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Tess was a little stressed out having Zara here. She’d sort of hoped she wouldn’t come. If something went wrong, she didn’t want Zara to see it.

But as she watched the crowd settle into their seats, Tess finally felt a sense of calm. The setup had been a logistical nightmare, but now, seeing people gather with anticipation, it felt worth it.

The movie started, and Tess found herself pacing a bit, glancing at the speakers, making sure there were no technical hitches. The occasional breeze rustled the screen flaps, but everything held steady. When the first few gasps rippled through the audience, Tess exhaled. This was what she lived for. Seeing people sucked into the story, completely forgetting that it was only a movie.

Eventually, the shark got nailed, and cheers erupted. As the audience began to disperse, Tess started thinking about cleanup. Then she saw Zara approaching, looking coiffed to the hilt, as ever.

‘Great job,’ she said.

‘Looks like we pulled it off,’ Tess said, her voice tinged with relief.

‘You did,’ Zara agreed, her relief washing over her like a wave. ‘And there’s something I need to tell you.’

Tess tensed. ‘What is it?’

‘The loan application,’ Zara began. ‘It’s been accepted.’

Tess’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘What?! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?’

‘I just found out today. I wanted you to be able to focus on tonight without any distractions.’

It wasn’t a bad call. Any more overload in Tess’s brain, and it might have started to smoke. She nodded what she hoped was a subtle thanks. ‘So… What’s the deal?’

Zara’s smile faltered. ‘The interest rate is… high. Higher than we hoped.’

Tess’s face fell. ‘How high?’

Zara told her the number. Tess didn’t much care for it.

‘I know it’s high,’ Zara said quickly. ‘But it’s a performance-based rate. So it can be changed. The terms of the loan won’t just be about meeting the repayment; it’s about showing change in your numbers. We have six months to get this place up and running and decently in the black. At that point, I can negotiate the interest rate down.’

‘So if I can’t afford it, they charge me through the wazoo? And when I need the money less, the less they charge me? That’s fucking crazy,’ Tess complained.

‘There’s a logic to it for them. High risk is expensive,’ Zara explained.

‘That’s what we are? High risk?’ she said, looking down at the sand.

‘They think so. I feel a lot more confident about it,’ Zara said with some emotion.

Tess met her eye at that, surprised. Zara held it. There was a sudden tension.

Tess felt suddenly and bizarrely nervous. How did this woman have the power to scare her like this? Tess wasn’t usually scared of anyone not holding a weapon.

Eventually, mercifully, Zara broke the eye contact, and a small, relieved sigh involuntarily escaped Tess. She hoped Zara hadn’t noticed it. Tess never wanted her to know her effect.

‘So if I don’t get things going in six months, what then?’ Tess asked, desperate to break the weird moment.

‘Well, if you can’t keep up repayment, then there will be increased interest and penalties,’ Zara told her with as much gentility as she could muster. But her words were not gentle. They were terrifying.

‘And if that happens, I’ll never dig my way out, right? Tess said.

‘It’s unlikely,’ Zara told her honestly.

‘Jesus,’ Tess breathed. ‘They’d own the place then.’ She’d been happy a minute ago, riding the high of a successful screening. That was ruined now. But of course it was. This was what happened when you made a deal with the devil. You didn’t just hop off, all jolly. Because the price loomed.

‘If it came to that,’ Zara said, her voice firm. ‘But I’m going to work with you every step of the way. We’ll make this place a success.’

‘I can only hope you’re right,’ Tess said. And then decided to add something that she knew was pretty pointless but said it anyway. ‘I hope you’re not going to screw me.’

Zara looked at her for a beat, confused. Tess realised how what she’d said could be misconstrued. She hadn’t meant that!

Luckily, Zara seemed to catch the intended meaning, and her expression went back to its usual business-only expression. ‘Why would I do that?’ she asked.

Tess shook off her embarrassment. ‘I don’t think it would be intentional. I just need you to know this isn’t just a business to me. It’s pretty much everything.’

Zara nodded. ‘I can see that.’

‘No, you don’t,’ Tess said easily. ‘But you will.’

Zara’s green eyes pierced into Tess. ‘You think that’s going to scare me. But it doesn’t.’

‘Give it time,’ Tess warned.

‘I will. But you should give it time too. So you can see who I am,’ Zara said.

‘You think you’ll surprise me?’ Tess asked her dryly.

‘I think so,’ Zara said.

Tess thought she might mean it. But it changed nothing. She sighed. ‘You probably won’t.’

Zara laughed. ‘Whatever you say.’ She turned and walked down the beach.

Tess stood alone, letting the night breeze cool her face, absorbing the news. She had the loan.

‘Right!’ she said to the staff. ‘Clean up time!’

Dylan groaned. ‘I have to clean up all this sand?’

‘No, you idiot,’ Jerry said to him. ‘Just the chairs and blankets.’

‘Oh, right,’ Dylan said with relief.

‘Did you seriously just ask if you had to clear all the sand off the beach?’ Fi asked him.

Dylan gave a nervous laugh. ‘It was a joke.’

Fi sniffed him. ‘Sure it was,’ she said. She kicked sand at him.

‘No, don’t,’ Dylan cried. ‘I don’t like sand. Freaks me out.’

‘What do you mean?’ Fi asked.

‘It's one big thing, and it’s also billions of little things. That’s too weird. I can’t deal with it.’

Fi laughed at him. ‘When did you find time to get this off your tits, Dylan?’

Tess watched them start to tidy. Not exactly anyone’s idea of a crack team.

A grumpy old man, a high young man, and her slightly na?ve sister. Tess hoped she had the will to keep this all together. But how much could her shoulders carry?