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I took a quick pee and brushed my hair, which had blown in the wind as we drove along the coastal highway with the windows open. I had enjoyed the trip to see Luke's catamaran. It was really exciting to imagine what it would be like when it was complete and he went sailing, visiting any number of exotic tropical spots in the Pacific.
What an amazing future Luke had planned.
It struck me how much freedom he'd have to do whatever he wanted from now on. He was so lucky…
I went back down the stairs to the great room and saw Luke standing close with a woman, her hand on his arm. It took me a second but I recognized her from the google search Candace and I had done before I agreed to meet him. It was Jenna — his ex-fiancée.
She was beautiful. Dark hair, dark eyes, fit lean body.
She was everything I wasn't, in other words.
She reached up and touched his cheek, then brushed hair out of his eyes in a gesture that was so tender and intimate, it made my heart skip a beat.
At that moment, I
had an epiphany.
I was getting too close to Luke. I was enjoying him far too much. I was imagining being with him on his boat, sailing to exotic locations and waking up with him beside me. I had this ridiculous fantasy in the back of my mind that he'd fall in love with me and realize he wanted to be married and have a family after all. That his broken heart had healed and he now wanted a real life with a real family.
That staying on Earth – with me – was what he really wanted after all.
What a fool.
Seeing Luke with Jenna made my throat choke up and a surge of regret flow through me.
What the heck was I doing at his beach house with him? What was I doing actually having sex with him when there was no way that he and I would get together?
First, he didn’t want to get married.
Second, he was from a wealthy family and was going to be one of the richest men under thirty in the world.
Third, I could tell by the way he was looking at Jenna that he was probably still in love with her. His expression was intense, and he was looking in her eyes the way I wanted him to look in mine.
I went back up to the bedroom and quickly packed my bag, deciding then and there I had to leave.
On my way out, I ran into Mrs. Marshall, who was just coming up the stairs.
"Oh, Alana, there you are," she said and stopped when she saw me with my bag in my hand. "You're leaving?"
"I am," I said and tried to go past her, not wanting to talk. "And my name's not Alana."
"You know he's still in love with her," she said as I passed her and took the stairs. "He doesn't want to admit it, but he is. A mother knows these things."
"Whatever," I said and ran down the stairs.
"It's better for everyone," she said, following me down. "He's on his way to big things. You're not quite in our," she said and hesitated like she was searching for the right word. "Circle of friends and acquaintances."
"What?" I said and turned back, frowning.
"You know what I mean. It's best that you two stop seeing each other."
I didn't know what to say so I just left, taking the front door and practically running down the driveway in hopes that Luke didn't see me and try to stop me.
I grabbed my cell and called a local taxi service, requesting a car to take me back to Manhattan. I'd walk a few blocks down the road and meet the taxi there rather than in front of the house in case Luke came to look for me.
I'd text Luke afterwards, when I'd calmed down, and tell him it was a great night but that I had to look after myself. I couldn't be pretending to be his girlfriend anymore. He'd have to tell everyone the truth – that he didn't want a girlfriend or wife. That he was planning on leaving Earth one day and there would be no family for him.
No heirs. No dynasty to carry on.
