Five Years Earlier…
I was lying on the hood of Luke’s car, looking up at the night sky. Truly, he was my once-in-a-lifetime love. I knew it even then. They say you never know what you’ve got till it’s gone, but I knew. Young as I was, I knew.
I remember it so clearly, from the sweet aroma of honeysuckle wafting from the underbrush to the flaking blue paint on the hood of his car, which I had to brush off the back of my cut-offs when I got up. His class ring hung on a gold chain around my neck, its heaviness against my collarbone a constant and welcomed reminder that I was his and had been since we were kids.
Luke and I watched the glorious night sky intently as stars ascended and disappeared into the glow of daylight. I laid my head on his chest, and his arms encircled me. I closed my eyes and just listened to his heart, which seemed to pound just for me. I’d loved him right from the start, and that love only grew stronger with every passing day, with every beat of our hearts.
I couldn’t believe how fast the night flew as we talked about everything in our lives and in a future we hoped to share. Watching the sunrise was one of our favorite things to do. There wasn’t a lot to entertain us in such a small town as Indian Point, Missouri, but we both were quite captivated by all the beauty of nature. Stargazing, cuddling, and sleeping under the diamond-speckled velvet of night was number one on our list. We knew we didn’t have very many nights left, since Luke was heading off to Brooklyn Law School and I’d be hitting the Big Apple, to study photography at the New York Film Academy.
Still, for what it was worth and however long it would last, which I was sure would be forever, we shared a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love, the kind people only read about in Fabio-covered Harlequins or watch in sappy epic romance movies. Before I met that boy next door, my childhood sweetheart, I never would have fathomed that it was possible to love someone so much. Luke was my first love, and he’d stolen my heart. I wanted nothing more than to love him and hold him in my arms forever.
I pushed his dark, shaggy hair away from his blue eyes. “The world seems so perfect when you hold me in your arms.”
He softly kissed my lips. “You’re the one thing I’m most thankful for.”
Then, once again, we were exchanging deep, passionate, intense kisses, a dance of lips and mouths and tongues that seemed it would never end.
Suddenly, though, he pulled away, shocking me a bit. “JJ, I’ve been trying to tell you something all night, but I-I just haven’t been able to get the words out.”
“That’s silly, Luke. You know you can tell me anything, babe.”
“I know. It’s just so… It’s hard,” he said, closing his hand over mine and lacing our fingers together, a perfect fit. He sighed and blurted, “I think it’s time for Plan B.”
I snatched my hand away and looked at him suspiciously, arching my brow. “Plan B? What’s that?”
“Well, you know about my original plan, to go to college, then completely dominate the world, at least in the business realm.”
I smiled. “Yes, you almighty world-conqueror you. I am aware of your plot to take over the universe. Why?”
“Well, I think it’s about to, uh…fast track. See, my Uncle John—”
“Wait,” I said, holding up my hand to stop him. “You mean the distant uncle with the drinking problem?”
“No,” he answered, shaking his head. “You’re thinking of George. John’s the gambler, but he’s really, really good at it. As it turns out, he has a connection who can get me a job in the Trump organization.”
“Trump? You mean…as in The Apprentice? As in the richest guy ever, Mr. Comb-Over himself?”
“Well, I admit my uncle’s not the richest guy ever, but he’s a very skilled, wise investor who can teach me a lot. It’s like karma just came by and gave me a major boost.”
“So you’re moving to New York City? That’s great! I’ll be there too. But, uh…are you skipping out on college?”
“No. I’m gonna go, only on an alternate schedule. With some on-the-job training, I’ll earn independent study credits.”
“Hmm. Where does this leave us? You said something about fast-tracking. What now? I mean, we were going to get a place together after school and, uh…”
“Get married? I know. I’m not about to give that up, no matter what. I just have to put everything on hold so I can get my career in order. This will make things better for us down the road.”
I had tears in my eyes, tears he failed to see. Things between Luke and me didn’t end then, not officially, but for me, it was the last moment I held out any hope. “Wh-why, Luke? Why are you going this route?” I asked. “I mean, I understand about the opportunity, and I know plans can change, but why now?”
His lips pressed into a grim line. “I didn’t get accepted into law school, so New York’s not an option for me. I’m sorry, but I have to go to a different college.”
His words felt like a punch in the gut. “But the interview went so well, and the lady said you were practically accepted.”
“I know, but the official letter tells a different story. I even called to make sure it wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t.”
“Well, then I won’t go to New York City either.”
“You’ve got a paid scholarship, and I don’t expect you to give that up. I won’t let you, not for me. It’s your dream, and you have to go. If you don’t, you’ll never forgive yourself, and you’ll only grow to resent me for it. Neither of us wants to stay in this small town. How many times have we talked about breaking free? We both want bigger and better things, more than this place will ever have to offer.”