The next morning Rhea took her walk on the beach as usual and when she heard the ferry's horn she rushed towards the dock. She knew Eli was on board and she wanted to be near him because she felt as if their time was running out. Now that she had given herself permission to call him hers, she only wanted to be with him for as long as she could and it felt like more than twenty-four hours since she had seen him last.

He was helping Otto dock the boat and he barely had time to drop the rope in order to catch her as she hurled herself towards him. He did catch her and he give her a long kiss before he held her away from him with a grin. "I missed you too!" he greeted, then he pulled her close to him once more.

He saw Mason approaching him with a smile and he jumped out to greet his friend with a hug and a back slap.

"How is everything?" Mason asked. The question was seemingly innocent and Rhea seemed oblivious that there was more to it than a simple question as Eli surreptitiously passed off the latest paper to Mason before turning to help Rhea out of the boat.

Rainer joined them greeting the camera crew who had watched the scene with interested gazes. He and Eli started to help them unload as Mason tucked the paper out of sight before Rhea noticed it. They were so close to having everything the way they wanted it, it would be a shame to lose the momentum because of one tabloid story.

"How does the place look?" Eli asked. "I hope the decorating team was worth it." There was an edge to his voice that both Mason and Rhea caught.

Rhea looked at him and he forced a smile. "What's for breakfast, I'm starved. How about you Otto?"

"Sure am!" he agreed.

"Oh, I'll go get it started!" Rhea smiled kissing Eli once more before she started up the path towards the house. Her simple and easy kiss reminding him of how close he was to having his dreams come true.

Rainer and Otto led the camera crew towards the house, leaving Eli alone with Mason.

Once they were alone Mason reached into his back pocket and pulled out the paper looking at the headlines.

It was a photo of Rhea and Victoria passing on the boat, the headline read, 'The Battle of the Stars, Who Will He Choose?'

It was the most fictitious lines of slander he had ever read. The story recounted the two women passing and saying things that were never said, most of it about Eli.

"It could only have been taken by one of the decorating crew," Eli said as he watched his friends face grow angry.

"I'll take care of it," Mason assured him. "All that Sunny said by the way was, 'I hope you enjoyed your stay' and 'Have a safe journey'.

Eli smiled. "She wouldn't say anything else."

"How did it go in town?"

"Fine, I took care of some business. I don't suppose you could recommend a new agent?"

"Sure, and I know just the lawyer to look over the contract before you sign it, as well as help you out of your current contract."

"It's all about who you know."

"Did you get the benefit concert set-up?"

"Yes, your friend Dr. Evers was most agreeable to us helping the children's wing at the local hospital. His wife Penny and his sister Reagan were very eager to help and are getting things rolling as we speak. I told them Lizzy and Grace would join them on Sunday and with the four of them a week to set it all up should be no problem."

"For anyone else it would be." Mason laughed as he and Eli started to walk towards the house.

"How do you think she's going to take the news when she finds out that she is Sunny?" Mason asked as he looked down at the newspaper in his hand.

Eli shook his head. "I stopped trying to guess what Sunny was thinking a long time ago. As long as she doesn't see that," Eli pointed to the paper, "we should be O.K."

"Then why did you bring it?"

"One of the camera men had it when I got on the boat. I had to read it on the way over." I figured it was safer in our hands then his." He shrugged. "I need to talk to Rainer. Will you tell Sunny, I'll see her later?"

Mason nodded as they parted ways. It was going to be a long day and he hoped it ended well.

*******

Rhea watched from the hall with everyone else. The living room was filled with so many lights and cameras she was surprised they hadn't thrown a breaker. The room did look lovely, there was a massive Christmas tree and a roaring fire. It looked like Christmas even though it was still a month away.

Mason, Cassie, and Eli were all dressed in evening dress and they looked every inch the stars that they were.

Mason and Cassie sung the classic, 'Baby It's Cold Outside', and Rhea had never realized what a romantic and sexy song it was until she watched the two of them perform it. Eli played the piano for them and their voices blended perfectly as they enacted the song. They only had to do a few takes before they had it.

Rhea had prepared lunch and it was a short one. As soon as they had eaten it was Eli's turn and he sung, 'What Are You Doing New Year's Eve,' and as usual Rhea felt her knees go a little weak as his deep voice caressed the lyrics.

It amazed, her as she watched him sing, that he was hers. He was handsome, talented, and he wanted her. It was thrilling and scary at the same time. Most of the time she wasn't so overwhelmed by it, but when he sang it reminded her of who he was in the real world. He was a man that was adored by millions of people.

They did two takes for Eli even though they only needed one, and when he was finished they took another break. Rhea watched surprised as Rainer stepped into the room and started directing where he wanted everything to go.

"What's going on now?" Rhea asked Elizabeth, who was standing behind her watching her son take charge.

"Eli promised Rainer an interview."

"Why?"

"I think to clear up some misconceptions." Elizabeth said as she patted her shoulder and headed towards the kitchen as Mason and Cassie joined Rhea.

"How did you like Eli's song?" Mason teased.

"You know I liked it Mason, I liked yours and Cassie's too, you two were made for each other." Rhea smiled at them as Mason threw his arm around Rhea's shoulders, "Our Sunny, always so positive."

"Am I?" she asked surprised at the thought, she hadn't felt positive in a very long time.

"Yes, you are. It's what makes us love you so much, that and your loyalty and kindness."

"I sound like a dog," Rhea shook her head.

"Perhaps, but there is a lost less hair left behind," Mason agreed and Rhea elbowed him in the gut as Cassie slapped him across the back of the head.

"No fair, two at once, I think I'm broken."

"Serves you right." Elizabeth said from the other end of the hall.

