Page 9 of Sunrise

"I can't. I promised my manager," he says.

I shrug. "Okay well, I have a dinner date with Brynn. I want to hear the flying kiwi story," I tell him as I lead him to his private table that can't be seen from the rest of the dining room.

"Enjoy your dinner," I say as I turn to walk off.

"You really aren't going to eat with me?" he asks in shock.

I turn and smile at him. "This isn't Hollywood, and I'm not some groupie who's going to fawn all over you and stroke your ego. So, no, I'm going to go eat with my best friend and help her through her ex being back in town. Enjoy your meal. The lobster bisque comes highly recommended," I tell him before turning and heading to Brynn's and my table in the corner out of the way.

She is already sitting down and has a Hummingbird Island iced tea waiting for us. It's basically a Long Island iced tea but named after the island instead.

"How's it going with you-know-who?" she asks.

"He wanted me to eat dinner with him, and when he wouldn't share anything in return, I said no. He was shocked I wasn't passing out from a dinner invite," I say, taking a large gulp of the iced tea and then grabbing a roll and some honey butter.

"We need a code name for him," she says as she grabs herself a roll. "How about Mr. Blue because that's the color of that fancy car he drove in with."

"Sounds good to me. Mr. Blue kept to himself until dinner. Says he turned off his phone and only his manager and his parents are to get through. If anyone else calls, I'm to take a message."

"What are you, his secretary?" she asks.

"He did ask me instead of telling me, though I get the feeling he wouldn't take no for an answer anyway. So now tell me about Mr. Kiwi," I joke, but that earns me a glare. "Don't get any ideas about throwing anything at me tonight, or I will leave you to be Mr. Blue's secretary."

She gives me the evil eye before she sighs and sags back against her chair.

"I was at the farmers' market and getting excited about the strawberries to do some desserts for Mr. Blue, and I hear his voice. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me because of the lack of sleep the past few days. The world wouldn't be so cruel as to let me run into him on a day with my hair pulled back, in old clothes, and no makeup, right?"

"The island has it in for us, so yeah, that's exactly when I'd expect it to happen." I roll my eyes.

We each take a drink of our iced tea as our meal is served. We never order. Brynn always places an order for us before she comes out to sit down.

"I mean, I know his dad died, and he was home for the funeral, but I know he went back to New York City. There was no reason for him to be here. Yet as I rounded the corner there, he was at the kiwis. I froze, and when he looked up, he smiled like a fucking bastard." She grunts and tries to keep her voice down.

"I asked him when he was leaving, and he smiled bigger! Then said he moved back to help his mom with the family's restaurants, and I was stuck with him."

Jasper's dad was a chef as well, and he owned two restaurants downtown that always had a considerable waitlist during the summer. His dad always wanted him to come home and run one, but Jasper had a dream of working in New York City, and he was there last we all heard.

"I'm guessing this is where the kiwi comes in?" I ask.

"Yes, I grabbed the closest thing, a kiwi, and threw it at his head and turned around and stomped off."

"Oh girl, it's already all around town about you throwing that kiwi at Jasper. Sweetheart, he deserved it." Ken, our server, approaches. He's been working here since the summer he was sixteen, and that was the summer we took over the inns.

"Great, maybe it will be a warning for everyone to leave me alone." She grunts.

"Actually, everyone is taking bets on what you will throw at him next. Since we all think it will be at the farmers' market next, the front-runners so far are a coconut or an apple." Ken smiles.

"Perfect. You will be doing the farmers' market shopping this summer. Thanks for the heads-up." Brynn fills her mouth with her dinner, and Ken just walks away laughing.

"Okay, so he's back. Brynn, this is such a small town you’ll run into him more and more. You have to find a way to deal with it that won't cause a scene every time." I level with her.

"I know. I know we need to talk this out, but I just… Ugh. I wanted it to be on my time." She tosses her fork down and takes another drink of her tea.

"Okay, so set up an appointment on your time. Does it have to be in your space, your way? Fine, but you have to do it. We have always worked with his family. They send us some great business."

"His mom has sent us business, not him." She rolls her eyes.

"I get it. Listen, I'm going into town tomorrow, so make me a list of what you need, and I'll do your shopping to give you some time to think about it. You know he won't show up here, so stick to the grounds until Mr. Blue leaves, and then we can deal with Mr. Kiwi."

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