Sunrise

Chapter 3-1

Chapter 3

Linly

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KADE WILL BE HERE TODAY. That is the first thought that pops into my head the moment I open my eyes. A famous movie star will be staying at the Sunrise Inn today.

Mom and Dad, I know you are enjoying this, and you will have a front row seat to it all. I hope I make you proud.

My nerves have been on edge since I got the call about Kade staying here. Brynn banned me from handling anything breakable after the fifth plate I dropped because my mind was elsewhere.

We spent most of yesterday afternoon and evening cleaning every inch of the Sunrise Suite at least three times. I went over it, Brynn went over it, and then Bertha went behind both of us. This continued through all the main rooms of the inn as well. The staff gave each room a sprucing up, just in case Kade has guests or wants a different room for any reason.

I drag myself out of bed even though my alarm doesn't go off for another hour. It's still dark outside, so I'm shocked to find Brynn in my kitchen with coffee in her hands.

"Couldn't sleep either?" she asks.

"Nope. Did you get any sleep?"

She shrugs. "Enough to get me through."

That is code for about two hours of sleep. That girl is crazy. I'd be dead on my feet with only two hours, but give her some coffee, and she's good to go. I pour myself a cup, then we head out to the back porch and sit on the wicker couch facing the beach.

Neither of us says a word as we drink our coffee and watch the sunrise. This porch is our haven. It's one of the smaller ones on the property, and while it is open for guests, its tucked-away location means few actually find it. I remember many mornings out here with my parents just like these, watching the storms roll in, sunrises, or watching the sky turn colors as the sun sets on the other side of the island. This is also a prime spot to watch the fireworks shot off by the town throughout the summer.

As the sun crests over the Atlantic Ocean, all my worries seem to come to a head with it.

"What if I fail at this?" I whisper.

If I fail, it doesn't just affect me and the Sunrise Inn. It affects Brynn and the Sunset Inn and all the tourism of Hummingbird Island. Our inns bring in a lot of tourism for the town of Seaview and the whole island, and while other smaller bed and breakfasts exist on the island, everyone would still feel the impact.

Brynn scoots close to me and wraps her arms around me.

"We sink or swim together, and I just have a gut feeling we are going to fly with this one. The town would help any way they could if they knew, and if he treats you like s**t, you know they will have your back." She rests her head on my shoulder, and I rest my head on hers.

"I know. It's just there is no middle ground for this. It either goes great and helps the island, or it goes bad, and everyone suffers. Even if they have my back, they will still blame me if it goes bad, no matter what."

"So what? Remember that summer Jasper's dad tried to add sushi to the menu and gave everyone food poisoning? We all bounced back. Or the year that Sid kept dumping the fish guts in the harbor, attracting sharks, and no one could swim there all summer?"

I laugh. Sid is one of our resident fishermen. He brings in fresh fish for the restaurants in town, and he even sells fillets to tourists who want to cook it themselves. But he did learn his lesson.

"I'm going to go check the Sunrise Suite," I say as I stand.

"Lin, we just finished cleaning it from top to bottom less than twelve hours ago," Brynn whines.

"What if we left a window open, and a bird flew in and made a mess? What if someone broke into it? What if a window broke and a raccoon made a home in the bed?" A million more scenarios run through my head, and while Brynn tries to shake it off, I can see the concern in her face too.

"Okay, let's go check on it, then you are making me breakfast before I head to the farmers' market," she says and follows me upstairs.

We both take a deep breath and look at each other before opening the door to the Sunrise Suite. Thankfully, everything is right where we left it, including the folded towel in the shape of a Bertha made on the bed to welcome him.

"Breakfast," Brynn says with a smile on her face. I think she feels the same relief I am. We can do this.

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