"I swear that woman has bionic ears! It was horrible as a child."

"I know, we cold never sneak girls into the house without getting caught." Caleb agreed as he shoved a piece of cake in his mouth while looking over their shoulders.

Mason agreed with a nod. "And if we did manage to get them in, getting them out was a whole other problem."

"What the hell kind of girls were you dating?" Cassie hissed.

"The fun kind." Caleb said, barely avoiding Cassie's swat as he darted down the hallway.

"But not the kind you marry," Mason soothed.

"So what, you used them and dumped them?" Cassie all but screeched.

"Uhhhh, I was teenager, they were teenagers?" Mason tried.

"Quiet!" Rainer called and the look of relief that passed over Mason's face was comical.

Rainer had placed Eli in front of the piano in an armchair and if one looked closely you could just see the water and moss-covered trees out of the window behind him.

"Eli, thank you for taking the time to sit down and talk with me." Rainer started the interview with some simple questions about his childhood and early musical training. Eli looked relaxed and handsome in his dress shirt and slacks that he had changed into during the break.

Then he started on the harder questions. Rainer asked him about his first marriage and what had gone wrong and Eli had been honest enough without making anyone out to be the bad guy, it was more than Victoria deserved and Cassie must have felt the same way as she muttered something similar behind her.

"Sunny?" Rainer asked. It was all he said and Rhea was confused as she looked up at Mason who was watching his friend carefully.

Eli nodded, not saying a word.

"It's a fact that you have been singing a song for the mysterious Sunny at every one of your concerts for over five years. Why?"

The house had fallen utterly silent and Rhea could hear her heart as it pounded in her ears as the meaning of the question registered. Everyone was listening. Everyone had known. Everyone but her. Suddenly, so much over the past few weeks made sense to her.

"I fell in love and never had the chance to tell her, I had hoped that she would come to a concert and hear the song and know."

"How would she know, is her name Sunny?"

"Sunny is her nickname, I sang the song once for her, to her."

"So, she would know it was for her that you were singing it?"

"Yes."

"And you've found her again? You realize that everyone has been asking who this mysterious Sunny is for over five years?"

Rhea felt light headed and she leaned against the doorjamb behind her. He had sung that song for five years, for her? He hadn't been lying when he said he had loved her and wanted her for five years. He hadn't given up hope that she would come to him, but she had given up hope that she could have him. What kind of person did that make her?

"I've found her, but I'm not sure if she'll keep me," Eli said, the words were humble and made every girl in the room give a soundless sigh.

"Why wouldn't she keep you?"

"Certain people are determined to make her out to be a villain by spreading lies and they're lies that are hurting both of us. Sunny got her nickname because she is that, she is bright and positive in everything she does. She is also unbelievably honest and would never intentionally hurt anyone, except perhaps herself."

"And you love her for it?"

"Yes, I love her for it, she is the love of my life, she is my muse, she holds my heart and soul in her hands."

"Will you sing the song for us now?" Rainer asked.

Eli nodded then rose and moved towards the piano. Rhea watched as his hands caressed the keys before he launched into the song that he had sung for her at the church that night, five years ago.

Rhea listened to it with tears streaming down her face. He had sung it for her for five years. He was telling everyone in the world that he loved her. She wanted to run to him but she couldn't, she was rooted to the spot.

As the song ended her legs started to work again and she turned to run away from the situation but Mason stopped her, holding her arms with his hands. She struggled to be free, she wanted to think, she needed to be alone and she didn't think it was too much to ask for, he allowed her to make her way down the hall and into the kitchen.

"You're going to run again, aren't you Rhea?" Mason asked softly.

"No, yes, I don't know. That's a lot to put on a person."

"It's not a lot if you love the person and the person returns that love. I know that Eli loves you, the question is do you love him?"

Rhea's eyes darted around, still looking for a way out of the situation. When she looked at the island she saw her photo staring back at her. She pulled it towards her and she heard Mason curse as she studied it. She quickly skimmed the article and closed her eyes as she finally realized the truth.

"I am scared Mason, and it is a lot to ask a person. I love Eli, I love him more than myself, and this is what scares me," she held up the paper, "I don't want to ruin his career, I don't want to ruin him. He says it doesn't matter, he claims that it's me he wants not a career, but if he lost it all, would he still want me? Is that a chance I'm willing to take?" She sobbed as threw the paper across the island at Mason.

"I know I'm weak, I have Elias Emory telling me that he wants me, that he loves me, but will he still want me when he has nothing but me left? This," she pushed the paper towards Mason, "took less than three days and now, because of me, because of this, Eli is in there bearing his soul to the world to try to convince me that he loves me."

"And who's fault is that?" Mason accused.

"Mine, that's my point. Me, I love him, I know he loves me, but I am already ruining his life."

"Not because you love him but because you refuse to let him love you. Just let him love you and it will all go away."

Rhea looked over her shoulder and noticed that everyone had followed them down the hall.

Eil stepped into the kitchen, his eyes meeting Rhea's scared gaze. "Otto will take you into town, I have a hotel room and a car at the dock-"

"Eli..." Rhea didn't know what to say.

Eli walked towards her, taking her arm and walking her out of the back door and down the back steps.

"My life is not ruined, and as long as you are in it, it never could be, but if you walk away again..." He walked with her towards the ferry, Otto darting in front of them.

"Take some time, none of us have given you that over the last few weeks and you're owed it. Try to figure out what you really want, but know that the interview will air no matter what you decide Rhea." He kissed her and she looked up at him as she struggled to make sense of her troubled thoughts.

"It's funny, I never thought that my fame would lose me the girl." He turned and walked back towards the house.