugs were set out next to everyone’s nameplate, each one carved and painted differently, already filled with Mai Tai and decorated with little cocktail umbrellas. Colorful leis draped over the chair backs, strung from bright yellow plumerias and purple orchids. A small pile of ethnic accessories lay on the side: wrist bands made of grass; crowns weaved with more flowers and grass and ferns; and ...
A pair of halved coconuts tied on a string?
Wait. Could that really be what she thought it was? This couldn’t possibly be appropriate for a work dinner, could it?
"Ha, they even customized the knick knacks for each person!" Wallace exclaimed again as his eyes landed on those coconuts in front of Harper. He gestured at the ti-leaf draped grass skirt in front of himself. "No coconuts for me, that’s not fair."
"..."
A bit embarrassed by the NSFW direction that the conversation was going, Harper darted a look around, wondering how everyone else was reacting to the surprise trinkets. Her eyes went wide when she found Lindsey and Naomi’s table, where a cackling Naomi was watching Lindsey wrap the coconuts around her chest over her shirt. The latter offered a thumbs up when the garment fit her perfectly, and Naomi went right for her phone to take a picture of it.