Rhea couldn't help but look behind her as the truck left the church the following morning. It had been a magical night. There were no worries or even a tomorrow for either of them. They were with each other and it was just as wonderful as it had been five years earlier. When it was just the two of them it was as if the world stood still.

But now, as the truck drove slowly down the dirt road in the early morning sunlight, Rhea realized that the evening was over and the real world was about to take over again. When she saw a car waiting for them at the gate to the property her heart sunk. Her gut told her she had been correct the night before when she had had the feeling that things were about to get much worse.

Otto was leaning against the car with his ball cap pulled low. She felt Eli tense beside her and she knew that something in the plan had changed.

"What is it Eli?" she asked as he stopped far enough back for the gate to swing open.

"Probably nothing," he said but his expression said otherwise as he pulled the truck up next to Otto and the car. "What's changed, Mason was supposed to be here?"

"It wasn't possible," Otto waited as Eli jumped out of the truck slamming the door behind him. Rhea was close on his heels. There was no way she was going to let them keep anything from her. She had agreed to marry Eli so anything that had to do with him was now officially her business, the thought still made her a bit giddy.

"The news broke last night." Otto reached behind him and through the window of the car, pulling out a newspaper. "It hit all of the major websites before midnight and was on the coverpage of every daily tabloid this morning."

Eli reached for the paper and a picture of him and Victoria on the day of their divorce was front and center. The headline read, 'Reconciliation on the Rocks', there was a small photo of Rhea on the top corner of the main photo, it was a horrible photo of her carrying the trash to the dumpster at the restaurant.

"She went to the press with her story after all," Rhea said as she slumped against the car.

"When Lola and I read about it last night we wanted to rush back but we called Mason first. He said that when Victoria found out about the two of you taking off together she made a phone call on the main line, this story broke shortly afterwards. One of the guys from the band called to talk to you and Mason fielded the call."

Eli was nodding as he read the story and there were a few minutes of silence as he continued to read.

"It's exactly the same, word for word, as what she said to Sunny in the kitchen yesterday."

"How do you know about that?" Rhea asked, unable to hide her shock.

Eli waved to Otto and Rhea watched as he pulled out his phone and played the conversation back.

"Otto!" Rhea said, her eyes wide in surprise. She wasn't sure if she should be glad or not.

He shrugged. "I didn't trust her and you didn't ask me to stay."

"She still didn't mention Sunny so we're still in play." Eli said as he finished reading.

Otto nodded and Rhea was lost.

"Eli, my picture is right there next to yours, how did she not mention me?" Rhea asked exasperated.

They both ignored her as Otto continued. "Mason didn't want to come, he knew that the press would be thick on the dock and would follow him so they sent me here directly from Savannah instead."

Eli nodded again as he threw the paper back through the window of the car.

"I won't return to the island today, it will cause too much attention."

"Eli, its Thanksgiving!" Rhea objected.

He smiled at her and tucked some hair behind her ear. "What's one more holiday missed? I'll stay in town and return tomorrow."

"Then I'll go with you." Rhea insisted.

"No, I'll come with the camera crew tomorrow. It will remind everyone that this is a working holiday for me. Otto will take you home." He turned to Otto. "You're the first to know, Rhea has agreed to marry me."

"Eli!" she hissed, unaware that they were going to tell anyone.

"The more people I tell the less likely you are to try and back out." He dropped a quick kiss on her lips as he turned towards a smiling Otto.

"Congratulations, I hope I'll be invited to the wedding," he patted Eli on the back.

"Of course, but first we have to make sure a few things are resolved." He threw Otto his keys and Otto took the hint as he walked over to the truck and climbed in closing the door behind him.

"Why is a camera crew coming tomorrow?" Rhea asked as Eli took her in his arms.

"I think it was Mason's idea, one of the major networks is shooting a Christmas special and Mason, Cassandra and I have agreed to be in it. Its last minute, but your mother knew about it."

"I'm sure she did!" Rhea was angry about being left out of the loop. "What else aren't you telling me Eli? I know there's more."

He kissed her. "It's a surprise and if you trust me, you'll let it remain one."

"That's not fair!"

"Nothing is fair in love and war, haven't you heard?"

Rhea stomped off towards the truck in response, wrenching open the door, and when Eli didn't follow she turned around and glowered at him. "Well, aren't you going to kiss me goodbye?"

