We spent the rest of the week before New Year’s walking the beach, snorkeling and admiring the coral reef, fishing and generally indulging our every whim. I ate so much fresh fish and shellfish, I could almost feel my brain returning to a normal pre-pregnancy size. We had coconut everything, and part of me was starting to look forward to a good meal of Spaghetti and meatballs back in New York. In fact, by the time New Year's Eve rolled around, I was ready to go back, missing my office at the Westhampton house and visits to Manhattan to see everyone.
But I tried to enjoy our last few nights in Bora Bora, knowing that we could return in a couple of months if we wanted.
We went to the resort's restaurant for dinner and celebration on the last night before we left for New York, dressing up once more in our best clothes. We had a nice meal of beef instead of seafood, and then I drank virgin Pina Coladas while Luke indulged in a glass of beer.
That was the extent of our partying.
We went back to our beach house and went right to bed, having already indulged in an afternoon of delight on our private deck in the shade. When I fell asleep in Luke's arms, I felt that my life was perfect.
Nothing could change my happiness with Luke as my husband and with a baby on the way. Whatever storms that came in my life, as long as I had him and whatever new life was growing inside of me, I knew I'd be strong enough to face it.
We left Bora Bora with a small bit of reluctance, but we were both eager to get back to our normal lives in Westhampton and Manhattan and looked forward to New Year’s Eve with family and friends. Refreshed and invigorated after two weeks of pure luxury and relaxation, I wanted to get started on the baby's room at the beach house and then also at the apartment in town. Luke was also eager to get back to his financial dealings, searching for the right investors in his company so they could get started doing whatever it was that Astra Investments was planning on doing. I knew there were many steps in between the present and future when a rocket would actually go to the asteroid belt, so whatever needed to be done, I knew Luke was itching to get started.
We made the twenty-three-hour trip back to New York, arriving at La Guardia Airport late the next night. Instead of going to the beach house, we stayed at the apartment, stumbling into our bedroom after midnight and falling into bed.
The next morning, we stayed in bed until noon, only getting up to use the bathroom and to make coffee. We had bagels and cream cheese delivered and didn't do anything of importance until the afternoon, when we packed up and drove out to Westhampton. When I saw the beach house from the driveway, I was so happy to be back.
It was my home. When I first saw the house at the party when Luke and I were still pretending to be girlfriend and boyfriend, I couldn't imagine that a house so large could ever become a home, let alone my home. But that's how it felt when I saw it for the first time after Bora Bora.
"We're home," Luke said as we parked in the spot next to the front entrance.
"We are," I said and took his hand, squeezing it. "It really feels like home to me now."
"Good," Luke said and turned off the SUV. "Let's get our stuff inside and get supper ready. The game is on and we don't want to miss it."
We got settled in and then searched through the freezer for some frozen lasagna I'd stored from the last time we had Italian food. It was too freezer burned so we ordered in and flopped on the sofa, turning on the game and waiting for our dinner to arrive. When it finally did, Luke and I dug in and it felt so good to be normal, to be hungry and feeling only a normal level of fatigue appropriate to the time of day.
"I'm glad to be back," I said and smiled over my chopsticks. "I'm so glad to have an appetite. I think I gained five pounds in Bora Bora."
"Five delicious pounds," Luke said and grinned. "You know I like your curves."
"You do indeed," I said. "And it's a good thing, because they're only going to get curvier the more pregnant I become."
"Can't wait," he said and stuffed more Kung Pao Chicken and noodles into his mouth.
I smiled to myself, glad that Luke liked my curves.
He really was a keeper...
Chapter Twenty
Luke
My suspicions that Adam Pierce from Seneca was hesitant due to the recent publicity about my fight with Eric and Alexa's video being published on the net were true.
While I was away enjoying the warm breezes of Bora Bora, John was back in Manhattan fending off reporters interested in why Seneca turned us down as partners for a joint space venture.
I had no idea about Seneca turning us down. John didn't want me to know and held off telling me until I got back.
I sat in his office near Columbia and my jaw dropped open.
"What the fuck? They turned us down? Did they say why?"
John shrugged. "Adam said that they had concerns about the stability of Astra. That we haven't been around long enough to have a track record and reputation they could trust, so they had to go on our personal reputations. Mine was okay, according to Adam, but the board of Seneca raised concerns about you because of your family issues."
I shook my head, a sinking feeling in my gut that other potential partners would be equally as hesitant to work with Astra because of me.
"Okay, but who else do we have lined up with as much expertise and money as Seneca?"