Finding Haven (5 page)

“Is this all?” She sounded annoyed.

“Sorry about that.” Evan wrapped his arms around the stash and tried to bring it back
together in the center of the counter. As soon as he let go, a bottle of hot sauce
toppled to the side and was headed for the floor. He reached out and snagged the glass
container before it shattered on the wood.

“Wow. That was quick.” The girl had perched on her tiptoes to witness the great save.

Evan placed the jar upright next to the register. “Catlike reflexes.”

“Hmm.” She settled on her heels and shuffled through the pile. With the laser in one
hand, she started scanning tags before placing the items in the paper bags marked
with the Owen’s General Store logo.

He couldn’t help but notice she wasn’t impressed. He rubbed his jaw. It must be the
stubble. He hadn’t shaved in several days. All part of the new incognito persona,
he thought, but still girls usually flirted with him. He would be hard pressed to
recount a time when a girl had batted her eyelashes, or asked him out and didn’t know
exactly who he was.

“So what was that you were working on?” He leaned against the counter with his elbow
as a kickstand.

For the first time since he had approached the checkout, she paused and looked at
him. “Was there anything else I can get you, sir?”

Puzzled, he fished in his jeans pocket for his wallet. “No. Thank you.”

The preoccupied cashier pointed at the screen. That will be two hundred and thirty
dollars and twenty-four cents.” She tossed her hair behind her shoulder. He liked
the color; it was pretty. She was pretty, in a natural way. It was nice to look at
someone who hadn’t spent a gazillion dollars to have their face reorganized.

Evan counted out the bills from his wallet and handed them to her before gathering
the bags in his arms.

“Thank you for stopping by Owen’s.” She said it as if she was speaking on autopilot.

“Thank you.” Evan smiled and then walked out on the porch.

He loaded his purchases in the back of the Jeep. Dammit. The beer. He jogged back
up the stairs and into the store.

The girl had her back turned and was focused on the paper she had spread out on the
counter.

“So, you are writing something.” He pretended to peek over her shoulder.

“Hey, that’s private.” She shoved the paper back into her apron pocket.

“Dar—” He bit his tongue. He couldn’t say darlin’ here or anywhere. “I left my beer.
The guy in the back brought it up for me, and I forgot it.”

“Oh, Travis didn’t mention it.” She turned around, searching the space along the counter
for the beer. “Here it is.” It slid across the counter as she tugged on the handle.

“Really, I’m sorry if I pried.” Evan watched as she scanned the box. He hadn’t noticed
the tiny freckles on the bridge of her nose. They were cute. “I should have minded
my own business.” He handed her another stack of bills, and then lifted the beer to
his shoulder.

A smile spread across her face, and he saw a glimmer of blue in her eyes. A shade
of blue he had seen in the sky before. “It’s ok. Have a good day.”

He walked toward the door and pivoted on his heel to ask her something, anything he
could think of, but she had already pulled the paper from her pocket again and had
forgotten he had even been there.

He smiled. It had been awhile—a very long while—but this was what it felt like when
nobody knew who you were.

H
AVEN LOOKED
at the clock again. It was the one her grandfather had put in the store on opening
day. Of course, she wasn’t around in 1961 when the store first opened for business,
but she had heard the family tale so many times, she felt like she had been there.
Her grandmother had served pineapple upside down cake and champagne punch. It was
the social event of the season. Knowing Perry Island, Haven thought it was probably
the only social event that year. The little hand was almost at the five—that was all
she cared about.

“See you at eight. Don’t forget, hot stuff.” Travis tossed his apron in a ball across
the counter.

“Wait, I didn’t say I was going tonight. I have things to do.” Things that included
finishing two incomplete songs that had surfaced at the most inopportune times today.
Ben’s party would be like all of the rest—over the top and expensive. She didn’t mind
missing it.

“Whatever. You and I both know there’s nothing else going on tonight. See ya.”

Haven rested her forehead against the smooth surface of the counter. This day would
never end. If she could just make it through one more, then she would have a full
day off. No matter what Travis had planned that day, she was going to write. He could
party alone.

Nell walked next to the anxious girl and typed in her clerk number on the register.
“You ready to clock out?”

“I can’t get out of here fast enough. I’m so glad you’re here.” Haven ducked out of
the apron and handed it over to the petite woman.

“For someone who is going to inherit this gold mine, you don’t seem to like it too
much.” Nell flattened the apron against her chest.

“Don’t remind me.” Haven didn’t like to talk about the store as an inheritance. There
were no brothers or sisters to share the burden. It was just her. If things went the
way she wanted, she would be writing songs and hearing them on the radio. Her life
on Perry Island would be part of the past.

“All right, kiddo. Go on. Get out of here. You probably have something fun planned
tonight. I’ve got the store.” Nell shooed her from behind the register.

“If you see my dad, tell him I closed out the drawer like he asked and the report
is in his office, ok?”

“Sure thing. Don’t worry about reports. He’ll find it. Night.”

Haven walked past the coffee machine, and the leftover display of this morning’s donuts.
In less than thirteen hours, she would be right back here, starting the day all over
again.

She grabbed her purse and her keys from the office and kicked open the screen door
to the employee lot. Maybe she could squeeze in a few writing hours before Travis
picked her up.

