Rhea did her best to avoid Eli over the next few days, and surprisingly it wasn't that hard to do. He didn't seek her out; he was busy with the band and Cassie. She spent a few days off the island shopping for supplies and spending time at the restaurant. Since Mason and Eli's visit, the money situation had improved and she was pleased to finally be caught up on all of the bills. Phoebe had been right about the restaurant as well. Eli's visit had increased interest and their sales we up for the month.

But what would happen when they all left? Sure, Eli had threatened to stay indefinitely but she didn't believe that he would. His life was in L.A.

The ferry horn sounded three times and she knew that it meant that Mason's family was on board. They were supposed to arrive and Mason had been dreading it all day. Eli's band had left on the previous day's afternoon ferry. The band members had all taken the time to seek her out to say goodbye and that they hoped to see her again soon, something that she doubted would ever happen.

Rhea walked through the hall towards the front door, opening it in welcome as the ferry docked. Mason came sauntering down the main staircase tucking in his shirt with a grin. "Cassie is right behind me, she got distracted."

Rhea rolled her eyes and smiled at Mason as he continued past her and onto the porch.

Eli stepped out of the living room and looked over at where she stood in the doorway. "Hello Sunny," he greeted.

"Hello Eli," she returned softly.

"Are you done avoiding me?" He smiled as he teased her.

"No," she couldn't help but smile back, watching as he walked towards her then walking with her onto the porch where Mason stood; watching the drama that was unfolding in front of him as luggage and people were disembarked in a haphazard manner.

They all watched for a moment before Eli took his chance and pulled Rhea towards him, stealing a kiss when she caught her off balance. The kiss automatically deepened even though she should be pulling away from him.

"Is this your girl Elias?" a lovely older woman with snow white hair and bright blue eyes asked. She had led the way down the path towards the house, carrying only herself.

"Yes Ms. Elizabeth, it is," he said not letting go of Rhea as he held her close.

"Good, it's past time that you found her." She turned to her son and patted his cheek. "Where's Cassie, go help your brothers with the luggage."

Cassie came rushing down the stairs and right into Elizabeth's arms. "How have you been dear?" she asked as hugged her tight in greeting.

"No, it's fine mother, I didn't want a hug, I'll just go get your luggage," Mason groused under his breath like a jealous teenager as he turned to join his siblings at the dock.

"Mason," Elizabeth said, her blue eyes full of amusement. "I missed you."

Mason turned bright red as he realized that she had heard what he had said. "I missed you too, Mom."

"Oh, Elias, we met your manager on the ferry, Ox Blood, or something strange like that, she had your ex-wife with her." Elizabeth threw the information out as if it was a common occurrence, but those that knew her knew that she didn't care for Onyx because Elizabeth never forgot a name.

Eli held Rhea closer, despite her attempt to wiggle free, as his eyes met Mason's over the top of Rhea's head. "You keep wiggling and your going to give me ideas," Eli whispered into her ear as Mason headed down the steps towards the boat with Cassie on his heels.

"Don't worry my dears, we're here, we'll help in any way we can," Elizabeth said as she watched Rhea wiggle to be free once more. "Elias, why don't you go and meet your manager, I'll have Rhea show me around."

And with that Elizabeth took charge, in a motherly fashion, of all of those around her; Rhea included. Rhea felt a moment of guilt as he wished that her own mother was a little more like her. It was a nice change to have someone else worrying about who was where and what was what.

After giving Elizabeth a tour, where Rhea was introduced to Mason's family as Elizabeth told them which rooms she wanted them in, she retreated back to her beloved kitchen where she started to prep dinner, but she wasn't there long before she was joined by Otto and Phoebe, who had also happened to be on the ferry. They were both starving and hunting for a snack.

"Look at this Rhea!" We're saved!" Phoebe put the local Savannah newspaper in front of her and the headline was, 'Hollywood Descends On Savannah This Holiday Season', Rhea picked up the paper and started to read, it was all about what was going on in their little community outside of Savannah. The article mentioned their inn and then went on to say that Mason Stevens and his wife, Cassandra, not to mention his entire family which included, world renowned journalist Rainer Stevens, famous photographer Davis Stevens and his lovely new wife supermodel Laura Wren, one of the richest contractors in the U.S. Brian Alexander and his wife Lizzy Alexander, local celebrity made good Grace Stevens and her husband the Earl of Pennington Bryce Stevens, and their very famous mother actress Elizabeth Stevens. There was so much fame in one family it was a little unreal. Of course, that wasn't all of the Stevens, there was still Quinn and his wife Dana and the youngest son, Caleb, but none of them were mentioned. The story was finished off by stating that Elias Emory as well as his ex-wife Victoria Hewitt were on the island as well and there was romance in the air, would there be a happy holiday reunion?

