Page 23 of Sunset

I find my mom in the same spot, as every night, when I get home. On the couch, reading one of her romance books. So, I sit down next to her.

“I have the latest on Lin’s wedding for you.” I bribe her to put the book down.

I don’t think I’ve seen this woman move so fast. She sets the book down on the coffee table and turns to face me.

“Out with it, boy!” She says, removing her reading glasses.

“They’re having a small wedding on the beach in front of The Inns. It’s being catered by yours truly. Lin got her dress today, but I wasn’t able to get the details on it, because Kade was there. And she decided to ask Mrs. Keller to walk her down the aisle. Now, you keep that to yourself, until tomorrow and let Lin get a chance to ask her.” I say.

“Oh, that’s a good choice. Did you hear what she did to the reporter that was hiding in Lin’s tree?” Mom asks, shaking her head.

We have all heard this story. A reporter was hiding up in a tree in Lin’s property, trying to get photos. Mrs. Keller came out and shot him with her BB gun. He fell from the tree, and she marched over and started cursing him out and stomped on his camera. They ran him out of town with the help of the sheriff.

“That woman stepped up to help Lin, after the accident,” Mom says, still lost in thought.

Lin and Brynn’s parents were best friends and did everything together. They opened The Inns together next door to each other, bought houses next door to each other, got pregnant together, and sadly, died together.

Five years ago, a freak storm came out of nowhere. Their parents were on a date out fishing, when the boat capsized. Sadly, none of them survived.

“Just like you were there for Brynn. Did I ever thank you for that?” I ask her.

She waves her hand at me and tries to hide the tears, forming in her eyes.

“I mean it, Mom. I wasn’t in the headspace to help her the way she needed, but it means a lot to me that you and Dad did. There’s a lot I’d do differently, if I knew then, what I know now. How you put up with me I’ll never know.” I joke, leaning in to give her a hug.

“Lord only knows,” she sighs. “You can thank me by fixing things with that girl. Your father and I knew from the beginning you were meant to be, but it just wasn’t your time. Maybe now, it is.”

“I hope so. I talked with Lin, and she offered me an olive branch. I’m going to take it. Oh, before I forget, Lin wants you at her dress fitting with Kade’s mom, and she’ll let you know, once her dress gets in.” I tell her.

“Oh, I can’t wait to see her! Oh, off with you, it’s time to go to bed.” She says, grabbing her book and standing up.

I hope tomorrow I can start mending bridges and knocking down Brynn’s walls.

Heaven help me.

Chapter 11

Brynn

As I stand and look at the property Kade bought across the street from The Inn’s, I’m still in shock. Lin and I had been trying to buy this property for years, and the owner was too stubborn to sell. I guess, being able to say they sold it to a Hollywood movie star, changes things.

Since The Inns are at the southern end of The Island, we now basically own the southern tip and have almost doubled our beach space.

“Kade!” I say, as that thought crosses my mind.

“Yeah?” He turns to me all while keeping his arm firmly around Lin’s waist.

“You own the beach there!” I say.

“No, we own the beach there. You get a percentage of the villas.”

Wait, what?

“Okay, we’ll come back to that in a minute. But if you own the beach, does that mean we can do The Sunset events there?”

“Sure does.”

“Oh my, gosh, Lin!” I run over and hug her.

---