Chapter 3: She's A Big Girl Now

Andie pulled up in front of the Honolulu Inter-island Terminal and saw her dad wave at her. She pulled over and quickly found the trunk button and pushed it. Ben tossed his two bags in, closed the lid and got in the car next to his daughter. She leaned over the console and gave him a little kiss on the cheek.

"Where did you find this car?"

"I borrowed it from my roommate. She's away for a couple of days so we can use it to look around," Andie said.

"I'm anxious to see your apartment. Your mother said that it was real nice and that you were interviewing a girl to split it with."

"Mom does a nice job making a place homey for very little money. Stella is a sweetie. Horny and gone a lot, but that's okay."

"You girls even make me blush sometimes," her dad said.

"She might not be happy if you use her bed, but the sofa is comfy.

"I still don't see why you had to come over from Maui. I'm a big girl and I can buy a car okay I think. In fact, I think that I found one at that place your old Army pal owns."

"I know. You're still Daddy's baby though and I wanted to see your place and the school. You get to just start humoring me now."

Andie chuckled, "Does he realize how long I've been doing that?"

Her dad grinned and looked straight ahead. "You know, the Pearl Harbor Memorial is up here on the left. We should go see it while we're together."

"Everybody tells me that they cry when they go there."

"Even crusty old guys like me, Andie."

"Don't tell me that. You cry at chick flicks, Daddy."

Dad and daughter got to her apartment and took his two small bags into the ground floor unit and Andie gave him part of a closet and one drawer. She made him put his shaving stuff away and out of sight. Once they were settled, Andie showed him the grounds and the little pool that was part of the apartments.

"Lots of hot guys here?"

"Daddy!"

"Just asking."

"I've been settling in and getting my school work organized. I don't have time for guys yet."

"It's late and I'm hungry. Do you know a good place to eat?"

"You're the Honolulu guy. What is a good place?"

"There are lots downtown, but I'm not familiar with here."

"I saw a place a few blocks from the school. We can try there."

Andie wore the hottest dress that she brought with her (actually owned) and did her dad proud. After dinner, Ben was eating some bread pudding and Andie had her finger in her faux cocktail playing. "Can I ask you something, Daddy?"

"Sure, Baby."

"What do you and Mom do across the street all the time?" She didn't look up.

"We play cards and board games. Often have a few drinks. Why?"

"It was something that Fre ... Julia told me."

"Okay."

"She said that she heard her dad say that her mom gave you a blow job over there at a party."

"Fred must have heard something wrong, Andie."

"She was listening at her wall to the next room."

"Listen, Andie, we have done some things over there. We sometimes play strip games even. We have sex. Sex with our own spouse. We don't swap. Well, we did once and it didn't work out. You know your mother, she would never go for another woman sucking me."

"What did her mother really say then?"

"I don't know. They came over once and she got really loaded. Maybe she dreamed it or maybe her husband uses that for leverage with her. I really don't know. But, I've never been so drunk that I would forget a blowjob. Frankly, I'd be divorced now because your mother would never go for me having oral sex with another woman."

"Julia said that her dad told you that she was a lesbian."

"That's true. I wasn't surprised or bothered in any way. I didn't want you to announce it in school if you were though. Do you feel better now?"

"I honestly don't think I cared one way or the other, Daddy. It is your and mom's business and not mine. I guess that I was just a little curious," she said.

"I don't recommend swapping partners either. We did try that once, to be honest with you, and it didn't work out for us at all. Now, anything else that might be eating at you?"

Andie laughed and said, "I don't think so. Maybe that's enough of that for tonight anyway."

"Tell your dad about the car that you saw then."

Andie was flying low the next day before they left to see the car.

"Andie! Settle down. They aren't even open yet. You have to stay cool anyway so they will deal with us."

"I thought the owner was a pal."

"He's probably going to leave the car selling to somebody else."

"Jeez, just ask how much and pay him."

Ben let that slide and finished dressing. He watched his grown daughter too. She was still in her long t-shirt and panties. He could see in his mirror as she pulled the shirt over her head and folded it. He let out a long breath. 'She is a very big girl now.'

They finally got underway and it wasn't all that far to the Ford dealership. "There she is, Daddy. See? She even smiles when she sees me. I'm so lucky that she isn't sold."

"When you told me a red Ford Focus on the phone, you were not kidding. That car is definitely red." It was red too. And had a moon roof and spoiler. Ben could see the glow on Andie's face when she saw it. Andie never asked for much and was always ready to work hard for what she wanted. Ben knew she had her own money, but this car was going to be a lot.

