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She disappears and fetches her cook.

“This is Larkin,” she says. “He knows everything about cars. Which is why he’s a short-order cook.”

I watched the cook figure out how to put the convertible top back up. Denise and I stroll into the café. She sets me up with a grilled tofu sandwich dressed in vegan lemon mayo. It’s so tasty. I wash it down with iced hibiscus tea. After I finished, I wanted to go home and take a nap. But I still have the storefront to take care of.

I got a text from Todd.

“Done.” is all it says.

I look at my phone. The timing seemed right, but at the same time, it seemed awfully fast. My stomach drops over what I have set in motion, and now I feel bad. But I want to save the inn, so no guilt allowed. He obviously doesn’t feel guilty that he is kicking me out of my home.

I am firm in my belief that the sale was an injustice – at least, that is what I call the outcome. I am torn now that I did what I did without so much as a heads-up to Jack. I had plenty of opportunities to do so – the man has texted me many times to keep me updated – perhaps I should have done the same?

“What’s the latest?” Denise asks, practically watching me scarf down my food.

“From Jack?” I ask.

“Who?” Denise asks, scrunching her face as the sun hits her eyes. “I’m talking about the Calypso.”

“Still working on it,” I say, sparing her the details of how I chained myself naked this morning to buy time.

“Good,” she says. “Now, who’s Jack?”

“The owner,” I say, a warmth filling my chest as I think about him. “I mean the guy who heads the company that bought the inn. Owns Red Hawk Reality. I just filed a complaint at the Malibu Courthouse to take it back.”

Denise’s jaw drops in shock and disbelief.

“You meanmega-billionaireJack Huntington Houston, III? ThatJack?”

“Yeah,” I shrug. “But I don’t think of him in quite those terms.”

“You better change that look,” Denise counsels. “If you want to convince him you mean business.”

“What look?” I ask.

She says, “The funny one that crossed your face the second you started talking about him.”

Chapter 5

Jack

Some stoner hands me papers and tells me I have been served. He looks like he just fell off a surfboard. It’s Brynne at it again. At first glance, I knew this court action wouldn’t fly, but I used the papers as an excuse to rush back down to Malibu to see Brynne.

“How much is she paying you to deliver these to me?” I ask.

“A hundred plus dinner,” he says.

“I’ll pay you the same if you tell me where she is,” I say.

“You won’t hurt her?” he asks.

I leaned into him. I know he’s high, but he will understand an added $100.

“Of course not. Why would you think I would harm a hair on Brynne’s head?” I rasp.

“Don’t answer that,” I say, shaking my head.

I had my driver, Nick, take me to Dove Point in the Lincoln Towne Car. I can at least process my thoughts on the way.