Page 69 of Sunset

Brynn: Good night, Jasper.

When I get home, Mom is sitting in the living room reading. Her nightly routine for as long as I can remember.

“What’s wrong?” She looks up at me.

“Just went and talked to Dad. I’m going to crash here tonight.” I tell her.

Her face softens. “You let Brynn know?” She asks.

“Yeah, she knows.”

“Okay. I’ll make breakfast in the morning. Any special requests?” She asks.

“Dad’s Caribbean tropical pancakes?”

Mom knows how to make almost all of Dad’s recipes. She may not be a chef, but she can read a recipe card better than anyone I know. He made sure to write every recipe down for her.

“I haven’t had that in years. It’s perfect. See you in the morning.”

I give her a kiss and go to bed. Dad was always trying new recipes, and my mom was his taste tester. The pancakes have tropical fruit with a fruit syrup, some spices, and honey butter. It was his way of pulling tourists into the beach vacation experience, as he called it.

As I’m getting ready for bed, I realize I haven’t created any new recipes for the restaurants, since I’ve been home. The menu has been pretty much the same, other than the specials, for over a year now. I’ve been so wrapped up in working at The Sunset.

When was the last time I even checked into the restaurants? Two or three weeks? Maybe more? But the thought of working in any other kitchen other than The Sunset doesn’t sit well with me either.

I need to get things in order and better manage this legacy my dad left me. No matter what it takes, I will make him proud. I won’t let him down again.

Chapter 30

Brynn

I can feel Jasper pulling away a little more each day, and I’m not sure why. It started the night after he had dinner with his mom. His texts were short, but the next day, he was just cold. It was like he was going through the motions of what he had to do.

He smiled, when he should. Hugged me, kissed me, but the spark wasn’t there. When I’d ask him about it, he’d shake his head and say he was fine.

He stopped staying in my room. He’s been staying with his mom every night, since that dinner. I want to know what happened, but I want him to know I trust him, too.

I’m sitting at my desk and thinking of Jasper and trying to figure out what caused this. I’m tapping a pencil on my desk, lost in thought. Was it giving him the key? Was it too much? I didn’t think it would be. He was saying ‘I love you,’ while I couldn’t say it, but I was showing him. This is the guy who says how much he loves me and is okay with me not saying it back. I thought a key would show him what he means to me. He hasn’t used it once.

The pencil flips out of my hand and lands by my calendar at the corner of the desk. That’s when I notice the day. His dad’s one year anniversary of the day he died is coming up. I bet his mom brought it up, because she wanted to do something. Lin and I still do something each year, and this year will make six years.

I make my way into the kitchen and watch him work. He looks at me, and while his eyes meet mine, they are emotionless. A week ago, his whole face would light up, when he saw me, and he’d come over and hug me. He’d ask if I ate, and then try to feed me, even if I had. Today? Nothing. He just goes right back to work.

So, I call over to him. “Can we go for a walk?” I ask him.

“Not now, Brynn, I’m getting ready for the dinner service.” He says, his voice flat.

That’s another thing. He’s stopped using my nickname and calls me Brynn all the time. I kind of hate it more and more each day.

“That wasn’t a request. It was more of an employer to employee demand,” I say.

I will play dirty to get him alone for just a few minutes to talk. Thankfully, it works. He stops what he’s doing, washes his hands, and takes off his apron.

“You have a choice. We can walk on the beach, or we can talk in my office.” I offer him.

“Your office.” He says, almost sounding annoyed.

Once in my office, I close the door and sit next to him on the couch, but I don’t touch him.

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