Paradise island

1. Sam

One, unforgettable week in Kauai-Check. Sun, surf, mountains, hula girls in bikinis-Check. Let's do this.

As the plane made its final approach into Lihue Airport, Sam Golbach stared out the window. Azure waves hugged the towering emerald peaks and sandy white beaches of Hawaii's fourth-largest island. Like a crystal blue embrace, he thought. He couldn't wait to get this vacation started. Even though they loved being ghost hunters and entertaining millions on You Tube, they'd been abandoned, stranded, cursed, haunted, and yes,even arrested for trespassing (thanks, Florida!).
A well-deserved break was what they needed.

For years now, Sam's best friend, Colby Brock, and two other best friends from Kansas-Alex Lorei and Nate Hardy-had gotten together every summer for an annual friends' trip. Chilling, sightseeing, hiking, catching up, and enjoying whatever the destination had to offer. Already, they'd been to Texas, Yellowstone, and New Orleans, where ghosts were known to party 'til dawn. But they hadn't come to Kauai for ghosts. Not this time.

Colby stretched his neck across Sam's space. "Isn't it awesome?" He peered out the window. "Told you it would be."

Colby had been to Kauai as a kid with his family. So, even though they'd almost chosen Vegas as this year's destination, fate had led them back to the islands. None of the other guys had ever been to Hawaii, and Colby was 100 percent positive they'd love it. So far, he was right.

They bustled through the airport with their bags, heading to the rental car facility, a charged excitement buzzing through Sam's veins. "Do we know where we're renting our snorkeling gear?" Nate asked.

"Reserved." Sam led them to the down escalator.

"Tours of the Waimea Canyon?"

"Booked."

"What about a waterfall hike?" Nate asked.

Since Nate had to leave early in a few days for his sister's graduation, Sam knew his FOMO was starting to bubble up. "Confirmed.Don't worry, we won't have any fun without you"

On the escalator opposite them, four gorgeous Hawaiian girls in their early twenties smiled their way. Nate raised an eyebrow at him. "You sure about that?"

"Well, too much fun without you," Colby interjected, smiling back at the girls.

When they arrived at the car rental center, they watched a beat-up Toyota pull up. "Is this supposed to look like this?" Sam asked the employee holding a clipboard.

"All our cars have dents," the woman replied. "No offense, but can we have a nicer one? I paid for a nicer one."

"This is the nicer one," she said. "Cars get dinged here a lot, especially the closer you get to the North Shore. We had a flood two years ago, pretty much destroyed the roads." She handed him the keys. "Be careful."

"Will do." Sam took the keys and slid into the driver's seat.

The woman waved. "Enjoy your vacation, gentlemen. Aloha!"

Sam gave her a thumbs-up. He'd heard about the flood she mentioned but didn't know about the damaged roads to the north. Good thing they'd be staying on the eastern side of the island.

"What are we waiting for? Let's see Kauai, baby!" Colby climbed into the passenger seat, as two older men standing on the curb shot him unamused looks. Colby tended to have this effect on people.