Her heart ached at the thought.
The phone rang and rang, never connecting to a mailbox.
She hung up, took a deep breath…and threw the rock.
It was a narrow side window next to the door, and she was able to squeeze her arm in without touching any of the broken glass. She traced out the lock with her fingers and opened the door to a frolicking of two Great Danes.
She laughed and attempted to pet both their giant heads as they circled her with their tails whipping like leather straps.
“Hey, boys,” she said, finally able to hold them both in place. “Have you had dinner?”
Their ears perked up together.
“Dinner?” she repeated, and they both dashed to their food bowls, sitting on their haunches.
She dumped a large scoop of food into each bowl and looked out at the spotless living room while they devoured their kibble. There was no sign that Kayson had come home at all, likely sticking it out in Los Angeles a while longer. But all those questions the reporters had asked, and the things they had said. She couldn’t help but wonder if he might really be in trouble?
With the dogs fed, they calmed down and curled up on their beds, and she decided to head home as well. But deep inside she didn’t want to leave. She wanted Kayson to magically appear so she could talk to him. Get the truth for once. Answer at least a few of the questions crowded in her head.
She walked quietly down the hall, peering into his bedroom. The bed was made and the room was immaculate. Untouched.
With a sigh, she leaned against the doorframe, wondering. She hadn’t wanted to believe Kayson was a villain, but the way he’d vanished seemed to verify it. If he had feelings for her like he’d claimed, wouldn’t he have contacted her? Gone after her?
She walked back through the house, careful not to step on any glass. She’d text Kayson, let him know what happened, and offer to replace the window. But she had a feeling there wouldn’t be an answer.
The drive home gave her time to think and plan. She’d hire a lawyer and see what they could do about the lens and go from there. In the meantime, there were a dozen more photographs she wanted to display in Sylvia’s shop, and at work, she was hoping to do a little research on converting contact lenses for enhanced vision. And this time she wouldn’t share her designs.
The next morning, she got up early and was at work fifteen minutes later. Kyle was the only one in the building, and he offered his condolences and his support when she mentioned hiring a lawyer.
“You’ve gotta claim that invention, Layn, it’s yours. No one else's.”
She loved his idealism. “I will,” she promised. “But could I spend the next couple days in the lab if you don’t mind? I’ve got another project I’d love to get started on.”
Kyle’s cheeks nearly split in a grin, and he waved her off, setting her free.
The sun had begun to rise, and it looked like the day would be clear and warm. She grabbed her bag and decided to walk the few blocks to the lab. It was refreshing and clean outside, having just rained the day before. Despite everything, she felt healthy and alive, gazing out across the beautiful Santa Barbara coastline as she walked. Sun glittered on the ocean and cars began pulling up to the beach boardwalk.
It wasn’t until she was walking right past the donut stand that she noticed her face in the local daily newspaper. She read the headline quickly.
LOCAL LENS DESIGNER SCAMMED OUT OF MILLIONS!
It was a stuffed article, filled with exciting words and not a single fact, except for her name. They got that part right. She skimmed the article until it mentioned Kayson.
Billionaire tycoon, Kayson Blake, left in shambles.
Elayna’s stomach turned, and she tossed the paper down, irritated. The reporters had no idea what they were talking about and had decided to make it all up as they went along.
Still, she felt shaken and exposed, and the idea of working on a new project suddenly seemed like too much. She crossed the street instead and walked past the first few shops on the boardwalk, remembering when she’d raced through the rain after Titan and Shade.
“Excuse me, miss?”
Elayna turned hesitantly, wondering if she was going to be faced with interrogations by strangers now along with the press.
But it was just a boy, barely a teenager by the looks of him. He held up an envelope.
“I’m supposed to give you this.”
“Thanks.” She took the envelope and the boy turned to leave. “Wait.” She stepped closer. “Who’s it from?”
The boy shrugged. “I dunno, he went back on his boat, I think.” He pointed toward the pier and continued on his way.
Elayna ripped open the envelope and began walking toward the pier, spotting a few boats docked. There were two pages inside, one a printed document and one handwritten. She glanced over the document and stopped in her tracks.
It was a contract proposal for her lens, made in her name. A fulfilment of everything they’d originally planned and not a word about superyachts.
“What?”
She flipped to the next page, glancing up to see a man walking down the pier. He had on a light button-down shirt and a pair of shorts, looking very casual. But still, his build was close… She started walking.
Glancing down at the handwritten page, she spotted Kayson’s signature at the bottom before her eyes jumped to the top again, reading over it quickly.
When she finished, she started over, reading more carefully while trying to ignore the way her heart throbbed.
Elayna,
Let me begin by apologizing for the extreme circumstances I left you in at the station in Los Angeles. I’m truly sorry.
I lied to you, Elayna. It’s been my way of living for some time now, and I hadn’t wanted to change until I met you. You remind me of my life before the spotlight, and the values I used to have. They’d all but vanished, leaving me a stranger to myself and all those who knew me before. I’m reluctant to bring up my feelings for you, but I have to admit they played a major role in my current decisions.
I’ve decided to abandon my plans for your lens, which were not the plans we discussed, and which you undoubtedly know by now. They were nothing but a way for me to establish myself in the company and in this title I so selfishly fought for. But I’m done fighting. I’ve relinquished my name in the company and have started a branch all my own. I hope in the future you can find some way to forgive me, not that I should even ask it of you.
I continue to wish the best for you through it all, and I have requested the media attention be directed at me. Let’s hope my wishes on this will be honored.
All my love,
Kayson
Elayna’s heart was pounding, and she looked up when a motor revved to see the closest yacht pulling away from the pier. She raced down the boardwalk, past the storefronts and patio chairs lining the walkway.
She could see the man now, turned to the wind, and it had to be him. The motor churned the seawater and bubbled up behind the craft, propelling it forward.
“Kayson!” she yelled, noticing a few heads turn. A couple stepped out of a novelty store to investigate, but he didn’t slow.
“Kayson!” she yelled louder only to have her foot catch on a loose board. She stumbled forward, tripping to a stop.