AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I tell them the part that wrecked me. Forcing me to let her go because I was too late. I never stood a chance with what they did. I had nothing to offer her. I was barely graduating from high school, but Lane was older than me and was already well-off. He could do for her what I couldn’t.
“She fell in love with him and ended up getting married and having a child.” I point at my parents with their checks in hand, with both of their mouths agape. “You took her from me. Now, I’m going to take something from you. I want you to feel what it’s like for someone to take something you love the most.”
“You can’t be serious, Kalum,” my father says in disbelief. “We are your parents.”
“And she was the love of my life. You wanted me to be the CEO… I’m the CEO, but on my terms, not yours.”
“You have to get over it, son. She married Lane Turner.”
“Because of you!” I roar. I wipe my face. “Now you know why I can’t stand to look at either of you. You kicked her out like she was nothing because she didn’t have the right last name. You are no different than her late husband’s parents, but thereis something none of you counted on, and that was how much I cared for her. Now… you all understand.”
I look up at the screen. “Thank you all for attending.”
“Yes, sir,” they all say in unison.
“For the record, sir,” Timothy says, leaning forward on his camera. “You have all of our support.”
45
The sun finishes setting in the horizon as I look at the ocean behind the house. It is getting cooler, but I need to make peace. When Lane died, his request was for his ashes to be spread out at sea. He said it was a way I could talk to him from anywhere I was. He didn’t want to be buried in a cemetery. He said he wanted to be free.
I feel guilty about my feelings for Kalum and my love for Lane. The waves pound against the shoreline like a calling. Like he’s listening. He said I was the lightning to his tidal wave, but all I hear is the storm of the sea.
“I have to let you go,” I whisper. “I will always love you, Lane. I will never forget you and promise to take care of our son with everything that I am, but I love him. I think you knew I always did and always will. It doesn’t mean I have to choose. I just… wanted you to know.”
I talk to the wind, to the sea, and hope wherever he is, that he listens. That he understands my bleeding heart. I walk to the edge of the shore and touch the cool water from the sea. When I turn around, I find Camila standing a few feet away with a blanket in her arms.
“He will understand, my love,” Camila says softly.
“I hope so.”
She knows me well enough. She knows what I’m doing out here.
“You’re in love with him all over again, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but he doesn’t love me. He’s never said it, and I don’t expect him to. I’m not good enough, just like I was never good enough for Lane.”
“Oh, honey,” she says, walking up to me. “That is not true. The problem is… you are too good for any of them. You must believe that.”
Tears spring from my eyes. “I try to do the right thing, but it comes at a price. I can’t keep paying that price because I’m losing myself, Camila. I can’t stay here.”
She wraps the blanket around my shoulders. “If that is how you feel, then go, but I’m coming with you. It is what your mother would have wanted. I promised that if anything happened to her, I would look after you. I am not leaving you and LJ. I will help you with him. You are not alone, Aura. I have faith in Kalum, but I understand. You cannot force someone to love you.”
“Are you ready?” Dex says as I grab my helmet and look at Lane’s GT-R.
“I hope so. Are you sure I can do this, Dex?”
“He showed you how to drive the thing. He wanted you to be the only one to drive it besides LJ. I can’t go against what he wanted. They want you to speak on behalf of Turner Automotive before you take it to the track to clock how fast zero to sixty and the quarter mile.”
NASCAR tried to recruit Lane, but he wasn’t interested. He loved Japanese imports and modifying them. Major manufacturers took notice and offered Lane millions for his built engines and how he tuned the vehicles. Anyone can make a car go fast, but can the car withstand the test of time without having issues? That is what Lane did. He built flawless engines, and every street racer enthusiast wanted their car built by Lane Turner.
“You got my music, Dex?”
“It’s up on the speaker on the track, Aura. The media are televising this on the air.”
I take a deep breath.I’m doing this for Lane,I tell myself.
I walk up to the podium, squinting at the flash from the cameras. I’m nervous that Lane’s parents are here. They’re not happy with the amount of attention I’m getting driving Lane’s car on the track.
