Page 111 of A Million Times, Yes

A couple more things . . .

1/ Why a necklace? Because your collarbone is one of my favorite parts of your body and I can’t wait to see this on your neck.

2/ Don’t shoot Emily ... she’s just the messenger.

3/ Bruce is waiting for you downstairs.

4/ Don’t bring anything. Just you.

See youSoon, baby.

I glanced up, and Emily was holding my passport. “Listen, I was given one job: to make sure you had your passport. Since I know where you keep it, I told him I’d give it to you.” Once she handed it off to me, she put both arms in the air. “Don’t ask me where he’s taking you. I swear on my life, I have no idea. I asked him no less than a thousand times, and he wouldn’t tell me. Which was probably smart on his part because I don’t know if I’d be able to keep that secret even if I really, really wanted to.”

I threw my arms around her and hugged her against me. “I love you.”

Her hand went to the back of my head. “There isn’t anyone more deserving of this than you. And there’s nothing better in this world than seeing my best friend in love and knowing she’s found the absolute best man to share her life with, who will care for her, protect her, and love her endlessly.”

“Em . . .” I cried.

“If you shed one more tear, I’m going to spank you, woman. You can’t show up a hot mess when Bruce takes you to who-knows-where.” She leaned back to look at me. “Text me the second you land. Send pictures. I want to hear everything, and don’t you dare leave a single detail out.”

I gave her another hug, and then I grabbed my purse, sliding the passport safely inside, along with my phone, and draped the bag across my body. “I have nothing. No pj’s. No makeup. No cosmetics. No—”

“And that’s exactly how he wants you.” She blew me a kiss. “Now, go. Toodles—or whatever that fancy word is that Bettie always says to us.”

I laughed from the doorway and gave her a final wave; then I hurried out of the apartment and down to the street where Bruce was standing outside the SUV.

“Don’t worry,” I said as I climbed in, “I’m not going to ask you where you’re taking me. Knowing Jordan, he’s probably made you swear on your children not to tell me.”

He chuckled as he shut the door behind me. When he got in the driver’s seat, he said, “I’m actually allowed to tell you where we’re going.”

“What?”

He continued laughing. “Do you want me to tell you?”

I thought about it. “You know what? The secret has gone on for this long. It won’t kill me to wait a little bit longer.”

“If you change your mind, just say the word.”

That mind he’d referenced was far too busy bursting over everything that had happened since he’d just shown up at our front door. I had no idea what to expect; without Jordan giving me any information, I couldn’t even guess what he had planned. But the way Jordan had presented it all—the boxes, the notes, the necklace—it was so thoughtful. So planned out. So centered around me.

I couldn’t wait to hug him.

I couldn’t wait to love him.

I couldn’t—

My thoughts halted as Bruce turned into the entrance of Logan Airport. But instead of heading toward departures, he veered around the side, to an area I’d never been before. After at least a mile of winding down a back road, he slowed as he approached a gate, the chain link sliding open for our SUV. Once we were through it, a massive stretch oftarmac was in front of us. Bruce drove to what seemed like the middle of a runway and parked.

I poked my head into the front seat. “Where are we?”

“We’re waiting for Jordan.”

“Where is he?”

He pointed through the driver’s-side window. “He’s there. Should be pulling up any second.”

Since I was sitting on the other side of the SUV, I followed Bruce’s finger. A jet—all black and sleek, with silver accents—was making its way toward us. It halted several feet away, and the door toward the front of the plane opened, and a set of stairs came all the way to the ground.