Page 60 of Her Movie Star's Secret Plan

Owen sighed. “We enjoy the rest of our time together, and then we say goodbye.”

“There’s no way you can retire from acting early and just run Hadley’s?”

“I’m afraid not. Acting is my life, Alexis. I’d be letting down all my fans. And I’d be letting myself down.”

“I know. Since I’m your biggest fan, you’d be letting me down too. I don’t know what I’d do without my Owen Hadley movies. But I just wish there was a way you could duplicate yourself.”

“We may have some pretty awesome technology these days, but we still haven’t figured out how to be in two places at once.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you, Owen.” Alexis wrapped her arms around his middle and buried her face into his shirt.

He kissed the top of her head. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

“And that’s just it?” Alexis sat back. “There’s no solution for us?”

“I’m afraid not.”

Alexis chewed her nail again like she was deep in thought.

“Unless…”

She looked up at him. “What?”

“Unless you were willing to move to California.”

She shook her head vehemently. “That’s impossible. I’d have to give up my bakery.”

“We’ll find a way.”

“No. We won’t.” She stood up. “I should go.”

“Why?”

“I can’t do this anymore, Owen. It’s too hard. I told you this was going to happen. My stupid heart got all wrapped up in you, and I fell in love. And now you’re going back to California, and my heart’s going to be broken.”

“No, it won’t. I won’t let that happen.”

Alexis stepped back from him, tears spilling from her eyes. “It’s too late. It’s already happened. My heart is broken right now because I can’t have you. I’ve wanted you for so long, and now it’s worse because I’ve tasted what it’s like to be with you, and it’s sweeter than I ever imagined.” Her tears ran down her red cheeks. “And I’ll never have that again.” She turned away from him, a sob escaping from her throat.

“Alexis, wait.”

“I have to go. Please don’t follow me.”

Owen stood. In that moment, he’d never wanted anything more than to go to this woman and hold her against him, to make all her hurt melt away.

But he couldn’t.

* * *

“Owen,do you have a corkscrew for this bottle of wine?” Tessa asked.

“Yeah. There’s one in the drawer next to the fridge.”

She opened the drawer and rummaged around in it. “Oh, here it is. Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Everyone around him was festive, jumping into his pool, drinking his wine, but for the life of him, he could hardly crack a smile. His heart was much too heavy. How could he smile when he knew that he could never have the woman he’d fallen in love with? He’d been a fool to allow himself to get so close to that woman. He’d felt the pull to her, and he’d ignored how strong it was.

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