He grinned as he charged towards her taking her face in his hands and kissing her hard. "Be careful, Sunny. The press won't be nice, they'll try to make you mad on purpose."

"Don't worry, I'll be thinking about you and last night," she agreed softy and Otto cleared his throat behind her, reminding them that he was there.

Eli nodded and waited while she climbed into the truck, closing the door behind her then walking over to the car. The truck followed the car down the dirt road and when they got to the highway, Eli turned one way and they turned the other. Rhea watched his car in the side mirror until it was out of sight.

"How bad is it Otto?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, I came straight here with the car. I didn't want to take the chance of being followed."

"That means that Victoria is still at the house?" Rhea was not looking forward to seeing her again. She was hoping that she would hold it together when she did.

"Unless she is a really good swimmer then she is still at the house," he laughed as he had a thought. "I bet the Stevens are making her miserable."

"But in a classy way," Rhea agreed unable to stop the small smile that lifted her lips. It didn't last long as she thought about what would happen when she saw the woman again.

They were both silent during the short trip and when they pulled up at the marina, Otto threw her a hat. "You might want to wear this, wait here, I'll check in at the office first to make sure there is no one else cleared to go that way. I'll come get you on the way to the boat."

Rhea nodded and sunk further into her seat while pushing her hair up under her hat. They were parked around the corner from the dock so she had no clue how bad the press was.

Her thoughts wandered to the night before and how wonderful it had been before they circled back to the current predicament. She loved Eli and she had agreed to marry him but she still had her doubts, not that he loved her, she was sure of that, but that their relationship would last with such a rocky start. She let loose with a long sigh, she knew she would have to leave him if it meant saving him and her family from a scandal. That she couldn't let happen. It would ruin Eli and it would ruin her family, and it looked as if that was way the current situation was going.

Her door was opened and she jumped, Otto was holding out his hand. "Let's go, there are a few people headed over with us that were cleared by Mason, they're the decorating team. I'm going to pick them up for their return journey on the afternoon ferry and that gives them limited time so they're eager to get going."

Rhea jumped down, keeping her hand in his as he pulled her around the building and through the mob that was waiting. She kept her head down and it took a few moments until some one recognized her. When that happened all hell broke loose and Otto pulled her in front of him and pushed her though the crowd and she all but fell on the boat. All she could see were spots from all of the camera flashes.

"How could you do it? Why did you do it? Are you and Eli happy? What will you do when he leaves you like he did Victoria?" The questions came fast and furious and as soon as she heard one she heard another.

She reached for the rope keeping her head down and helped Otto cast off as usual, determined to help even when he tried to push her away. There was no way she was going to change her habits.

When they were on their way Rhea settled down next to Otto and looked at the other passengers on the boat. They were all looking at her as if she was scum, as if she disgusted them. She met their eyes squarely until they were the ones to look away first. She had nothing to be ashamed of, she and Eli had done nothing wrong.

The journey across the water was way to short for Rhea and when they arrived she helped docked the boat as well. When she finally looked up she looked directly into Victoria Hewitt's eyes. They stared at each other, neither saying a word, and when she pushed past Rhea she almost knocked her down.

Rhea helped the others off, helping Otto by passing the boxes and bags that the decorators had brought up to Mason, Davis, and Quinn, who were waiting to receive them.

"I hope you enjoyed your stay with us Ms. Hewitt." Rhea said as Otto started the boat.

Victoria grabbed her arm and her face looked ugly as she snarled at Rhea, "This isn't over!"

"Have a safe journey home." Rhea said as she pulled her arm away and took Mason's hand. He pulled her up and out of the boat wrapping his arms around her, knowing she needed a hug. Not allowing her to look back at Victoria as he started to walk her up the path towards the house.

The porch was full of Stevens, waiting to absorb her with their unending support. Her mother and sister were there as well, and as soon as she stepped into the house she was hustled one way and the decorators were hustled another.

She was kept busy the rest of the day and Eli wasn't mentioned once as Thanksgiving dinner went off without a hitch. Otto had brought her father on the last ferry but refused to return and eat dinner with them. He said that he was joining Lola and Rhea was glad. It meant that one good thing was happening among all the horrible drama that was surrounding them.