Andie found a place near the showroom and parked their borrowed car. They went in and a man immediately stood up and hurried out to greet them. Ben introduced the owner to Andie and then the owner got the attention of a young salesman and waved him over.

"Andie, Ben, this is Joel. He's not normally a salesperson, he's the finance manager, but he's a good guy and I think he'll be a good fit for you two."

Ben left Andie alone with Joel for a few minutes and went with the owner.

"Andie is a cute name for a girl."

'You're a cute guy for a girl, ' Andie thought. "It's Andrea, but only the teachers seem to know my real name." She noticed Joel staring into her eyes. "Is there something wrong?"

"No. Oh no. I'm sorry, but your eyes are amazing."

With her hands on her hips, Andie said, "okay, no sucking up."

"I'm really a terrible salesman. That's why I'm doing finance. I don't suck up and I can't promise that I won't get lost in your face again."

"Yours is sorta pretty too," Andie said in a low voice.

Joel grinned and took her arm. "Show me the car. I've seen you here so I think I know which one it is. The red Focus?"

"Yes." She pointed. "Right there. That one."

"I even brought the keys. Take me for a drive." They made a lap around the car then Joel opened the door for Andie. 'She is amazing, ' he thought.

He climbed in the seat next to her and watched her start the car and go through all the proper checks.

"Does one of your friends have a Focus, Andie?"

"No. Why?"

"You seem to know the car so well."

"I read all about it online. Even the manual."

"You aren't supposed to tell the car salesperson all of that."

"Why? I only have so much money to pay and you have to take that."

"Oh. Is that the way it works?"

"No wonder you didn't sell many cars, Joel."

Joel laughed so hard that tears were starting to form. "I'm sorry. I'm not really laughing at you."

"Yes you are. You're laughing at me. We'll just see."

"I have a funny feeling about this," he said.

As they got to the street and were driving through traffic, Andie said, "Joel?"

"Yes?"

"In my father's words, I'm pulling your chain."

"I know that, Andie. You're extremely smart." Joel was smart enough to withhold useless information like: your fathers words are probably 'yanking your chain'.

"Suck up."

They drove around for about a half hour and even took a cruise down the famous Hawai'ian Freeway; H1. When they got back, Joel had her park next to the showroom. He really did try to keep his eyes above her bare legs and more; above the pretty little mole just between her breasts. 'Jeans instead of those light khaki shorts would have helped, ' Joel thought. 'Oh please don't let me get hard.'

Her dad was sitting with the owner in a small office that had windows along the front and the door. Once he spotted them, the owner shook Ben's hand and left. He stood up and let Andie sit next to the wall on his right. Joel sat behind a fairly neat, but very busy desk.

"Okay then. We start all of this by you writing down how much you want to pay for the car and how much you want for your trade."

"I don't have a trade, Joel. That car out there belongs to my roommate." She did write the amount that she wanted to pay on a piece of paper in front of her and handed it to Joel."

"This is her money, Joel. All cash and no payments."

"This isn't enough for the car, Ben."

"Talk to Andie, Ben."

"Sorry, Andie. This isn't..."

"It's used. It needs to be serviced and polished. Somebody actually smoked in it, Joel."

"I know, but we would lose money on the car. Anyway, it's a great car. The young couple that owned it had to let it go back. They even cleaned it all up before they brought it here."

"I suppose that you run back and forth to your manager," Andie said.

"We don't work that way, Andie. Besides, I'm the finance manager. I know what the boss expects to make." Andie's eyes were slowly boring into him and weakening his already weak resolve."

"How much?" asked Ben.

"Pardon?"

"How much are you short of making a reasonable profit?"

"My instruction from the boss is to at least break even and I need another twelve hundred dollars to do that with taxes and all."

"She doesn't have it and still be able to pay for her books and rent too." Ben looked at Andie. "There's no doubt that is your car."

There was a pause with Joel and Andie both looking at Ben.

"I'll do it. Her mother will crap, but I can do it."

A voice from behind said, "No you won't, Ben. I will. Write it up for the young woman, Joel."

"It's her eyes, Ben."

"I know, Joel. I've lived with those eyes for eighteen years."

'You are truly a blessed man, ' Joel thought

Andie crossed her legs under herself and grinned. "That'll teach you to suck up." A hint of white panties was showing under the hem of shorts.

Joel sighed and put together the reams of paper that it takes to buy a car.

