“Well, actually, now that you mention it, that is a feature that is set to the individual.”
“Excuse me?”
“Yes, so the chip in my hand says I want quiet.”
“But what if you’re with someone like me? There’s no way that can work. What if I say I don’t want quiet, and you say you do? Who would win?”
Cain smiles, and when he smiles, it’s like the sun has risen from beneath a cloud and has illuminated the whole sky. I want to bask in his warmth. I feel like he doesn’t do this often, and when he does, it’s truly special and meets his eyes.
“Has anybody ever told you that you can be a complete pain in the ass?”
“Is that comment on the record?”
Now, he chuckles, and I think I’m completely at a loss of what to say because the sound does crazy things to my insides.
Is this normal?
Can you meet someone and instantly feel a connection?
I’m not stupid enough to think it’s love. Who believes in love at first sight anyway? Obviously, it’s insta-lust, but it still feels like more than that.
It feels important.
Like when he looks at me, my words matter.
I matter.
This isn’t a good line of thought for right now, so giving myself a little shake, I take another step.
The furniture in the foyer of whatever this building will be is sparse.
Like the outside of the building, it’s floor-to-ceiling windows. And again, the dark wood blends into the mountain side. It’s very tranquil, and I bet if I told the computer system that I want the sound of running water, it would happen. “What if a homeowner wanted a certain sound or ambience?”
“Well, then we’d get that for them.” And the way he says it is so matter-of-fact, it’s as if there’s nothing he can’t do. I’m not sure if it’s his real personality coming out or if it’s an arrogance about this place.
“Let me show you the amenities.”
“Okay. Should I be scared? Is the house going to be able to change my clothes for me? Maybe read my mind. Work me out?”
“Well, now that you mention it . . .”
“Really?”
“No,” he deadpans. “But speaking of working out, most of the private residences have the capabilities of having their own gym. Some homeowners prefer to go to a gym-like atmosphere, so down the hall in the clubhouse, there is a full functioning gym.”
He proceeds to take me down a long hallway, and I expect the hallway to lead to a gym, but what it leads to is a room that is virtually outside.
There are no walls. There are no doors. The hallway just opens into a sun-drenched solarium.
There’s still glass in this large space, but it reminds me of a room in a zoo. The room where the butterflies are. Where they are free to fly as they please and you feel like you’re in the rainforest. Where the elements are fully entwined, and everything feels real.
I keep walking, and he points, then he starts telling me about each piece of equipment that will be in each section of the room.
“When will everything be finished?”
“All of the town center is complete. We’re just waiting for the furnishings, which should be here within the next few days.”
“And you didn’t want to wait to show me?”
“I thought you would like to see the transformation. Was I wrong?”
I shake my head. “No, you weren’t wrong at all. I’d love to see each step of the process.”
“Something tells me that you don’t want just the big reveal. You like to figure it out. You don’t want things handed to you easily.”
It’s like he understands me in a way no one has before. He nailed my whole personality in one sentence, and we’ve only had one dinner together.
The idea is slightly frightening. Would he understand me better than I understand myself if he got to know me?
Stop. It’s not like he’s going to get to know you. You’re only here for a few more days, and then you’ll never see him again.
That thought makes my stomach feel hollow.
“This way.” He leads, cutting off my inner ramblings.
“Where to?” I ask.
“I’m going to show you where the restaurants and markets will be.”
“Food? Now you’re speaking my language. Lead the way.”
9
Layla
I have no idea where we are going, but the look he gives me, the little ghost of a smirk, leads me to believe I’ll like it.
“Any hints?” I ask as I try my damnedest to keep pace with him as he strolls down the paved street.
I swear I’m huffing and puffing, arms cutting fast through the air to keep up, and he must notice because he slows his steps.
Now we walk on pace together. He’s a little bit faster than me, but that’s only because he’s leading the way.
“All I can say is that you’re going to enjoy it.”