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Luke: You know they do.
I can't help but smile. I subsequently notice Graham staring at me, and something about his expression makes me wipe the smile away.
Luke: I'm taking you out tonight, and I don't want to hear any arguments about it. Otherwise, I'll have to move my entire operation to the East Coast.
Sera: I know you texted that as a joke, but honestly, I'd be pretty freaking happy if you did that. Let me check if I'm free this evening.
"Graham, do you need me for anything later?" I ask.
Again, he adjusts his glasses. It's always been his nervous tic. "Why?"
"I might be going on a date."
"With Luke Cross?"
"Is that a problem?"
Graham sighs. "He's much older than you, Sera. A powerful man. And a billionaire, to boot."
"I haven't heard a single viable reason why dating him would be a bad idea."
"You know we worry about you," Graham says in a tired voice. "I don't want you getting tangled up with some playboy."
"What makes you think he's a playboy? Have you heard anything, seen anything?" My tone gets a little too aggressive, but I can't help it. I don't want to think of Luke like that. He's told me he isn't a playboy, anyway.
"Nothing," Graham says. "But he's abillionaire. Men like him have more choices than the average man."
"And why would he choose me, right?"
Graham sighs. "I didn't say that. But please, be careful. Try to keep work separate from everything else. Spending time with him is one thing; giving him free labor is another."
"Okay, Graham. That's fair."
Sera: Yes, I'm free. What did you have in mind?
Luke: Do you seriously expect me to ruin the big surprise for our final night together?
Sera: Final night, woah. That has a seriously ominous ring to it.
Luke: Then let's give this long-distance thing a try.
Sera: I've seen it fail time and time again.
Luke: We're not everybody else. In fact, Sparkplug, what we have in such a short amount of time makes us pretty damn special.
I smile.
Sera: What happened to enjoying what time we have left?
Luke: If you think my phone is miraculously going to lose the ability to text you once we've gone our separate ways, you've got another thing coming. I'll look for you in the crowd during the speech.
Sera: I'll be there, sending you good vibes, not that you'll need them. You've got this.
I put my phone away, a warm feeling coursing through me... but it's bittersweet, too. He's talking a big game about making long distance work, but he's not seriously considering it. Long distance might have a chance if there's an endpoint, a destination when, finally, we'll be able to be together.
But Ellie could battle her condition for years. And if she loses her battle – which is horrible to even think about – will I be comfortable leaving Graham to deal with that alone? How many times did they say I'm like the daughter they never had?
"Are you okay, Sera? I didn't mean to be so stern before."