Page 42 of Sunset

Brynn has been in and out of the kitchen all morning for this or that. I made sure she ate breakfast and a lunch that I made especially for her. The smile I got for those makes me want to do it again and again.

“Jasper, boy. You better get to the lobby. There’s trouble.” Ken says, as he breaks me from my thoughts. But the look on his face, tells me this isn’t time for games. I drop everything, wipe my hands on a towel, and run out to the lobby.

What I find makes my heart sink, but what I hear? Fills me with rage. Why today of all days? I mean, it’s the day I finally got Brynn to let her guard down.

Standing in the lobby is Sherri. She was the hostess and event planner at the restaurant I worked at in New York City, and she’s talking to Brynn.

Brynn must have just got there, because she smiles at her. “Can I help you?” She asks.

I should speak, but the words don’t seem to come out, and I can’t reach them fast enough. It’s like everything happens in slow motion, and my brain can’t decide what to do, so it does nothing, which is worse than anything.

“Oh, I’m looking for my boyfriend, Jasper. I was told he’s the chef here.” Sherri says.

Brynn’s eyes go wide, and I swear I can see each and every brick of those walls, snapping back into place. She pastes on her fake smile that I hate so much. Fuck, it’s going to be like last night never happened or worse.

“He is, and I will…”

“What the hell are you doing here, Sherri?” I ask, as I reach them.

Brynn tries to turn and make a run for it, but I wrap an arm around her waist and hold her to me. We need to talk, but I want Sherri out of here now.

“Jasper!” She goes to hug me, and I quickly move behind Brynn, which earns me a dirty look from Sherri, and I’m sure one from Brynn that I can’t see. I don’t know how to make it any clearer to this girl I don’t want her here without making her cry, and that’s something my momma would come down here and beat me for in front of the whole town.

“I’m not your boyfriend and never was, so I’m not sure why you’re here spreading lies, or even here at all,” I say my voice cold.

I don’t want any question in Brynn’s mind. This girl means nothing to me. Despite what Sherri said, we were never together.

“I miss you. We all thought you’d be back home by now. It can’t take this long to help your mom get settled.” She says and flips her long, blonde hair over her shoulder.

Her bleached blonde from a bottle hair. Everything about this girl is fake. Her hair, her nails, her lips, her boobs, and her tan, all fake. She’s the exact opposite of Brynn, which is what I needed, when I was trying to forget her. The day my heart was breaking, and I needed to forget everything Brynn.

“No, I told you all that I was moving here. I packed up and moved. I’m not coming back. I gave up my lease. This is my home, always has been and always will be. It just took me a bit of time to understand that.” I bite out.

Brynn starts to squirm, trying to get out of my hold.

“Stop it, Firefly,” I say in a soft voice.

“Don’t call me that. Let me go, so you and your girlfriend can talk.” Brynn says.

“Not my girlfriend and never was. You have been the only girl to ever hold that title.” I tell her in hopes of showing her what she means to me, but this only seems to piss off Sherri more.

“We were together!” Sherri says.

“No, it was sex. I made that very clear multiple times. I don’t want you, so I’m sorry you wasted your time.” I tell her.

“I felt it, it was more,” Sherri says and places her hand on my arm, giving me what I’m sure is an overly practiced pout.

Her touch makes my skin crawl. Now that I have had the sweetness that is Brynn back in my life, and I have her here in my arms, the touch of this other woman from a dark point in my life, makes me feel dirty.

“It didn’t feel like more to me,” I tell her, trying to get her hand off my arm.

Of course, this is when Brynn breaks free and makes a run for it. Damnit.

“I’m coming for you, Brynn. You can’t run far,” I call after her.

She doesn’t even look back, as she just flips me off and runs, which I’m assuming is right to Lin.

I want to go after her, but I need to make things clear to Sherri and get her out of here. Turning back to her, I level her with a glare. I tried to be nice, but she just sent Brynn running, and no one hurts my girl like that. I’m done being nice. Momma forgive me.

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