Page 153 of The Newcomer
“That’s one way to put it.”
“That’s how my mother put it.”
“She guilt-tripped you into showing up today, didn’t she?”
“No! She, uh, cornered me as I was leaving work yesterday and,uh, enlightened me. It was my idea to show up today. I had to let Isabelle in on the plan.”
“Okay. Do you mind if I ask what the plan is?”
He took a deep breath. “The thing is… I want you. I just want to be with you, whether that means we get married, or we don’t, or whatever works for you. And Maya. And I get why you have to go back to New York. You can’t just erase all the stuff that happened back there. I realize now that you’ve got to deal with it, and you can’t pretend like none of it happened. I wish I could go with you and help you handle all this crap but… I know you don’t need to be rescued.”
She watched his face as he grappled with the right words, and noticed that they’d taken the exit ramp for the airport. Time was growing short.
“Maybe I’m the one who needed rescuing,” Joe said. “I’ve been single for a long time, and I got so used to thinking about whatIneed and whatIwant, and I’m a cop, you know? I’m trained to help people and do good and stuff. And I’m not used to having people question my authority. Or my motives.”
Letty nodded. “I get that. And for the record, I never questioned your motives.” She turned around to check on her niece, who had fallen asleep in her car seat. “Unlike Maya, I think maybe you really are a real prince. Just not, you know, the kind who wears a crown.”
He exhaled slowly. “So. We’re good? You and me?”
“Yeah. We’re good. And here’s a question. Can you wait for me? I promise you, New York is not forever for us. Give me some time and some space, so I can figure out what’s best for Maya and me and our future?”
“Am I included in that future?”
She scooted as far over in the seat as the seat belt would allow and kissed his cheek. “I don’t think I could handle going back there if I didn’t think you’ll be waiting when I’m ready.”
“I will be,” Joe said. “Pick up the phone and call. Night or day. And I’ll be there like a shot. Is that a deal?”
He slowed the truck as they approached the departures lane atthe airport, waiting for a space at the curb. Letty began gathering her belongings, and as soon as he saw an opening, he eased over to the curb and flipped on his emergency blinkers.
Joe jumped out and pushed the seat forward as Maya blinked awake. He straightened her crown and lifted her out of the car seat, then reached in to retrieve their luggage. Letty took the two rolling suitcases, and he slipped the strap of the duffel bag over his shoulder, holding Maya in his arms.
He walked them as far as the airline’s curbside baggage-check kiosk and waited while the clerk checked Letty’s bags and issued their boarding passes.
A cop approached the truck on a Segway. Joe gave a sharp whistle, and the cop turned. “Gimme a minute, brother,” he called. “I’m saying goodbye to my ladies.”
He crushed Letty to his chest, with Maya sandwiched in between them. “I love you guys,” he said. He kissed Letty, surprised by the tears rolling down her cheek. “You never answered me,” he pointed out. “Do we have a deal? You’ll call? And I’ll show up?”
“Yeah,” she said, laughing. “It’s a deal. Goodbye, Joe. I’ll call.”
He kissed her again, his lips lingering on hers. “Hurry, okay?” he murmured. “Please?”
63
Five Months Later
“HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?”
The Manhattan assistant district attorney’s name was Mallory Kennedy. She wore a chic cream-colored business suit, her hair in a short, natural cut. She unfolded that morning’sNew York Poston the tabletop.
MILLIONAIRE MURDERED HIS MISTRESS AFTER BABY MAMA DRAMA.A large color photo of Tanya and Evan, dressed to the nines for a charity fundraiser, accompanied the story.
“I’ve seen it,” Letty said, quickly folding the tabloid and handing it back. She nodded toward Maya, who was busily applying stickers to a new workbook Ava had mailed. “It was plastered across the front of the newsstand across the street from our building. I was terrified she’d see it.”
The diner’s door opened and Vikki Hill walked in. She dropped into the red vinyl booth beside Maya. “Hiya, Maya Papaya!”
Letty stared. The FBI agent was hardly recognizable. Her hair was swept into a tight French knot, she wore makeup, black heels and a close-fitting navy pantsuit.
“You came!” Letty exclaimed.
