Page 19 of Sunrise

"Few plain gold rings is about it but still pays for my time out here for sure," Josh says.

"Well, you know if you find some sea glass, Brynn is still hunting for it to make that art piece she wants for the lobby," I say.

"Will do, pretty lady. Enjoy your walk." Josh tips his hat and turns his back to us as we keep walking.

We both look at our feet as we walk, shifting the sand as we go.

"He's interesting," Kade says.

"Yeah, many of the people in town are quirky, but they mean well. They had our backs when everything happened with our parents. Only a few sour apples, but they are the ones who keep the gossip mill turning." I smirk and bend down to pick up some sea glass.

"What's that?" Kade asks.

I hold out my hand. "It's sea glass. The salt and the water tumble it along the sand, and it softens all the edges like this. Brynn is using the sea glass we find on the shore here for an art piece in the lobby. Her mom loved sea glass, so it's kind of a memorial for her."

"It's beautiful," he says with honesty in his voice.

"We collect the blue, green, and white ones. The brown and red ones we skip," I say and bend down and come back up with a shark's tooth. "We also like to collect the shark's teeth. John had an idea a few years back to put them in to little bags and sell them into the lobby. They do well. We can never keep them in stock."

"Who's John?" Kade asks.

"He's the Sunrise's maintenance man and married to our head housekeeper. You will see both of them around. They are the only two people here outside of security."

"Did you ever think about leaving the island?" Kade asks.

I think for a moment. Other than my time I would have spent in Wilmington, no, I never really thought to leave the island for more than a vacation. I'm glad I didn't leave too because I don't know what I would have done if I wasn't here when my parents died.

"Brynn and I were going to go work in some inns in Wilmington before we took over from our patents here, but otherwise, not really. Honestly, I'm glad I didn't have to. I'd have been miserable in a bigger city," I admit. "What's Hollywood like?"

"You would hate it. It's everything this place isn't. Crowded, loud, rushed, up all night, glitz, and glam. There is no loyalty even among family and, no one to have your back." he admits.

I shake my head. "It makes me wonder why people give up everything to go there for a chance at something most will never get. I mean, really, how many people get cast on their first audition?"

"None that I've met. I think my mom looked into it and only found one other person a few decades ago that it happened too." He admits.

"You've done well for yourself. I've looked at your career a bit since you've been here, and you are really good."

That first night after he checked in, I searched him online and couldn't pull myself away from the photos. Lots of awards, red carpet events, movies, and of course, many women.

He laughs. "Thanks, I guess. I could give you the spiel of how lucky I am and how thankful I am. And I am, but I'm just at a fork in the road and trying to figure it out."

I open my mouth to ask what fork he's talking about when a voice from the past calls my name.

"Lin?" the guy asks as he walks toward us.

My entire body goes still. What the hell is he doing here?

"Everything okay?" Kade whispers next to my ear as I watch my ex jog toward us.

Kade is wearing a hat and sunglasses, but Travis will recognize him. He's a huge fan of Kade's movies. This couldn't get any worse.

"Travis, what are you doing here?" I ask when he makes his way over to us.

He left for Wilmington per the plan Brynn and I had and never looked back. Far as I know, he hasn't been back in town until now.

Kade wraps his arm around my waist. I can't see his eyes through the sunglasses, but I can feel them on me. With his arm around me, I feel safe and relax just a bit into his side. The move doesn't go unnoticed by Travis either.

"I was in town visiting my folks when the bridge got washed out, so now, I'm stuck here," he says.

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