Page 66 of Beauty and Kaos

I weave through the groups of people until I’m near the front line. In the grass, front and center, stands CyrusJacobson with a shovel, posing for photos. He smiles, waving his hand toward a garden of yellow rose bushes with Evan at his side.

“We’re here today to honor Rose Whitman. An important and loved member of our community, tragically lost too soon. With a generous donation from the Fairhaven Garden Center, we plant Rose’s Garden here at Danny’s, a place she loved, so she can still make people smile every time they walk in.” Cyrus nods, wiping the sweat from his brow for work he had someone else do. The crowd claps, and Cyrus sets his hand on Evan’s shoulder like a proud father.

As the people begin to disperse, I wander closer to the front, my eyes on a large photo propped on an easel off to the side. A pretty woman, maybe nineteen or twenty, with dark hair and a floral top, standing near the ocean. Around her neck is a silver necklace of yellow roses. She looks happy.

“You’re a long way from home,” Evan says, stepping up beside me and peering at the photo.

“Grocery shopping,” I lie. “But with this crowd, I’ll just wait.” I glance over at him. “Did you know her?”

“Rose?” Evan asks, shaking his head. “Not really. Only through Chris. The few times I met her, she was nice. It’s a shame what happened.”

“It’s a shame they never caught the person responsible.”

“Paige?” He questions. “I don’t know how the family will ever get closure. Maybe this garden will help.”

I glance over at the garden. “Yeah. I’m sure they feel much better.” I take a breath, stopping myself from saying anything I’m actually thinking. Then turn to walk back through the crowd.

“You need a ride?” He asks. “Come on, I’m headed that way.”

I shut my eyes and curse. No, I don’t need a ride. I need a sedative, or a stiff drink, or a surfboard and a mile of beach without another living soul on it. I need to somehow reconcile my sister’s betrayal with her absence, and I don’t know how to do that.

“Sure,” I tell him instead. “Thanks.” Because, in the end, that’s why I’m here. For answers.

I follow him over to the Tahoe and climb into the passenger seat as he slides in beside me. The engine roars to life, and he pulls away from the parking area and out onto Coral Cove Road. The game I’m playing feels more dangerous than ever before, but I don’t care. I’m in too deep.

“I want you to come to the Aurora next week, Friday and Saturday. As a permanent weekend server. Interested?” Evan asks, glancing over at me.

I nod. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Good. So… what are you doing after work?” He asks. “And this time, I am hitting on you.”

It’s time to get him so fucked up he can’t stand and interrogate him. It will cost me my job, any relationships I’ve built here, and any other chance I may have at another avenue of truth. But if it’s going to work, I have to double down and jump in with both feet. I’m done with his cagey answers and partial truths, diverting the conversation whenever her name is mentioned. Tonight he’s going to tell me about Paige if I have to hold a gun to his head.

“I’m free,” I reluctantly say.

He nods. “Raven and Natalie are covering the Auroratonight. I need a night off. Let’s go out for drinks and see where we end up.”

“You’re the boss, just cut me whenever you’re ready to leave,” I reply. He reaches across the truck and grabs my hand, weaving his fingers between mine. I take a deep breath and sink further into the mask of Ivy. Tonight I let her take the reins and do whatever she needs to do. She can flirt with Evan and hurt Zaden. She can break my heart for me, and his.

Evan pulls into the parking lot for the Sandbar, and stops the Tahoe. I climb out, my gaze automatically falling on the employee deck where Mia and Giana stand, absorbed in conversation. Mia glances over at me with an initial smile before her gaze slides to Evan. Then she looks confused.

It begins already.

Evan places his hand on my arm, then slides it down to my wrist. I glance up at him, itching to pull my arm away.

“I’ll see you in a few hours,” he says.

I nod. “Thanks for the ride.”

He releases me and strides off toward the restaurant. I watch him go, my hands balling at my sides. It’s going to be a long night.

With a quick glance around, I step into the front office of the Sunrise. I hear people moving around, and laughter echoing up from the pool deck. But no Raven. I walk over to a side table and sit down at one of the guest computers, pulling up an internet browser. I type in Sienna Lassiter, praying I’m wrong about all this, but knowing I’m not that lucky.

Articles appear from long ago, surfing magazines, and competition line-ups. Images of a girl who looks just like me, and just like Paige. Fuck. It’s our mother. I click on one of theimages, and pull up a photo taken by the Pelican Beach Gazette. Sienna balances on a wave, perfect stance, blonde hair billowing behind her, in a lime green Kaos Surf shirt. She looks determined. Practiced, with a hint of a smile crossing her lips. Like she was made for this.

I close it and pull up the next article. A photo of a concrete foundation surrounded by debris and charred walls, with several large boats sitting nearly submerged in the shallow water beside the small marina docks. The title reads, ‘Fire at Pier 34 Claims Two Lives.’ I stare at the photo, thinking about the Aurora and what it looks like now.

The article claims propane tanks on the back dock were the cause of the explosion, but they don’t know what started the initial fire. Two teenagers died, Dylan Knight and Sienna Lassiter. Dylan was an employee of Jacobson Enterprises, and Sienna was his girlfriend. They recovered Dylan’s body, but Sienna was never found.

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