The picture of a pretty young girl and a lovely Hawai'ian woman on Joel's desk caught Andie's eye. "Beautiful family, Joel."

Joel looked up and said, "Mahalo." 'Thank you'.

"He mea iki," she responded. As 'You're welcome' is assumed, 'It was only a small problem' suffices.

After the paper work was finished, Joel walked Andie to the car while Ben said goodbye to his old friend.

"Here are all the keys. I know that you're going to love this little car. It is really you." He put out his hand for her to shake and she took it. She held it after the handshake and looked up at his gorgeous face and smiled. His heart beat faster and he held her hand. He hated to let go. She finally let his hand go, but stood close to him and on the balls of her feet to give him a kiss on the cheek.

He held the door open for her again and she slid into the seat. "Andie?"

"Yes?"

"Never mind."

"What? Don't be shy."

"Nothing really. Maybe come by and see me sometime and we'll get a soda or coffee?"

"I'd like that." She drove out as her dad got into her roommate's car and followed her to her apartment.

When the got back to the apartment, Andie's dad told her that he could catch a later plane the next day and that would give them time to polish her car, get an oil change, and see the Pearl Harbor Memorial before he left for Maui.

"That's a big schedule, Daddy. Maybe skip the car's lube job. I can get that done while I'm in class."

"Whatever you want sweetie." Ben paused. "You know that Joel seems to be a little smitten with you?"

"Where do you find words like 'smitten', Daddy."

"It means a little love at first sight crush."

"He's married."

"No ring."

"A picture of little girl and a beautiful woman on his desk."

"You don't know that's his wife."

"He's way older than me."

"Right. Maybe twenty-five ... six? Handsome sort of guy. Looks at you like your a goddess. He's taken with you okay."

"Actually, he's very nice and seems sweet."

"Yes." Big grin on Daddy's face.

"Jeez, now you're match making too."

"He's twenty-six and a single dad. His daughter is seven."

"You snooped."

"I asked."

"Snoop and busybody."

"You like him."

"I never said that."

"You made certain that he got a look at you from most modest angles."

"Subject change?"

When Andie took the car back for service, she was a little disappointed because Joel had taken the day off. She told the service manager, "I'm sorry I missed him and I wish you would tell him that for me."

"He knew that you were coming in and I got the impression that he was not happy about missing you. He does have a youngster though and they can require special attention anytime."

"Okay, I'm selfish. Is she okay? Nothing bad?"

"Joel wasn't particularly upset about her. Probably not much wrong, there doesn't have to be."

Time went on and Joel didn't call or stop by. Andie started to consider Joel a lost opportunity and began to forget him. School was not easy for her and it consumed her mind. Until late one Friday morning about three weeks later.

Andie was sitting on a bench made of old koa fall looking out over Kailua Bay. It was just past the gravel parking lot of a little Hawai'ian plate lunch stand and she was eating a sandwich that she made. She loved to stop here and get a soda and some homemade chips. The view was amazing and she could sit and relax on the low, hand made bench. The breeze was light and cool, but heavy enough to make keeping track of her light cotton skirt a challenge.

She heard the gravel crunch behind her, but didn't bother to turn and look. Neither the door slamming nor the sound of footsteps made her curious.

"That looks very good."

Then she looked up and smiled.

"The sandwich does too."

"You made the sale. No need to suck up anymore."

"Are you going to invite a lonely, hungry guy to sit down with you?"

"Maybe ... if you promise you aren't stalking me."

"Trust me, I wanted to stalk you. I just didn't have the nerve."

"Odd, you don't seem like a shy person," she said and took another bite. "Want half? I made the chicken salad. You'd better think twice before you say no."

"Say no to you? I think not." And he took the sandwich half. Andie put the soda and the chips between them to share.

"I got my car serviced and wanted to say hi."

"The service manager told me. My daughter got a tummy ache and, with the flu going around, I had to go get her from school. I really hated missing you."

"You had my number though," Andie said quietly.

"We can't do that without permission. It could get me fired if the boss found out and you complained."

"How did you know that I come up here?"

"I was just driving by and that red car of yours blinded me."

"It isn't that bright."

"Just pulling your chain," he said.

"Yanking ... yanking my chain."

"That too."

That made her laugh.

A heavy breeze came up and blew her skirt over her legs. Joel quickly reached over and pushed the skirt down. She gave him a funny look and he said, "I'm sorry. I guess it was a sort of reflex thing."

She squeezed her thighs over the skirt. "I don't mind you seeing my legs. In fact, you've seen most of my legs."

