Page 64 of Sunrise

I get dressed as quickly as possible and pull my hair up. I make sure I'm presentable before I head down to the lobby to start my hunt for Kade. Has he seen this? If he had, he surely would have woken me up. Maybe he's in my office doing damage control. My guess is if I've seen this and the town has seen it, then so has Wren. So that is where I'm on my way to, when Brynn's laughter comes from the dining room.

Her laughter is followed by Kade's laughter, and it stops me dead in my tracks. What the heck is going on? I turn toward the dining room and find Brynn and Kade at the dining room table, talking and laughing over coffee and muffins.

"Are you laughing at the news?" I ask, a bit confused as I head straight to the coffee.

"What news? I was telling Kade about the time that little brat Jeffery set your Barbie dolls on fire, and you put itching powder in his clothes, and his parents refused to come back to the inn because they thought it was something in the laundry soap. Did your parents ever find out?" Brynn laughs.

"I eventually told them. They tried not to laugh but said he was a little pain in the ass and deserved it," I admit.

"I was also showing her how to use this app to edit your photos on your phone. There are all sorts of presets and filters. She turned me into a mermaid. I swear it will be my luck that will be the photo that gets leaked." Kade shakes his head, but there is still a huge smile on his face.

"Speaking of things being leaked. Have either of you seen the news?"

Kade's eyes cloud over. "He sold the story, didn't he?"

I wish it wasn't right, and that we were both wrong about him. I wish that Kade had one person in that town he could trust. It would make sending him back a little easier, but knowing he will be alone in a sea of people around him breaks my heart and makes me want to enact Brynn's handcuff idea.

"Well, if you told him you were thinking of asking me to marry you, then oh yeah, and I'm sure he made a pretty penny off it. Over fifty thousand if the rumors are true," I tell him, and his eyes drop to his lap.

I walk over and place my hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Kade."

"It's fine. My gut said he'd do this, but I was just hoping I was wrong. It would have been nice to be wrong for a change." He sighs, then looks back up at me.

"I know. I'm sorry." I cup his cheek, and he puts his hand over mine, and his eyes lock on me.

"I think I have somewhere else to be," Brynn says as she gets up and leaves the room, but still, our eyes never leave each other.

Then his other hand comes to my waist, and he pulls me onto his lap, tilts my head back, and kisses me. It's a slow, almost lazy kiss. It's not rushed as we connect on a very basic level. Just showing him he's not alone and that I'm here for him. It's like we have all the time in the world, which is proven a lie when Kade's phone rings.

He pulls back, resting his forehead on mine. "It's Wren. He and my parents are the only ones who get through when it's on do not disturb," he tells me.

"Okay, I'll let you take that, and I'm going to go answer emails," I tell him and head toward my office as he answers the phone. I want to stay and be there for him, but I know whatever this call is about, he needs to handle it on his own. We don't need to intertwine our lives any more than they already are.

Once at my desk, I intend to check my email, but I end up pulling the articles up once more. A lot of it is a recap of the two other interviews we did and photos from Kade's social media. The only new info is the text Kade sent last night and some quotes from the weasel who Kade called a friend. Things like how happy he is for him, but how unexpected it is, and he never saw it coming.

I look at the texts coming in, and I swear almost everyone in town has messaged me asking if I saw the article, if Kade has proposed yet, and then asking to see the ring. Some are mad they read about it instead of hearing it from me. It would take hours to reply to everyone.

Leaning back in my chair, I rub my temples as a headache is already starting to form. This is great. Kade couldn't pick something that didn't involve me? Like maybe he got a part in the new Avengers movie, or he's the new James Bond. But this? This is going to be a shit show to clean up.

I decide to use the gossip tree to my advantage and text the town gossips, Dorothy, Ginger, Holly, and Becca. I tell them it's not true, that his best friend sold a story for money, and ask them to spread the news with a promise to keep them updated.

They text back almost immediately that they are on it and for me not to worry. I wish it was that easy not to worry. Kade just lost his best friend if he ever had him to begin with. Wren, I'm sure, isn't too happy with the news. If he comes out and denies it, will it hurt his chance with the studio that wants him to be more family friendly?

There is no way I'd agree to a fake engagement for the sake of his career. I hope that option isn't even on the table. Being in a fake relationship with the guy feels too real and already has me on edge, so I couldn't do more. Besides, when I get engaged and married, I plan to only do it once and to my forever guy.

I finally get my email open and answer some inquiries about group rates. I go through the interview requests. I've been getting at least five of them a day. I sort out the junk and reply to some emails from a travel agency. My phone starts going off again.

More texts come in, and this time, they aren't about the article, but it's about the bridge. It's reopening sometime today. That news seems to drown out everything else with the locals. Everyone in our social media group is talking about how they have island fever and need to step foot on the mainland or need to go shopping to visit friends.

I should be happy. This means we can get guests again and it means Brynn's new sales system can be installed. But it also means Kade can leave. Will he leave right away, or will he stay until he gets his next role? Everyone seems to want off the island for the day, so I'm willing to bet Kade will too. This also means there will be a flood of people onto the island.

Will the inn be flooded with reporters and fans? After today's news, my guess on that one is yes, it will be. I sigh, making the calls to bring in some extra security. Kade might decide to leave, but it's still my job to keep him safe until then. When I text Brynn, she suggests locking the doors, and she will send over a few of her security guys too.

I get with Dale and go over the plan, and we lock the doors and put up the sign directing people to the Sunset Inn to check in. Kade is nowhere to be found, and I think he's gone up to his room until I see him on the phone pacing on the beach.

He looks so handsome in the afternoon light in his shorts and a T-shirt. He's barefoot and watching the waves crash over his feet. His hair is blowing in the breeze, and I stop and just watch him for a minute before I remember why I came out here.

I head out and can't make out what is being said but decide to interrupt. It's better for him to get inside now. Who knows when the bridge will open again? It could be open now.

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