Chapter Seven

 

* JULIA *

 

“What the hell?” I stared down at the list of contest entrants, sure that Megan must have made some mistake. But no. His name was there, printed in black and white. Logan Evans.

“Yeah, I was just as shocked,” Megan said. “I mean what is his game? It’s not enough that his resort ruins our local businesses’ chances at a decent income? He has to come ruin our Summer Fair too?”

I wasn’t sure if I’d ever been so angry in my entire life. What kind of a point was Logan trying to prove? Was he trying to force me to need his help? I had no doubt that he could have the most talented cake sculptors in the world working for him at a moment’s notice. He’d probably commissioned some gorgeous cake to be made in his name, just so that he’d be sure to win and I wouldn’t get the prize money. I glanced down at Decaf, who was lying sorrowfully by Megan’s feet. The dog was getting worse, and if he didn’t get the surgery he needed soon then he wasn’t going to even be able to hobble anymore.

But if Logan thought he could force me to take money from him, he was wrong. I’d sell my café to pay for the surgery if I had to, but I would not accept one cent from that bastard.

“What are you going to do?” Megan asked.

I shrugged. “I’m going to drop off my cake and leave. I’m not sticking around to watch him gloat when he wins just because he has money to get whatever the hell kind of cake he wants made at a moment’s notice. My coffee booth at the fair doesn’t open until tomorrow, so there’s no reason I need to be there today other than to drop off the cake.”

“You’re just gonna let him win?” Megan’s honey brown eyes widened in surprise. I guess I couldn’t blame her. I’d always been a bit of a spitfire and not taken anyone’s crap. But I’d never gone up against a billionaire before. It didn’t matter how much spunk I had. I knew when I was defeated.

“What choice do I have? I’ve done my best on the cake, so maybe I’ll get second prize. That’s better than nothing. But I’m not going to sit around for the judging panel and watch him gloat.”

Megan sighed. She knew I was right. “Here. Let me help you box that up.”

She went to the back to grab me the biggest cake box I had. I stared down at the cake while I waited for her, admiring my work. It wasn’t the most professional thing you’d ever seen, but I didn’t think it was too bad for a first attempt at cake sculpting. I had done my best to recreate, in cake form, Sunset Lagoon—the secluded, rocky beach that every local knew and loved. I’d done my best to carve out a cake into the exact shape of the rocks, and then to add palm trees in the exact spots they stood in real life. I included the coastal road on one side, complete with little fondant cars, and then on the other side was a turquoise ocean with dolphins leaping across the surface. In between was soft, rolling “sand.” Anyone who lived here would immediately know what the cake represented. I was hoping that this recognition would also give me a leg up with the judges. But as cute as the cake was, it still looked somewhat amateur. It wasn’t going to win against whatever concoction Logan had commissioned.

Megan returned, and we boxed up the cake in silence. I felt bitter as I closed the top of the box lid securely. I had been so excited about this cake, but Logan had taken all the joy of the contest away from me. Wearily, I told Decaf to come with me to the car. Megan followed. The plan was for her to sit in the passenger seat and hold the cake box so that the cake didn’t topple over on the drive. I felt a little badly for her as she climbed into the passenger seat. The Summer Fair was the biggest event of the year, and, like everyone else, she’d been looking forward to it for ages. She was dressed to the nines, with a hot pink tank top setting off the deep blue of her cutoff shorts. Dangly earrings sparkled in her ears, and her hair had been carefully pulled back into two French braids. I didn’t look that different. I was wearing a bright, sun yellow, tank top, but my cutoff shorts were almost identical to Megan’s. My earrings were sparkly studs, and my hair, not usually amenable to braiding, was instead piled up into a messy, cascading bun. My makeup was perfection. But despite wearing my best fair-going clothes, I would not be spending a minute longer on the fairgrounds than I had to. That didn’t mean Megan shouldn’t have a good time, though.

“You know you don’t have to leave and mope with me after I drop off the cake,” I said as I turned my old coupe into the dusty temporary parking lot that had been taped off for the Summer Fair.

Megan loyal as ever, shook her head. “You’re my best friend, Jules. I’m not going to leave you alone to be miserable while I’m off partying it up.”

“I’m fine, really,” I lied. “I just want to be alone, anyway. You go have fun. I just don’t want to take the chance of running into Logan, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy the fair.”

Megan hesitated, and I could tell she was tempted. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

She seemed satisfied by that. “Okay. But call me if you need anything, okay? I’ll leave in a heartbeat if you need me.”

