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Chapter Twenty-Five
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Sunrise Kisses Chapter Twenty-Six
The flight to Florida was short. The private jet was just as huge as the one we had arrived on, but it felt too small now. I was confined by the plane. Confined to going back to my life. Alone.I stayed awake, keeping myself busy with paperwork, but I kept having to redo it. I couldn't concentrate. Every time I had to write Sebastian Belrose's name as the owner of an item, my brain would freeze and I would picture his face. The way he smelled. The touch of his skin.“Miss?” the flight attendant caught my attention, smiling politely. “We need to refuel. You're welcome to go into the airport and walk around for a few minutes.”I looked down at the blank form in my hands. All I had accomplished in the past thirty minutes was filling out Sebastian's name. Twice. In the wrong locations.I sighed, folding the paper into fourths to throw in the trash. “Thank you, I think I will,” I said, standing. “The fresh air might clear my head.”I carefully navigated the stairs out of the plane and onto
Sunrise Kisses Chapter Twenty-Seven
Someone touched me and I nearly jumped out of my seat to punch them.“We've landed, miss.”It was just the flight attendant. I was glad I hadn't started swinging.“Thank you,” I mumbled, wiping drool off my chin. I hated the time change already, more just because it was a change.With bleary eyes, I collected my things and hurried off the plane. A cold wind ripped at my light jacket as I stepped onto the dark tarmac and hurried away from the last bits of life with Bastian. It smelled like snow here. Snow and airplane fuel. I felt sick to my stomach. And cold. So very, very cold and alone.Someone was waving to me at the end of the tarmac. They were big and hidden within a winter coat, but I knew that coat. I knew the worn elbows and faded blue denim of that coat like it was home. I dropped my bags and took off running. It was exactly who I needed to see. My Dad.“Hey there, kiddo,” he greeted me, wrapping his big arms around me as I nearly knocked him over with my hug. I held on to hi
Sunrise Kisses Chapter Twenty-Eight
I plopped the groceries onto the counter and stared at them for a moment, trying to summon the energy to put them away. Usually, I loved putting groceries away. The act of organizing and filling my fridge and pantry always seemed to make me feel ready to tackle anything that might come my way. But not today.I stared at the sliced cheese and thought of Bastian's grilled cheese. The tomatoes made me think of him. So did the bacon. Everything in my bags reminded me of him somehow and how far away he was. Four days away from him and he was still all I could think about. I wished I could hear his voice.But he was respecting my wishes and leaving me alone. Just as I had asked. I hated it.“You okay, Ava?” Jackie asked, coming into the kitchen. She frowned slightly and pushed her short gray hair out of her bright blue eyes. “Want some help?”I smiled. “That would be great.”She came over and began efficiently taking all the food out and putting it right where it belonged. Even though Dad w
Sunrise Kisses Chapter Twenty-Nine
Flying coach sucked.Flying coach with three layovers sucked even more.I arrived on the island bleary-eyed and exhausted the next morning after scrambling to get a last minute ticket. I had paid through the nose, but as I took a deep breath of tropical air, I knew it was worth it. I had to see Bastian. I had to tell him how I felt or I would never be able to forgive myself.I stopped in the tiny airport's bathroom and did my best to straighten my dress and fix the disaster that was my makeup. Sleeping with a stranger's head on my shoulder while my legs cramped under me was not a beauty regime I could get behind. I sighed at the mirror and put on a brave smile. I was here to see Bastian, not to look pretty. It shouldn't matter how I looked. He would still be excited to see me, not my makeup.I hoped.I took a deep breath and went to find a cab. The ride back to the mansion was longer than I remembered it.What if he doesn't want to see me? What if he's found someone else? What if he h
Sunrise Kisses Epilogue
It's dark outside. The stars twinkle and the gray promise of dawn has started. The sun will rise in exactly 9 minutes. I know this because I have had the hour and minute circled on my calendar for the past six months.“Your mother would be so proud of you,” Dad whispers. He's said it at least fifty times already today, and a thousand more yesterday, but I still smile. I wish she could have been here for this. There is an ache in my heart for her, but I know that she's here in spirit. She wouldn't have missed today for the world.“Five minute warning,” Charlotte announces, stepping into the small room where I've been getting ready. “Sunrise in seven, but we have to get you down there.”Butterflies alight in my stomach. I press my palms against the smooth satin of my dress, trying to tell the butterflies to settle once again.Dad clears his throat. He stands in front of me and takes my hands in his. Tears make his eyes glisten and I can tell that he's holding his emotion back. I hug him
Sunrise Kisses Chapter One
What the freaking hell?I stood in the doorway and stared. This had to be a nightmare. A bad dream. There was no possible way this could be real. He wouldn't do this to me. He couldn't do this to me! And yet, there he was...Banging the waitress.While I looked on in horror.I didn't know what to do. I had been so excited about the phone call for the most amazing job ever that I had literally ran the four blocks to Chad's apartment, the one I had a drawer and part of the closet at, to tell him the good news.I had ignored the locked door and the strange sounds I heard inside, my excitement and eagerness at telling the news to my soon-to-be fiancé overriding everything. Well, now ex-soon-to-be fiancé.She moaned, arching her back and flipping her bleach blonde hair around as he railed her from behind. They were both so busy cheating that neither one had heard the front door open. I had no idea what to do next.Do I knock on the bedroom door and ask politely what was going on? Did I tur
Sunrise Kisses Chapter Two
I took a deep breath in, closing my eyes and taking it all in. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long palm-tree shaped shadows on the white sand walkway. Humid, warm air filled my lungs and it was like breathing in pure happiness. A trip to the Caribbean was exactly the thing I needed, even if it was a work trip. The sky was still blue, but the clouds were starting to bronze and crisp with color on the edges. The trees danced on a gentle breeze carrying the smell of ocean salt. I felt warm for the first time in weeks and like things were actually going my way.That isn't to say I wasn't nervous. My palms were sweating and I was glad I had put on an extra swipe of deodorant before getting off the plane, but it was a good kind of stress. The kind that led to good things happening instead of feeling like I was constantly having to play catch-up.I glanced over at my Dad, noticing he was just as anxious as I was. He rubbed at his shoulder, and despite the grin on his face, I could stil
Sunrise Kisses Chapter Three
I closed the front door carefully behind me, listening for the subtle click to indicate it had shut. Dinner had been delicious, even if Charlotte hadn't been able to join us. Dad hadn't eaten much of the conch soup, even though he said it reminded him of Boston clam chowder. I had eaten more tropical fruit than a monkey, stuffing my face with papayas and mangoes fresh off the trees. It was practically a dessert.I stepped out on the big front porch, taking a deep breath of night air. It was humid and moist and everything I needed right now. It wasn't home. I could be someone else here. I wasn't the dumped ex-girlfriend, or the local library book-nerd, or the daughter struggling to save her father's beloved antique business.As my father's only child, I was the proud heir to his legacy. I loved working with antiques and running my father's business with my aunt and cousins. Dad had been attempting to wean himself off the appraisal circuit, but a recent arson fire had set him back. Due
Latest chapter
- Sunrise Kisses Epilogue
- Sunrise Kisses Chapter Twenty-Nine
- Sunrise Kisses Chapter Twenty-Eight
- Sunrise Kisses Chapter Twenty-Seven
- Sunrise Kisses Chapter Twenty-Six
- Sunrise Kisses Chapter Twenty-Five
- Sunrise Kisses Chapter Twenty-Four
- Sunrise Kisses Chapter Twenty-Three
- Sunrise Kisses Chapter Twenty-Two
