“What do you think?” he asked.
She didn’t have to say a word. Her disdain would have filled ten sports stadiums to overflowing.
“I think I’m ready to leave now.” A honey bee buzzed around her head and she swatted at it viciously.
“What? Already? I haven’t even shown you the cabin.” Cam softened his exuberant attitude, hoping she only teased him.
It took a fraction of a second to realize she was serious. Anger filled her gaze when she said, “In no uncertain terms will I ever live out in the wilderness with a bunch of wild animals, slimy reptiles or a million bugs swarming around trying to sting me, not even if you were the richest man on the planet.”
Cam kept waiting for a smile that never came. “What are you saying? You’re only looking for a rich man?”
Cam was not, nor would he ever be, considered wealthy. Well, he was rich in friendship, rich in family, rich in siblings and rich in his love for living on Earth. If he married Shelly, he’d have to give all that up to move with her to Alpha-Prime. He’d warred long and hard with himself over his decision to give up everything for the woman he loved.
“That’s right. But you aren’t rich, are you, Cam?” she’d asked with a sneer. “Not even close.” She pushed out a weary sigh, as if she hated being forced to have a long-overdue conversation.
“Why are you with me if you’re looking for a wealthy guy?” he’d asked, still not fully cognizant of her ultimate declaration.
“Good question.”
“What doesthatmean? I thought you loved me. I thought you loved spending time together.”
She shrugged. “I’ve come to realize thatifwe stay together you’ll never be able to give me the kind of luxury I desire. Certainly not as a grease monkey at a truck stop in South Arkansas, I imagine. You’d have to do much better than the job you currently hold. But you like working with your insanely large family at that low-rent truck stop, don’t you?” The question sounded more like an accusation.
Cam was still stuck on,“If we stay together.” That had been the first of several canary-keeling-over-in-the-coal-mine moments regarding their relationship and how blind he’d been to the truth. Her attitude also brought the first inkling of panic and made Cam wish he hadn’t brought her to this beautiful place. She wasn’t worthy.
Watching Shelly morph from the sweet yet determined young woman he thought he loved into the shrill, unkind, mean-spirited soul he didn’t recognize had been a harsh lesson. It only got worse.
“Are you joking?” Cam said. “I love this place. I love my insanely large family. And I especially love my job, which is not grease monkey, by the way. Please tell me you’re joking, because your whole spoiled-rotten brat approach is not funny or appreciated.”
“No. I’m not joking, Cam. I’m not trying to be funny.” Shelly crossed her arms in a stubborn move he should have seen coming from a mile away. “I want a different kind of life than the one I’ve been raised in. It wasn’t bad, but I want to live better. I want to have more money than I need always at my disposal. You don’t even take me out to dinner anymore.”
Cam had spent everything he had keeping her entertained. He was broke. If he kept it up, he’d have to take out a bank loan. Yes, he had enjoyed the fancy dinners, but he never thought she wanted to live like thatallthe time.
She hadn’t wanted to come out to his property. She hadn’t wanted to learn what surprise he had for her. She hadn’t given him the chance to ask his important question before she pooh-poohed not only the land, but also his job and, of course, him.
He was a fool to bring another woman he cared about here. Showing her the land was like showing her his soul.
Cam looked at Ria, waiting for him in the SUV. A faint smile parted her lips as she took in the nature around them. She seemed captivated. Well, she would be. This place was nothing like their desert-dry homeworld. As far as he was concerned, it was paradise.
If he’d married Shelly, an earthling, he would have had to give this place up. If he married an Alpha, like Ria, he wouldn’t have to give anything up to be with her.
Was he going to try again?
Ria wasnotShelly. What he’d felt for the earthling was nothing compared to what he felt for his rebellious Alpha with blue-streaked hair.
He tried not to think about the fact that this joyful journey together on Earth would come to an end in a mere two days. How could he live without Ria? What crazy plan was he willing to instigate in order to keep her here with him?
Any plan, crazy or not, that keeps us together.
He wanted to show her what was important to him. He wanted to show her the land he’d spent the better part of two years since his break with Shelly doing his best to save the money to buy.
Today was an important day, a pivotal day in deciding if they had a chance of making it over the long haul. Today he was showing her the land he loved. The land he’d been prepared to give up for someone who ended up not being worthy.
Only one thing cracked Cam’s certainty that Ria had nothing in common with Shelly—wealth. Ria had been raised with it and Shelly wanted more of it.
He guessed when it came right down to it, today was a test. Only Ria had no idea.
Cam needed the answer before he could move forward with any plan to try and break up her arranged marriage and keep her with him forever. He had an idea of how to get that answer, but it was not very honorable.
