The next day, I am a girl with a plan. I spend all morning out on the porch, coming up with ways I can sabotage Jordan. Maybe it's wrong and stupid, and entirely petty, but I don't care. When things are important, you have to protect them. 

At some point, Lexi comes out with a cup of hot chocolate and passes it to me. She sits on the old porch swing, staring at the palm trees. We don't live close enough to the beach to see the snow-white sand, but we have a perfect ocean view.

"I'm thinking we should head to the mainland before you go to college," she says. "That way, you can get used to it a little bit. We can even buy you some stuff to decorate your new dorm." 

I don't look up from my notebook. "Sure."

"Evvy." She gently pulls the notebook away, placing it on the bench between us. "I'm worried you aren't excited enough for your future. You're going away to college. Do you know how exciting that is?"

I don't, but I feel like this isn't what she wants me to say.  "I know, I know. I just want to make sure everything is fine here before I leave."

She nods. "I'll leave you to your plotting then," she says, indicating to my list. She turns and makes it into the house before looking back. "Maybe you can find a way to make Henry come in handy." 

I grin as she heads into the house. Dad keeps Henry, his pet tarantula, downstairs in his office.  He's pretty lazy, considering he's got so many legs, but I have a feeling a potential buyer won't be too happy to see him.

On Friday, when Kali informs me the cafe is closing early due to a potential buyer visit, it's time to implement my plan. I rush into Dad's office on my lunch break, transferring Henry into his portable container before putting him into the basket of my bike. I'm on the closing shift, so I'll be there to lock up while Jordan shows around his buyers.

I get to the cafe, popping Henry in the back before returning to work. When Lina walks past me with a tray full of lobster, she flashes me a wicked grin. I'd messaged her last night to tell her the plan I'd concocted, and she couldn't be prouder.

"I'm sure those buyers won't appreciate a leak here, either," she says. 

I glance at the ceiling, which is boarded up with tape. After finishing my table, I hurry to peel the tape off the hole. Two seconds later, the first splat of water drops. 

Just before closing, Jordan shows up early enough so that he can see the state of this place and late enough that there's not enough time to do anything. I smile sweetly as he looks at the hole in the ceiling, his arms folded. His pale eyes flitter to the tables next, which I've left covered in plates. 

When his phone rings, I slip out back and put Henry in my pocket before returning seconds later. Kali comes up beside me and looks at the mess, shooting me a disapproving look. He's been dealing with delivery trucks all evening, so this is the first time I've seen him. 

Jordan hangs up his phone and turns straight to Kali. "I told you some buyers were coming to look around. You couldn't have tidied up?"

Kali lifts his hands as if to say, Don't blame me, but before Jordan can speak, there's a knock at the door. The three of us turn to see a middle-aged couple with their noses to the glass.

Jordan glares at me and goes to let them in. The couple steps forward and slowly looks around, their faces lined with distaste. They're around their late fifties, probably retired, and looking to move to the island, which wouldn't be so bad, but Kali told me they're looking to turn this place into a pizza joint.

"We'd need to renovate the whole place," the woman says, looking at the tabletops. "Strip everything bare. Put an old fifties duke box in the corner, and then get some more antique-looking furniture." 

I physically shudder. "Don't you think having some antique, fifties-looking pizza place will look odd on a row of beach shops and ice cream parlors?"

She turns and narrows her eyes, making me take a step back. "I'm sorry," she says, "who are you?"

Jordan looks like he's about to intervene, but I step forward bravely. "My name's Evvy. I work here." 

"Well, Evvy,  if I wanted the opinion of a waitress, I'd ask for it."

Jordan stiffens. I'm about to put her in her place when Kali rests a hand on my shoulder.

Her eyes scan the room again, landing on the dripping roof. "What a mess."

"Yeah, this whole place is practically falling apart,"  I say proudly. "The hurricane did a number on it and messed up all the plumbing and infrastructure. You'd need to tear the whole building down and rebuild it if you bought it."

Jordan steps in front of me like hiding me from eyesight will make me disappear. "I'm sure a bit of plaster will fix that right up, Mrs. Sentino."

"Oh, we tried that," I say. "It's damp and starting to grow mold. The plaster just gets all wet and collapses."

The couple looks horrified. "Seems like a lot of work would need doing," Mr. Sentino says. "I think it would take us above our budget, Marje." 

The pair talk in hushed whispers as I slip a hand in my pocket, discreetly pulling Henry out before placing him on the countertop. I glance at Jordan to see if he's noticed, but he's looking at his phone. When I look over at Kali, he's staring right at me. 

"But I really love the location," Mrs. Sentino says, sighing. 

Right on cue, Henry comes scuttling along the countertop she's leaning on. She mindlessly glances over, and three seconds later, she's screaming bloody murder.

"Oh my god!" she hisses. "Is that a–"

"Oh, that," I say, scooping up Henry. "Cute, isn't he? We think there's a whole nest of them under the floorboards. We always find his brothers and sisters wandering the place. Or maybe they're his kids." I shrug my shoulders and flash a grin. "It's hard to tell." 

Jordan's jaw is clenched so hard, that I'm surprised it hasn't snapped. The couple back away until they're up against the door.

"I think we've seen enough," Mr. Sentino says because his wife, for once, is speechless. "I think we'll be looking elsewhere, I'm afraid." 

Jordan is busy protesting when I say, "That's a shame! Bye!" and close the door behind them. 

Suddenly, Jordan whips around, crossing the room toward me until he's right in my face. "What are you, five years old? " he asks. "You're really going to sabotage me?"

"What did I do?"

He shakes his head before looking at Henry. "Trust me," he says, finally looking up. "You don't want to piss me off, Evvy."

For a second, all I can focus on is his lips. They're right in my vision, so I can see how soft and pink they look as he scowls at me.

"Maybe you don't want to piss me off," I say. 

He runs a hand down his jaw like he's contemplating killing me. "I mean it, Evvy. You shouldn't have pulled that shit. You're going to regret it." 

I swallow hard as I watch him leave, suddenly feeling unsettled. Just what exactly is Jordan capable of?

A/N

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