Page 118 of A Million Times, Yes

“Tell me.”

I rubbed my hand over the top of her head, my eyes slowly opening. “You.”

“No.”

“Yes.” I lowered my fingers to her chin. “By switching up the way you work and coming on the road with me and letting me bounce ideas off you and hearing things from a woman’s perspective—things I hadn’t considered—that made all the difference in the world, Maya. You need to know that. And you need to take credit for that.”

I sensed her smile even though I couldn’t see it.

“What I’ll say is, being here, in all the ways, has been the best period or quarter—look at me, with all these sport references”—she laughed—“of my life.”

I took some of the bubbles and added them back to her chest. “Best thing you could have ever said to me.”

The longer I sat here, the faster my thoughts were getting carried away, veering toward an idea that was completely fucking ludicrous.

What the hell am I thinking?

I shoved the idea away and said, “You haven’t seen much of Emily lately. You’re missing her, aren’t you?”

“I’m always missing her. Even when we lived together, I’d see her at work, and we’d need a catch-up at the nurses’ station, like I hadn’t just hung out with her the night before.” She traced her toes around the faucet. “Our relationship has been that way since we met.”

While I’d been trying to force the idea out of my head, this conversation only prompted me to spiral, an entire plan now unraveling.

“What if we didn’t fly tomorrow?” I suggested. “What if, instead, I flew Emily here to spend the weekend with us?”

She danced against my chest. “I can’t even express how much I love that idea.” She sat up a little, twisting her body toward me. “Emily’s as obsessed with Ben as I am, so what if you invited Ben and Gavin too? Wouldn’t it be so fun to experience the city through Ben’s eyes?”

And while I was at it, I was going to invite my parents, my grandmother, and Maya’s mom.

But I wouldn’t tell her they were coming. I would keep it a surprise.

The second surprise—tonight would be the first.

I was doing this ... I was really fucking doing it.

“It would be a blast to hang with the three of them,” I agreed.

She rubbed some of the bubbles over her arms. “Em and I could sleep with Ben in one of the guest rooms, and we can build a fort. He’d love that. Gavin could have the other guest room, and you’d be in our room. There’s plenty of space for everyone to stay here.”

I wrapped my arm over her chest. “You’re telling me I’m losing you ... to Ben? I don’t like that at all.”

She laughed. “You can give up a few nights of sleeping with me so your nephew and Emily and I can have a slumber party.”

“I don’t know ...” My lips went to the outside of her ear. “You know there’s nothing I love more than waking up to you in my arms.”

“Mmm.Same,” she moaned. “But a weekend won’t kill us.”

“Speak for yourself.”

She hooked her fingers behind my neck. “Someone doesn’t like to share.”

“No, I don’t.” I kissed the inside of her arm. “But for Ben, I’ll make an exception.”

She lifted her chin and tilted her head fully back to connect eyes with me. “I’m already excited about the possibility of seeing my girl. When we were home last week, she wasn’t at the rehab center the two days I worked there.” Her head straightened.

“That’s not like her. It seems like she’s always working.”

“She was in Nashville. I guess she went there on vacation or something. I don’t know ... she was vague about the details.”