The whole thing made Rhea a little sick to her stomach and she threw the paper on the island as she turned back to quickly flip the ham and cheese melts that she was making for Otto and Phoebe, knowing that the story had to be a plant by either Victoria or Onyx.

Phoebe was right however; their reservations would go through the roof as soon as everyone left. Everyone would want to stay where the rich and famous did.

"There's a girl in my room!" Aion accused from the staircase.

"Yes love, that's Fiona and she's here for Thanksgiving." Fiona was a little blond hair blue eyed angel that looked like the best of both of her parents, Quinn and Dana Stevens. They had been put in Aion's room in hopes that all of his toys would make Finoa feel more at home.

"She's a girl!" he insisted again.

"Go outside and play, then you won't have to worry about it Aion." Phoebe suggested and Aion muttered something under his breath as he stomped out the door.

"That attitude will change soon enough," the youngest Stevens, Caleb, said as he entered the kitchen. "I'll think I'll go commiserate with him, girls are nothing but trouble." He winked at them and Rhea watched Phoebe melt a little before she jumped up from her chair.

"I'll come with you, just in case," she offered, not really giving Caleb a chance to decline, but he didn't seem to want to as he grinned at her. He looked so much like Mason it was obvious that they were brothers.

Rhea looked back at the sandwichs and sighed. "I hope your hungry Otto, I now have two sandwiches." She pulled them both from the pan and laid them in front of Otto who dug in without needing further encouragement.

"It's a nightmare at the dock already, there are tourists everywhere," he informed Rhea in between bites.

"I've hired you some security for both the ferry and the restaurant," Eli said as he entered the kitchen, he looked less than pleased about something.

"Why is that witch here?" Mason hissed as he entered right behind Eli.

Eli rubbed his face and shook his head. "My big mouth."

They both waited for Eli to say more but when he didn't Mason dragged him into one of the servant's rooms and out of Otto and Rhea's earshot.

*******

"She says that she has a small part in the movie Cassie and I are filming and that she wanted the chance to catch up with you." Mason looked at Eli and when he remained silent he prodded him again. "Has she caught up with you?"

"Yes," Eli said.

Mason stared at him, waiting for a response.

Eli sighed as he leaned against the wall behind him. "She wants us to reunite. She is insisting that she misses me and she made a huge mistake in letting me go-"

"She did, her career tanked when she left you for the drummer in your band and she's hoping that a reunion will magically return everything to what it once was. I hope you told her no." Mason stared hard at his friend.

"Of course I did, but she knows about Sunny, she's claiming that we really did have an affair all those years ago and that if I don't do this she will drag both our names through the mud."

Eli wanted to shout in frustration, it was exactly like what had happened six years ago, and when Rhea found out, what little headway he had made would be lost. His plan had been to give her some space, let her get used to the idea of him knowing that she and her family were broke and that he didn't think she was using him.

Mason started pacing and after a few minutes he let loose with a few well-chosen words. "Ox Blood!"

Eli knew exactly what he was talking about and nodded. "Yes, she heard me call Rhea Sunny and she figured out that she worked for me and Victoria six years ago, she hoping to scare Sunny away."

Mason started to pace again. "Well, giving into her is not an option."

There was a knock on the door and Cassie stuck her head around it. "What's going on?" she asked entering and closing the door behind her, shortly after she entered there was another knock on the door and Elizabeth joined them.

Mason sighed and sat heavily on the bed.

"Mason?" Elizabeth asked.

Mason caved and started to fill them in on what had happened. Eli was silent lost in the impossibility of the situation. He didn't want Rhea pulled into the media storm that would happen when he denied her, and he knew Rhea didn't want to cause him any trouble so she would deny him what he wanted to save him.

"And certainly, none of it is true," Elizabeth said, nodding her head. "How did Victoria figure out that Rhea was Sunny? I'm guessing that this is new information to her otherwise she would have used it against you years earlier."

"I was upset the other day and let it slip, Onyx was there..."

"The only problem is Sunny doesn't know she's Sunny, she had no idea that Eli has been playing a song for her at the end of every concert for the last five years in hopes that she would be there to hear it." Cassie supplied on a sigh.

"I was hoping we could use that to our advantage," Mason frowned trying to figure out how they could ramp up the pace.

Elizabeth stuck her head out of the door. "Rhea dear, would you go find Rainer, I think he was in in the living room playing chess with his father. I need to speak to him."

Rhea nodded wondering what was happening but she was a little intimidated by Elizabeth so she did as she was asked. When she and Rainer returned, he was pulled into the room and the door was promptly shut, with an excuse that there was no room and they would fill her in later.

Realizing that the less she knew the better off she was, she started on the dinner, lost in a dream world where she and Eli lived happily ever after and all of their problems disappeared.

***HELLO ALL,

I'LL PROBABLY BE AWAY TOMORROW NIGHT BUT I HOPE TO BE BACK WITH AN UPDATE ON SUNDAY.

SARAH-