Page 47 of Sunrise

"Really?" she asks but doesn't lift her head, and I'm thankful for that. Having her this close makes admitting something so personal a little easier.

"Yeah, I was really young, still in diapers, so I have no memories before my parents. They are amazing, always supportive. When I was approached by an agent who was at a school play, my parents sat me down said they knew I was eighteen and could do what I wanted, but I was two months away from graduating high school, and they wanted me to finish school. My dad said if I did, he'd drive me out to Hollywood and help me get set up. They have done so much for me, so of course, I did what they asked. Then getting booked from my first audition, and things have been a whirlwind since."

I remember that conversation with Mom and Dad, and I'm thankful I listened. I was in the right spot at the right time because of it.

"But growing up on a small ranch was just like you'd expect. Early morning chores, early bedtime, long drives into school. I learned how to drive a tractor by the time I was twelve and a four-wheeler before I was ten. My first car was a pickup truck. I'm still close to them. I try to call and let them know before things hit the paper. They were happy I fired Gina. My mom said she didn't like her but couldn't put her finger on why, so she never said anything."

"I've told you a bit about growing up on the island. But this inn was always my second home. My parents grew up here, but both their parents moved back to the mainland not too long before I was born, so I only saw them in the summers. They came to the island for a few weeks. I guess they didn't like each other, so they never visited at the same time, which was fine with all of us. All four of them passed before I graduated high school. Mrs. Keller has been like a grandma to me though she was a lot younger when we first met her. She babysat me and was always bringing me gifts when she traveled. She only has one grandbaby, and they live out in Seattle, so she only sees her a few times a year when she goes out there, and then they visit every other summer here."

She stares, lost in thought. "We took family vacations during the off-season, which was great because it was off-season almost everywhere else too. We went to Disney, Yellowstone, Gettysburg, Philadelphia, New York City, and Key West. We visited Disney a few times and always with Brynn and her parents. Brynn is like a sister to me. We grew up together and did almost everything together, and we had planned to run the inns together from day one. You ever think of tracking down your biological parents?" she asks.

"Actually, they tracked me down a few years back. They saw I was making a name for myself in Hollywood, and since they are still druggies, they thought I owed them a free ride. It wasn't pretty, and when I didn't give them money, they tried to go to the press. Wren was great at shutting that down. They are in jail right now for extortion, along with multiple drug and theft charges. They were court-ordered to attend rehab before fulfilling their sentence, and then when they get out, they have to go to some other rehab-like programs. So, we'll see if it works. I don't think I want a relationship at all with them, even if they clean themselves up. The run-in with them made me realize I was on a path very close to ending up like that. I slowed down on the drinking. I hadn't touched any drugs, but I knew it was a slippery slope in Hollywood. It was about a year before I stopped drinking altogether, and that's when the playboy act got old fast. Been trying to get away from it ever since."

"I really think Gina was the problem there. Now that she's gone, I have a better chance of changing my image. Yeah, Matt and Cassie were pissed about the statement we released because she had told a few other people nothing happened, and they came out and verified it on social media. Apparently, Mark slept with another costar's wife, so the guy blasted their plan all over social media. It's been a shit show that I have been staying out of. Wren says it's more than enough to take the spotlight off me for a bit." I finish relaying what Wren told me last night.

The sun is about halfway over the water by now and bathing the morning in beautiful pinks and purples. Neither of us speaks again until the sun is fully out of the water and the bright colors start to fade to normal daylight.

"We should go inside so you can eat," I whisper, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Yeah, you need to eat too." She sighs.

"How about we take the day and go explore the island? Take me off the beaten path and show me the places the locals go. Bonus, it counts as an outing if we’re seen getting more of the donuts later." I wink at her, and she laughs.

Such a beautiful sound filling the air and washing over me. My dick seems to like it too, because he wants attention from the beautiful girl who's been pressed against me all morning. I can't blame him. Having her in my arms made everything feel right for the first time in a long time.

I head back to my room and turn on my phone and search the headlines on Matt and Cassie. They aren't pretty, but they are at least saying that they tried to use me in their divorce. One paper is going to say they set me up.

I check what is being said about Lin and me, and it's all positive. One website did a write-up based on public knowledge about her degree and running the inn after her parents' death, using photos from the inns' social media. It's all done very nicely, so I go as far as to shoot the editor an email and thank them for the article. I get an email back almost instantly, asking if I'd be willing to do an interview with Lin about how we met, even if it's online since we are still stuck on the island.

It would be good for them, and since they were nice in their write-up, I say I need to talk to Lin and will get back to them. I shoot Wren an email, asking his thoughts, though my guess is he might be sleeping.

I get ready to spend the day with Lin, which doesn't feel like a day for the cameras or keeping up appearances. It feels like a day for us. I was worried about her wanting more from me, but I think I might be the one slipping too far down that hill.

Chapter 22

Linly

I'm cleaning up the coffee machine when Kade comes back downstairs to join me.

"Ready to get going?" I ask.

"Yep, what's on the list first?" he asks.

"Well, you've seen Main Street, so I was thinking I'd take you to Arch Rock to begin. You okay with a little hike?" I ask.

"Yep, let's go." He takes my hand.

Arch Rock is at the other end of the island, so I take the more scenic roads close to the water. I roll the windows down, and the wind and salt air fill the car. Thankfully, I pulled my hair up today, but it does not stop Kade's and my hair from blowing in the breeze. It's so freeing.

We get to the state park entrance, and Kade sits up.

"It's a state park? Will that help with Main Street?" Kade asks.

"I don't know. This is a park for nature and not really the history, though locals try to say Blackbeard buried treasure out there. Now it's illegal to try to dig it up, so it just stays a rumor." I shrug.

I like that it won't be able to be disproven. It's a fun little tale of the island I will get to tell my kids, and they can pass it on to their kids.

I park in the parking area and pull out a couple of bottles of water and head up the trail. It's a fairly easy half-mile hike before the arch comes into view with the ocean beyond it.

---