She stands there after her words die away like she’s waiting for me to contradict her. For me to fight for her. How can I when I know she’s right? At least about not knowing each other. I can’t make any promises when I don’t have the first thing about my life in order. I get why she’s hurt or why she might not even have enough faith in me at this point since we’re basically just strangers, but the accusation that I’d just up and leave or drop her because of the money to find someone better—well, that stings. Especially as she’s saying it to someone who has actually had this happen to him. Multiple times.
I’ve been cheated on. I’ve been dumped by girlfriends who just got bored. I know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of shit like that, and it’s not pleasant. I would never do the same to someone else, and I know Lu-Anne doesn’t know that, but I hoped she could have maybe seen enough of who I truly am in the brief time we’ve spent together to form even a kernel of trust that might grow into something else.
“Goodbye, Wade,” Lu-Anne whispers. I swear that right before she turns and picks her way back to her house at a measured pace, I see tears shimmering in her eyes.
She’s convinced she’s doing the right thing. Maybe she is.
Then again, maybe she’s isn’t.
I don’t shut my door until she’s back safely in her house. I realize I can’t stand out here all night like a heartsick fool, so I step back inside and lock myself in.
I don’t bother with a chair. I just sink down to the floor right beside the door and lean my back up against the wall. My head joins it a second later with a dull thud.
I might not have known Lu-Anne well, but I felt something for her, with her, that was completely different for me. I’ve never felt anything close to that with anyone else. Ever. I thought there was something unique there. Something that could have endured. Something that could have been epic. I guess sometimes you just get that feeling everyone talks about. And sometimes, it’s maybe just nonsense your dick is telling you.
Even if it wasn’t, I know I can’t just walk over to her house and make Lu-Anne change her mind. She said money ruins a lot of shit, and she’s right. Money does corrupt. It does a lot of shitty things. It does change people, most times, and most times, not for the better.
The shitty thing is, it’s not that I don’t appreciate the money, I just don’t know what the hell to do with it. I was actually fairly happy with my life before, at least most aspects of it. I liked my job. I liked working with my hands. I enjoyed construction and carpentry. I had my family, and I had a couple of good friends. I was healthy, had all the basics covered—a decent house, a decent car, job security. It was good the way it was. I don’t want to be someone else. I don’t want to be forced to be someone else.
Lu-Anne is also right. I need to figure out what I’m going to do with the money, and I need to figure it out fast because I can’t just keep hiding out here. I’m glad I met her. I’m glad she came over here and told me off tonight. All those things she said were already on my mind, but she made it pretty obvious I can’t just ignore that shit anymore. Three billion dollars isn’t going to vanish, and I can’t just sit here and pretend I’m the same person.
Lu-Anne told me to do something good with the money.
I want to. I’m going to. As soon as I figure out what exactly it is.
CHAPTER 18
Lu-Anne
Six Months Later
“So, you never heard from him after that night you went over and confronted him?” Leanne said, dodging past a pile of dog poop right in the middle of the sidewalk.
It’s freezing out, and I can’t believe I allowed her to drag me from my nice, cozy, warm house in the middle of winter, but whatever. She was right. I did need to get out.
“Who?”
“You know who.” Leanne grins at me past the plaid scarf she wound around her neck at least eighteen times. The thing is so huge that it looks like she stole a blanket off her bed and wore it out. I kind of wish I had one myself since the wind is howling through the park she drove us to.
There is no one else walking right now. I’m not sure where the dog poop even came from. There was probably a brave soul out earlier who couldn’t be bothered to stop and pick up dog poop at the risk of freezing to death. Or maybe the shit literally froze to the sidewalk right after it was laid. It’s cold enough out. I’d believe it.