A few days later, Luke and I went out for dinner in town.
"I still can't believe you knew about it," I said. "You knew before I knew!" Apparently, Madeline's parents knew that Roiben was going to ask her to marry him just before midnight of the new year and had instructed the staff accordingly. The servant lady had told Luke about this and that when Lord Roiben tapped his shoulder, he was to quietly move so that Roiben could propose.
"I only found at the beginning of the party," he told me, laughing.
"You know, speaking of that, I heard a lot of people thought you were really good," I said. "Who knows? Maybe the right person was there and heard you. We'll have to see."
He smiled lightly. "Actually," he started. "I wanted to talk to you about that."
I rose an eyebrow.
"There was a man named Jerry Stryker at the party," Luke told me. "It turns out that he's the manager for Nash Scottie, who's a pretty popular singer here in the collegiate and even outside of it in some countries."
"Oh wow!" I said.
Luke nodded. "Yes. So, he heard my singing and playing at the party and really liked my stuff. Apparently, Nash Scottie is going on tour at the end of the month, but the band playing his opening act dropped out, so Mr. Stryker is looking for a new supporting act to play before Nash gets on stage. He thought that I was a good fit for Nash's brand. I suspect he also liked that I haven't broken into the music industry at all because I wouldn't drop out on him like their previous openers."
"Luke, that's amazing!" I cried. "Do you have to audition for it?"
"I actually had an audition over the past couple of days, and Mr. Stryker offered me the job. I'm supposed to get back to him by tomorrow."
I rose my eyebrows, surprised.
"I'm sorry I didn't mention it sooner," he said. "I just didn't want to tell you anything unless it was an actual real option, you know? I didn't want to get your hopes up."
"I understand," I said, despite feeling slightly disheartened that he hadn't mentioned that Mr. Stryker had gone up to him at the party, but then again I was probably too excited about Madeline's engagement to ask. "Luke," I said seriously. "This sounds like a really good opportunity for you. And I assume it's paid?"
"Oh, yes, of course," he said. "It's not a king's ransom but it's a very fair wage." He looked a bit troubled. "The problem is," he started. "If I go, I'll be gone. I'll be away from Aregano for months."
I felt my heart deflate at that. "Oh."
He nodded solemnly. "Yeah. I just, I want to know what you think I should do."
I suddenly realized the implications of it—if he left, it would really help him advance his career, but it would also be a big strain on our relationship; it would most likely be the end of it. And yet, how could I hold him back from this?
"Do you mind if I use the bathroom real quick?" I asked him. It was a crappy on my part, to be sure, but I wanted a few minutes to think without him staring at me. When I was safely locked away in a bathroom stall, I thought very carefully.
Obviously, I had to let him go. How could I forgive myself if I kept him tied down as Prince Coleman's butler, especially after being the one to give him a taste of something better? But what would it mean for us? Could we really survive being apart for months? I knew the answer to that question, no matter how unpleasant.
No, we wouldn't really survive long-distance. We had enough problems as it was, and as much as I hated to admit it, everyone was right. Our lives were pulling in different directions. We weren't the same to simple servants we were when we first met at the castle. I could still see it in my mind—when I first walked into the palace for the first time and was taken aback to see how gorgeous the butler was. I could see his soulful brown eyes and the first time I saw his heart-stopping crooked smile. Even though that was only four months ago, it felt like a lifetime.
I finally left the bathroom and sat across from Luke, who looked very nervous.
"You have to do it," I told him. "This is an incredible opportunity, Luke. And I'm really proud of you." I reached across the table and took his hand.
His smile was weak. "It's a great opportunity," he said. "But...but what about us?"
I squeezed his hand more tightly. "I don't want to let you go," I said in a half whisper.
"Me neither," he murmured.
"But I don't want to hold you back either," I said.
He didn't say anything.
I looked into his eyes and attempted a smile. "When do you leave?"
"January 21st."
I nodded. "Then let's make the best of our time together."
And so, we did. Whenever we could find spare time between our various duties, we spent them in each other's company. In a weird way, knowing that our relationship was running on a clock made it that much sweeter. We didn't fight or waste our time on arguments but enjoyed our time. Of the few servants that remained after what we now were calling "the great purge," they were very shocked to find out that Luke was leaving. Some of the notable people who were left were Sherry and Charlie who I had specifically put in good words for, Chef Jonathan, Ethan, and Isaac, though Raven, Isabella, and Dylan were all gone now. The Queen and Lucille were busy looking for a replacement for Luke's position. Princess Calista was deeply saddened to hear that Luke was quitting, but also was happy to know that he was touring with Nash Scottie. The few weeks passed in a surprising blur until finally, the day of his departure arrived.