O
NE OF
the advantages to working in a beach store was getting first dibs on all the cute
clothes that came in. Haven appreciated that point if nothing else. She tied the halter-top
behind her neck and pulled the rest of the fabric around her sides. Travis was going
to notice her no matter what she wore, no use in trying to hide it.

At eight sharp, she heard a knock on the door. She opened it to face the dark-haired
guy who had chased after her since they were fourteen.

“Hey, you look hot. Ready?” Travis smiled, his eyes trailing the V between her breasts.

It was hard to ignore the look on his face. It stirred something under her skin—something
she had felt a few nights ago. “Uh, yeah. Let me get my bag.”

She twirled away from the door and closed her eyes. Quick party and then she was going
to be home by ten. That might give her a couple of hours to write before bed.

Travis held the door open as she passed under his arm. “I’ve been looking forward
to this all day.”

“Why? Ben’s parties are always the same. Booze, music, and a load of tourists he seems
to pick up on the beach. Scratch that, girls he picks up on the beach.”

“If you have to ask, then I’ve been doing everything wrong.” He opened the passenger
side door.

Haven recognized the gesture as something that happens on a date. This wasn’t supposed
to be a date. Hesitantly, she slid into the car and waited as Travis closed the door
and walked around to the driver’s side.

She glanced at the light in her bedroom window. How had she let him drag her into
this? Her guitar was in there with two songs, like half a heart, waiting for its whole.

B
EN’S PARTIES
were always epic. His dad was the island’s most successful realtor, and when there
was less than six square miles of real estate to sell, any tiny piece of it was valuable.
Mr. Jordan had figured out Perry Island was like an untapped oil pipeline long before
anyone else caught on.

Travis parked next to the fence, several cars away from the main gate. During party
nights, Ben kept the gates open.

“You ready?” Travis squeezed Haven’s hand. She felt the warmth of his palm as it pressed
against his knuckles. Moments like this she knew he was the sweetest guy on the island,
but she also knew he would always be the sweetest guy—he wouldn’t leave.

“Yep. One red cup and then you have to take me home.” She tilted her head to the side.

“Whatever you say, boss.” He snatched the keys from the ignition and stuffed them
in his pocket.

Haven hopped from the car before he could make it to her side. She didn’t want him
trying any more of that chivalrous stuff tonight. They were here as friends.

“I wish you wouldn’t call me that, you know. I’m not your boss. I work at Owen’s just
like you.” She sidled up next to him as they walked through the iron gates of the
Jordan beach estate.

“I’m just kidding around with you, girl. Lighten up. We’re here to have fun.” He slipped
his arm around her shoulder. “Besides, I think it’s kind of hot that you’re my boss.”

Using both hands, she shoved into his side, just under his ribs. “Am not!”

Travis’s deep laugh echoed across the driveway. “All right, all right. But it’s definitely
hot when you get mad.”

He was relentless. Haven rolled her eyes and followed him up the stairs that led to
the massive ten-bedroom house.

Ben greeted them at the front door. His blond hair was spiked perfectly. Haven wondered
how much time he had spent studying hair gel techniques for men.

“Dude. Glad you made it.” Ben slapped Travis on the back.

“Wouldn’t miss it, but you know this one I had to drag here kicking and screaming.”
He pointed at Haven.

“That’s not true, Ben. I love your parties.” Haven reached up to hug the host.

He didn’t seem fazed. They had all known each other since elementary school, some
even longer. When you graduate with a senior class of thirty, you know people well.
Haven didn’t think Ben cared one way or another if she made it to one of his summer
parties. All he cared about was the minivan that had just pulled up with a load full
of college girls.

“Excuse me. Girls are here.” He pushed past Haven and Travis to meet the blondes and
brunettes in tight sundresses.

Travis laughed. “I guess I should go get us some drinks.”

Haven held up her finger. “One. One drink.”

“Ok, ok. Meet you on the deck.” He walked into the crowded living room, and Haven
made her way to the ocean side deck.

At least she didn’t recognize anyone else. It would be a lot easier to escape after
her one drink max, if none of the other Perry High classmates made an appearance.

Their high school class was evenly split: fifteen went to college like Haven, and
the other fifteen stayed on the island and drifted into family businesses or took
community college classes like Travis. It wasn’t that those fifteen weren’t college
material, but there was a strong pull to stay on the island. Parents needed help running
restaurants and fishing boats, and it was too expensive for most families. Haven knew
she was lucky her parents had a year-round business, with year-round income that could
fund her education. She also knew her four years of college came with strings, more
like heavy metal chains.

In the far corner of the deck, the music wasn’t quite so loud, and she could hear
the occasional wave crash on the shore. She leaned over the railing and looked at
the pool below. Ben had turned on the iridescent lights. The water sparkled between
a pink and purple hue. Tacky, she thought.

“Here you go.” Travis arrived with a full cup of something the bartender had whipped
up.

“Thanks.” She took the cup and a timid sip. “Ben’s got the lights in the pool on a
disco show or something.”

Travis peered over the side. “He’s such an asshole. Probably one of those girls in
that pack will think there’s something cool about it.”