“Hey Albert,” I said, “Give this to Luca when he returns.”
He nodded and took the envelope from me. Inside the envelope was a letter I wrote explaining how I was okay and not to find me. My last call was to deactivate my phone. Taking a deep breath, I drive off, heading toward Arizona. Waiting for me, there was a home I purchased within a newly built community in a small town. 26 hours later, I was driving up to my new place to start a new life. My mother must be worried sick. My sisters are probably nagging Luca to find me. And Luca himself, I’m sure he is livid.
The air here was different and something I had to get used to. I spent two weeks adjusting before I started getting homesick. I started job searching and got an interview scheduled for this little business. It went well, and I was proud of getting something without using the name DeCarlo.
Walking into a coffee shop, I wait in line to order my drink.
“Bethany?” a man’s voice said.
The sound of my name stunned me. I was semi-adjusting to people calling me by my new name, but to hear my real name called was a mind twist. Choosing to ignore it, I didn’t move.
“Bethany, is that you?”
I could see from the corner of my eye that the person was approaching me. Sweat started forming on my forehead, and I was ready to run out of there.
“It’s me, Nate Reilly.”
I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. Without having much of a choice, I turn to face him.
“Hey! Nate, what are you doing here?”
“Business trip,” he smiled. “What are you doing here?”
“Vacation,” I lied.
“Nate,” a woman came over and placed her arm around his.
It was Veronica Merrill. By the look of them, it seemed like they were together. Was Aria aware of this or do people from California just enjoy sleeping with multiple people openly?
“Veronica, this is Bethany DeCarlo. Bethany, this is my colleague, Veronica Merrill.”
“Yes, I know Bethany,” Veronica smiled. “I’ve done work for Luca DeCarlo. That is her brother.”
Nate looked uncomfortable.
“Look, I need to run. Hope you enjoyed your coffee!” I sprinted out of there, and my heart raced as I headed home.
My cover was blown. I knew it’d be a matter of time before my brother sent someone to get me, so I knew I needed to get out of there fast. It was disappointing that I barely got to live here, and now I needed to think of somewhere else. Walking into my house, I throw my keys down and reach for my laptop.
“Why Arizona?” Emilio’s voice behind me made me scream in fear.
“Why not?” I shot back as I turned to face him, breathing heavily from the shock.
As soon as I saw his face, my heart felt like it was being ripped apart again. He looked upset as he stood there looking at me. I wouldn’t ask how he found me before Veronica could mention anything. I’m sure I did something to flag them where I was.
“Do you know how I needed to talk your brother off the ledge from him coming here himself to drag you back home? He let this carry out longer than he wanted, thinking you’d come to your senses and return.”
I gulp, “I don’t want to go home.”
“You don’t have much of a choice.”
Tears built up in my eyes and started streaming down my face. At this point, what did I have to lose? I pour my heart out at one final attempt to win him over. “If I can’t be with you, then I can’t be around you.”
“I’m not the kind of person you want to be with. There’s someone out there better. Made just for you.”
“It’s always, ‘You’ll find someone better.’ That there’s this ‘so good the rest don’t matter’ type of love.”
Emilio furrowed his brows, “You deserve a real love, Bethany.”