“Thanks. But I’m sure I’ll be fine. Now let’s go get this cake set up so you can move on to more exciting things.”

I lifted Decaf out of the car, but told him to wait under the shade of a nearby palm tree. He gratefully lay down, happy that he didn’t have to walk far. Megan carefully carried the cake for me all the way to the tent where the food contests would happen. We found the area for the cakes, and I signed in. I noticed that Logan hadn’t signed in yet, and I felt somewhat relieved that I wasn’t likely to run into him. I was a little disappointed that I wouldn’t be catching a glimpse of his cake—I had to admit I was curious. But that disappointment paled in comparison to the relief of not having to see his gloating face.

Megan helped me set the cake up in our assigned spot, then stepped back to admire it.

“It’s pretty kickass,” she said.

I had to agree. It looked even better out here amidst the festivities of the fair than it had on the counter of my café. I managed a smile. I had done my best, and at least I had made a cake I could be proud of.

“Thanks,” I said. “Now go have some fun.”

Megan looked at me, her eyes filled with concern. “Where will you go?”

“I think I’ll head out to Barnacle Beach and go for a swim.”

“That far? It’s the other side of the island.”

I shrugged. “I know. But what else am I going to do all day? Besides, it’ll be completely empty thanks to the Fair. I love that beach when it’s just me and the ocean.”

“Okay. Well be careful. You have your cell phone, right?”

“Yes. I’ll call you if I need anything, but I’ll be fine, I promise.”

I gave Megan a hug and scurried back to my car, eager to get out of there before Logan showed up. Part of me hoped that he had decided for some reason not to enter a cake in the contest after all, but deep down I knew better. I was just early. The contest had only opened to drop your cake off twenty minutes ago, and there were still about two and a half more hours until entries were due. The longer I hung around, the more likely I was to run into Logan bringing in his cake. Time to get out of here.

I whistled to Decaf, who stood and hobbled slowly to my car. I winced as I watched him. He was getting so much worse, and part of me felt guilty for even bringing him out with me. Maybe I should have just left him at home to rest. But I knew I wouldn’t be happy sitting at home right now—I needed fresh, salty air. And Decaf wouldn’t be happy at home if I wasn’t there with him. He’d be much happier at the beach with me, even if it did require a bit of hobbling.

I drove out of the fairgrounds, past all the traffic trying to enter the parking lot, and continued on to the open coastal road. I floored the accelerator, going way too fast and not caring. There was no one else on the road right now. Even the cops were all down at the Summer Fair, so I wasn’t worried about getting a ticket. I opened the windows and let the fresh air whip my hair into even more of a mess around my face. Decaf barked happily in the backseat, and life almost felt right.

If only I could get Logan off my mind.

It was maddening how attracted I was to him. I did my best not to think about his perfect, godlike body. I tried hard not to think about how he might have been my first, if I’d wanted it. Instead, I focused on the road ahead and sang country tunes at the top of my lungs in hopes that my voice would drown out the inexplicable heartache I felt deep inside.

The closer I got to the other side of the island, the grayer the sky became. In the distance, I could see storm clouds gathering. They were still far away, but I knew from past experience that summer rainstorms could roll in with surprising speed. I wasn’t too worried for myself. I could always retreat quickly to the dry safety of my car if a storm caught up with me. But I hoped the rain would steer clear of the Fair. A downpour would put a big damper on everyone’s fun, and most of the attractions outside of the tents weren’t really set up to be easily rain-proofed. Big rainstorms were so rare here this time of year.

I pulled into Barnacle Beach and parked as close to the sand as I could, just in case I needed to make a quick escape. I wasn’t that worried, though. The clouds were still far away, and were just as likely to blow away as they were to blow in. Odds were good I’d be fine.

Decaf looked somewhat doubtful, but I rolled my eyes at him.

“Come on, buddy,” I said. “The worst thing that could happen is that we’ll get a little wet before we make it back to the car. I’m planning to swim, anyway, so that’s no big deal.”

With a longsuffering sigh, Decaf let me lift him out and place him down on the soft dirt beside the car. I found myself wishing I’d brought a six pack of beer. I had water and snacks in my car, but a day like this really called for a cold one on the beach. Oh well. I could at least enjoy the sun and the water. With a whoop, I ran to the sand and started doing cartwheels, just like I was five years old again.

And for a moment, I forgot about everything in my life that was worrying me, and truly felt like a carefree five year old once more.