Page 96 of A Million Times, Yes

I threw my arms around his neck and jumped, knowing he would catch me the second I was in the air. “I love you.”

He held me against him, his other hand cupping the back of my head, our bodies breathing together while he swayed me in his arms. “I’ve got you.”

My eyes burned as the first tear fell. “I know. And I wish you knew what that means to me.”

“I do. And Maya?”

I leaned back to look at him.

“I love you too.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jordan

“You don’t have to come to this if you don’t want to.”

As I said those words to Maya, I watched her face in the mirror while I stood behind her, zipping up her dress. I knew she was anxious about attending the groundbreaking ceremony for our upcoming affordable-housing project. I could feel it in her body. I could hear it in the way she breathed. I could see it in her expression.

“Jordan, I do. For so many reasons.”

With my hands on her waist, I gently turned her toward me. “Why?”

“Because I’m in love with you. Completely and madly.” She tilted her head and smiled. “At some point, I’m going to have to meet your parents.”

We no longer talked about her past and how my family had played a role in it. But for a woman who’d grown up hating the Worthingtons, specifically my father, I knew her feelings were going to hit her hard today.

And I was right.

I wrapped my hands around both sides of her neck. “But it doesn’t have to be now. In this setting. While your mom is there.”

She closed her eyes and nodded. “But that’s why it does have to happen today.”

“You’re sure?”

She opened her eyes as she replied, “It’s going to be fine.”

“Fineisn’t a word you ever want to hear come out of a woman’s mouth. Grandma taught me that. I never forgot it.”

“She’s right.”

“Maya—”

“Listen to me,” she said in a voice so soft, grabbing my hands and holding them between us. “My mom hasn’t always made the best decisions—personally or professionally. She’s got herself in more messes than I can even count. You gave her an opportunity. I want her to see exactly what that means and how important it is to me.” She paused. “I don’t want her to fuck this one up, Jordan.” She took a deep breath. “I would be mortified.”

I rubbed the backs of her hands with my thumbs. “You and I talked about this when your mom interviewed with our real estate team. She won’t be reporting to me. Shit, I don’t even work in that division of the company. If something happens, it doesn’t affect us. You shouldn’t be mortified for any reason.”

“But you don’t understand ... itallaffects me.”

“No.” I pulled her closer.

“You don’t know my mom.” Her head fell back, like she was trying to either hide or fight her emotion. “It kills me to say this ...” As her voice drifted off, she looked like she was trying to collect herself. “She’s fallen in love with some of her married bosses. She gets it in her head that they’re going to leave their wives and they’re going to live happily ever after.” She sucked in her lips and held that position until she said, “Your grandmother taught you that women don’t like the wordfine. My mother taught me that no matter how many promises they make you, the wives always win.”

Jesus.

“Maya—”

“I grew up watching everything get taken away her. Jobs. Apartments. Cars. Things. My mom likes to blame most of that on everyone else. Nothing is ever her fault—she’s the victim. Nothing is due to the choices she made. Are some because of unfortunate circumstances? Yes, like your family buying our apartment building. But that’s only one of the many things that went down over the years.” She released some pent-up air. “The problem with the victim mentality is that she ends up sabotaging the good things that happen to her, and I don’t want that to be the case here. I want my mom to see the happiness between you and me and know that she can’t mess this up. If she wants to leave, if she wants to find another job—she can. But she needs to do things right.” She exhaled again. “For once.”