I switch on my laptop and watch the screen come to life, but my thoughts are far away, at Crystal Lake.

It had felt incredible to have lunch with Lance. When he’d extended the invitation to me, I thought my heart would crack open from too much excitement. Even though we haven’t talked much, I’ve never felt more comfortable talking to anyone the way I did with him. Although the food looked delicious, it tasted like cardboard because all I was interested in was watching his face, his perfect lips, the dimples on his cheeks when I brought a smile to his face. He’s such a handsome man, especially when he’s not so angry.

I know I need to back away, respect his wishes, but at the same time, things have become a little more complicated. Now that I’ve gotten a peek of the person he really is, the person he used to be years ago, I’m finding it hard to stay away. When he told me we couldn’t be friends, that we should end it there, something in his voice told me it wasn’t really what he wanted. The crack in the words were so faint, I bet he didn’t even notice they were there. But I did. My instinct tells me he enjoyed our time together as much as I did. Even though there were few and far between, his smiles couldn’t have been fake. They were real, as were his dimples. I watched him so closely that I noticed the tiny sparkle in his eyes from time to time when I said something that amused him. He felt just as comfortable around me.

My sister broke him, but what if I’m the only one who can piece him back together?

So, what now? There’s no way I can return to Crystal Lake again, show up unannounced. I doubt he’ll let me in this time. He certainly wouldn’t invite me for lunch. I don’t know what else I can do. I could respect his wishes and walk away, but something is holding me here in Cabo, even as my fearsome mind tells me to run before I get hurt. From what I’ve read and heard about him, the man hasn’t been involved with any woman since his accident, twelve years ago. What makes me think I’d be the one to talk him into falling in love again? I’m pretty sure the last woman he fell in love with was my sister. How could I compete with her?

How could I compete with so many women out there who are more confident, sexier, and smarter than I am? How could I compete with twelve years of pain? And yet, I don’t feel ready to disappear from his life, to never see him again. It was love at first sight when I met him in the coffee shop all those years ago. Spending time with him has shown me the feelings are still there.

No matter how I feel about him, I can’t stay in his home knowing he wants me gone. It doesn’t feel right, not anymore. It also doesn’t feel right for me to leave Mexico.

My throat thick with sobs, I surf the net for nearby accommodations. Most are ridiculously expensive, way out of my budget, and even though Bryant had offered to pay for my stay, it makes me uncomfortable to ask him for money. He’d wanted to transfer some to my account before he left Cabo, but I told him I’d notify him should I need something. I had no intention of doing that.

After an hour of searching, I find a small, reasonably priced, family-owned motel close to the beach, and only a few minutes from the LaClaire villa. There’s only one room free and I grab it immediately. I book the room for a week. That should give me enough time to see Cabo and see where things are going with Lance, if I ever get to see him again.

Once I booked my room, I called Bryant to tell him I’m moving out.

“Did things not go well with Lance?” he asks, disappointment evident in his voice.

After leaving Crystal Lake yesterday, I avoided Bryant’s calls. I didn’t have the heart to tell him Lance had sent me away. I did plan on calling him tonight before bed, though.

“Actually,” I lean back against the pillows. “Quite the opposite.”

“He talked to you?”

“He did.” I bite my lip. “He invited me to lunch in his room.”

“That doesn’t sound like him.”

“Well, I guess your brother is full of surprises.” I smile in spite of myself. “Anyway, we had lunch and talked a little. I thought maybe we could be friends. It would’ve been nice to have somebody here to talk to.” I shrug. “But after lunch, he made it clear he doesn’t want to be friends.”

“Alice, thanks for reaching out to him. I apologize on his behalf. Please understand that it’s the pain talking most of the time. The mood swings are unpredictable.”

“No need to apologize. It can’t be easy to be in his situation.” A heavy weight settles on my heart. “I’m moving out, Bryant. I appreciate your generosity, but I can’t stay here.”

“You don’t have to do that.” His voice is smooth, but insistent. “Lance won’t be home for days yet. Where will you go? You’re not thinking of flying back home, are you? Don’t let Lance ruin your time in Cabo.”

“I reserved a room in a motel not too far from here.”

“A motel?” Surprise raises his voice. “Please, let me pay for a stay in a nice hotel. It’s the least I can do for all the trouble you went to.”

“Your kindness means a lot, but it doesn’t feel right. Your family doesn’t owe me anything, not after what my sister did to both of you. You paid for my ticket and that’s more than enough.”

“Are you absolutely sure?”

“Completely. I’m moving out tonight. You have my phone number if you want to speak, but you should know I’ll not try to contact your brother again since he made it clear he doesn’t want me around.”

A lump rises in my throat at the thought of never seeing Lance again, but there is some comfort to being in the same town. I have no idea what fate has in store for both of us, but I’m willing to wait a little while to see what happens.

The deep sigh on the other end is broken by the sound of a child crying. “I understand. I’m sorry you had such a bad experience with him.”

“It wasn’t all bad,” I say in a low voice. “It just wasn’t good enough.”

“Well, have fun in Cabo, and don’t hesitate to call me, should you need anything. I mean it. Let me know if you change your mind about—”

“I won’t.” I pause. “Thanks for all your kindness. I wish you and your family well.”

“Okay. Take care of yourself, Alice.”

“What do I do with the keys?”

“Leave them with Valentina, the housekeeper.”

“Great. Bye, Bryant.”

After the call, I pack my bags, careful not to leave anything behind. Then I walk out onto the balcony, enjoying the sea breeze as the sun sets, watching the ocean waves breaking on the rocks, calling for me to have a last swim.

Last night, I swam in the sea at midnight, an attempt to clear my mind. Now I’m tempted to do it again. Before I can change my mind, I strip off my clothes, remove my grandmother’s gold bracelet that I wear all the time, and put on my swimsuit.

Ten minutes later, I’m out the door, running down the secret path to the beach, a LaClaire towel around my body.

The moment my feet touch the cool sand, I drop the towel and fling myself into the waves.

I swim for twenty minutes, the waves dragging me deep into the sea. The water is heaven and the taste of salt on my tongue is welcome. I let myself go and float on the water, eyes on the darkening sky and the sea gulls flying overhead. When I step back onto the beach, I’m out of breath, but invigorated.

Back at the villa, I call Juan to notify him of my planned departure, and he promises to pick me up in an hour. I use the time to shower and to lie on my back on the bed for the last time.

When the time comes to leave, not giving much thought to what I’m doing, I walk into the living room and pick up a small framed photo of Lance from the mantelpiece. It stood right at the back and one might not even notice it’s missing. Guilt nudges my insides when I tuck it into my purse. I can’t leave with nothing. I need to keep a piece of him with me. Lance LaClaire has a hold on me from which I can’t free myself.