Sunny

Chapter 3

Present Day...

Rhea was taking her morning walk around the private barrier island. It was an island that her family had called home for over four generations. The sun was starting to rise and she had wandered down to the beach, sitting on the wet sand, not caring that it was making her rear-end damp, as she wondered how many more of her soul soothing morning walks she was going to be able to take. If they lost the island, and the old plantation house that they had turned into an inn, it would be devastating.

But her thoughts didn't linger on the house or the loss of it, instead they turned to Eli, she wondered where he was and what he was doing. The fact that he was staying so close made her want run as far and as fast as she could from the temptation to find him.

She heard the morning ferry chugging closer to the dock, and she knew she had to get a move on so that she could get the driver breakfast. Otto was an old school friend, and he had taken over driving the ferry when his father had retired the previous year. He liked to come early and have breakfast before he took those that needed to go to the mainland to work, and Rhea didn't mind feeding him because he kept her up to date on all of the gossip.

She stood, taking one last look at the red and gold rays as they rose above the cold grey ocean, giving the appearance of warmth that she knew was only an illusion. The walk back to the house was a short one and as she entered the kitchen, Otto was grabbing a mug of coffee.

"Hey, Rhea, your running late this morning," he noted as he sat down at the massive wooden topped island in the center of the kitchen, opening the newspaper he had brought with him.

"I didn't want to get out of bed this morning," she explained as she reached for a piece of fruit and popped it in her mouth. "What's the news today?" She cracked some eggs in one pan and started the bacon in another as they spoke. The kitchen was old but warm and homey. It had and old farm sink and a gas range that had seen better days, but it was her escape and where she loved to be more than anywhere else in the world.

"Elias Emory," Otto said as he sipped his coffee loudly.

Rhea almost dropped the egg she was holding at the sound of his name. "I heard something about that last night from Phoebe." She did her best to keep her voice even.

"Yep, that sister of yours has convinced him that your inn would be the best place for him and his friends to stay-"

"She didn't!" Rhea exclaimed, spinning around, her eyes wide in shock and fear.

"I know, it's pretty awesome, I have to go back and pick them up, they're checking in this morning."

"How did she mange that?" Her voice sounded weak even to her own ears, but Otto didn't appear to notice anything amiss.

"She said something about hearing him on the phone with his manager about needing peace and quiet so that he could write, so she mentioned your place. He was immediately interested and said he would be over to check it out this morning."

"So, he's only checking it out, he's not actually staying here?" Rhea looked down at her shaky hand as it stirred the eggs.

"Why wouldn't he stay here, its paradise?"

Rhea didn't object to the paradise statement. "There's no television, internet, or cell service. There's only one telephone on the entire property and two bathrooms that everyone has to share. It's not exactly a five-star hotel, is it?"

"You sound as if you don't want him to stay here?" Otto sounded confused.

She didn't but she couldn't say that, what person in their right mind wouldn't want Elias Emory staying with them? "I'm only being realistic, from what I understand, people like...him," she couldn't say his name, "don't like to be without their technology."