Page 6 of Sunset

Shoot, I don’t want to lie to her, but I’m under a non-disclosure and don’t have a choice.

“Oh, yes. She decided to do some last-minute renovations, before the season starts, and since her employees hadn’t taken time off this year, she thought it was good timing.” I recite the spiel Lin and I worked on for when people in town started asking questions.

Lisa seems to buy it, as we finish up our first sandwich and each take a second one.

“You know, Jasper is trying to come to terms with his dad’s death. He hates he wasn’t here.” Lisa says.

“He couldn’t have known he’d have a heart attack like that,” I tell her.

“That’s what I’ve been telling him. He dropped everything to come home as soon as he heard, but by the time he got here, his dad was gone.” Lisa’s eyes get a bit misty.

“You know, a few weeks after he moved home, he got drunk one night after dinner, and we were talking, and he went on and on about how he now understands how you felt, and how much he hates himself for the way he treated you. He said he should have moved home right away and all sorts of other stuff.”

I don’t know what to say, so I just shake my head and play with the cookies on my plate.

“He never told me the details behind you two breaking up, you know. I can guess, but he never talked about it.” She says, looking at me. I know this is her gentle nudge to get the details, and I guess, she does deserve them.

“Ahhh, there isn’t some big mystery. You know my dad got sick with the flu and ended up in the hospital right when Jasper and I had plans to move away. I said I didn’t want to leave, while my dad was sick and asked him to put off moving for a week or two. He said he couldn’t, because of the job he had lined up. I told him to go, and I’d meet him there as soon as my dad was better, and he agreed. We talked every night, and sometimes even during the day.” I pause, thinking of those times.

“Then, I remember my dad got home, but he still wasn’t able to run The Inn, and I was helping my mom out, so I decided to stay a bit longer. Lin agreed that I should stay and help out. That night I told Jasper, and we fought. He blamed Lin for getting it in my head that I needed to be here, when I didn’t. I was so mad that he wanted me to leave my dad, while he still wasn’t back on his feet, and Jasper said I should think about what was more important. So, I hung up on him, because there was no question that my dad was more important.”

“I raised him better than that,” she shakes her head.

“It was hard handling the long distance. I didn’t want to be away from him any more than he wanted to be away from me, and I think he just pinned the anger on Lin, so he didn’t pin it on me. Anyway, he called a week later, asking when I was moving out. I said I wasn’t, because the answer to his last question was that my family will always be more important. Then, we hung up. I guess, I expected the big romantic gesture you see in the movies, but one week turned to two, and then it turned into a month. Then, my parents died, and I still held out that he’d come home, after the funeral, but I never heard from him.”

“I think he was waiting on you to show up on his doorstep. He never stopped asking about you. Especially, after your parents died, and we were helping you girls get everything organized. You know, he was at the funeral, too.”

“Yeah, we talked for a moment. I told him there was no way I could move now, and that I was going to run The Inn. That was when I knew it was the end, because he said he wasn’t ready to move home. I still hoped, though.” I admit.

“You haven’t dated since then though, have you?” She asks.

“I have been out on dates, but they all sucked, or we didn’t have any sparks. So, no, nothing more than one or two dates.” I tell her.

“Jasper hasn’t dated either. Nothing he’s told me about, or anything on his social media. A mother always stalks her child’s social media.” She winks at me, letting me know she stalks mine, too. Though, mine is The Inn’s and not a personal one.

We finish eating, and she sits back in her chair.

“There’s something else you aren’t telling me. I can see it in your eyes.” She narrows her eyes at me.

“Fine! My chef at The Inn quit. He got selected to go on some reality TV show out in Hollywood and just left. I begged him to stay on, until the bridge reopened, so I could get someone else out here, but he refused, saying he plans to watch all the old episodes, so he can strategize. Lin says we should watch the show, because she thinks he will fail epically. I also told him don’t come to me for a reference. He’s so sure he’s going to win. If he doesn’t, there will be four years he will have to leave off his resume with me, because I’ll tell them exactly how he left.”

“Serves him right!” She says.

“You don’t happen to know any unemployed chefs on the island right now, do you?” I sigh. “Between Lin, me, and my kitchen staff, we can do a limited menu, but it won’t be great.”

“I actually do know someone. I will call as soon as we are done and see if they are willing to help. In fact, I know I can twist their arm!”

I should have known by the gleam in her eyes that this would be trouble.

When will I ever learn?

Chapter 4

Jasper

I walk into the house, and my mom is sitting at the kitchen counter. She does this, when she’s waiting on me, and always has, since I was a kid. This time she’s making a list, probably menu planning meals for anyone who needs them.

“How was your lunch?” I ask, wanting to know how things went with Brynn, but not wanting to seem too eager to know the details.

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