Andie looked at him more carefully than their first meeting. He was tall, like her daddy. Maybe a bit taller. He was maybe not in the best shape, but he seemed strong and well built. His skin was dark as if he had a great tan and his eyes were a sort of green. His hair would be dark brown, almost like hers, except it was sun streaked. He had a sweet smile that created a dimple in his chin. She thought that she might really like kissing the lips that made that smile. In fact that smile and his hand on her thigh sent a wave through her that left a little tingle at the nerve endings between those thighs.

"Okay then, now can I call you?" Joel said.

"Of course. Wait! Are you married or have a steady?"

"I've been divorced for over a year. She left me a couple of years after Tehani was born and went to the mainland."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"Tehani. That's Tahitian. Is your wife Tahitian?"

"Her auntie is Tahitian. Not a blood relative, but an old friend of her mother. She gave my daughter the name."

"It's a pretty name. My Auntie Doll's, my Kumu Hula, granddaughter is named Tehani."

"You're pretty."

"Thank you. You make me blush."

"I should blush. I just blurted that out like a fool."

"I like you."

"I like you too. Have dinner with me tonight? I can get reservations at a nice place in Waikiki if you want."

"Ummm ... jeez ... well ... okay, sure. What time?"

"I'll have to call you."

"Okay." Andie noticed that he had eaten his half sandwich and put the rest of hers to his mouth. He opened it and she put it in.

"I have to get back to the car store."

"I have a class too."

Joel took her small hand in his and kissed the back of it. Andie did blush then. He started to put the bag and sandwich wrapper in the trash.

"Let me have that, Joel. I'll make sure it gets recycled and I can reuse the bag anyway."

"I can't wait until tonight," he said.

"Me either. What should I wear? I'm really not used to fancy stuff."

"Nobody will care, Sweetie. It's a beach hotel. They have a little show and we can dance if we like."

"Tehani?"

"Her tutu is always more than happy to take her. She would have picked her up the day you were at the dealership, but she was in Vegas for the week."

"Is her grandma your mom?"

"She's her mom's mother and I'm glad that Tehani has that much at least."

'Oh yes, I think I could like this guy a lot, ' Andie thought.

Joel took her in his arms and gave her a tight hug. In the island way, but he would have liked to have held her and kissed her.

The evening was great. The meal was good. Joel didn't order wine to spare the chance that Andie might get carded. They both had virgin drinks. There was an island type show with a really bad comedian finishing it up. The couple laughed because the jokes were bad and not good.

They danced once when the music started and then finished some chatting that started with dinner. Joel was an excellent listener. Unlike some guys Andie had dated, it wasn't all about him. She was fairly candid about Sean and Fred. Sparing the details, but he got the picture anyway.

"You've let me talk until my jaws are sore. I want to hear about you now."

"There really isn't a lot to tell. I was born here and then my dad moved us to the mainland. We came back when I was about ten and I went to school here. I didn't go to college here though. In fact I never finished college. I married my high school sweetheart and got a job. She was the daughter and granddaughter of politicians and had dreams of greater things. She left me the world though when she left Tehani for me."

"Tehani is lucky to have a wonderful daddy like you."

"Your daddy is lucky to have a wonderful daughter like you."

"Sucking up again."

"For sure. Let's dance." He took her hand and stood up.

The dance was very slow and romantic. It wasn't the sort of dance that Andie was accustomed to, but Joel was a great leader and she fell right in and snuggled against him. He put his finger under her chin and tried to kiss her.

"I never kiss on the first date. No kiss, no sex on the first date. Those are the rules."

"I have to give you at least a little kiss. I'm sure it'll cause some major bodily damage to me if I can't."

She smiled up at him and offered her lips to him. "Just a little one so that I'm not responsible for a Medic One call." It turned out to be something more than a little kiss. They both had to catch their breaths when they finally broke. Even many of the other dancers were watching.

"Jeez, Joel. I've never been kissed like that."

"Me either."

"Still no sex though. There'll be no breaking that rule."

"Okay."

Andie woke up the next morning to a heavy rain blowing against the bedroom window. Joel's left arm was over her waist and his hand was tucked under her right breast with his palm pressing her nipple. She could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck and hear the snoozing of his sleep in her ear. They were both naked and he was poking her with his morning erection. She felt him stir and pull her tighter against him. She was already molded to his body.

"Good morning beautiful," Joel croaked.

Andie couldn't even answer. She was more than a little nervous. After a long pause she whispered, "I've never slept overnight with a man before."