Epilogue
ZACH
I didn’t want this to turn into another hot and steamy session.
Ever since her mom left, Maya and I have been having a hard time getting out of bed these days, especially at the weekends.
We’ve been alternating between staying at the Tribeca apartment and my place.
But this morning, I got up and showered before my body had other ideas.
I wanted to be calm, and clear-headed and not distracted by sex.
Maya stands by the windows, arms folded loosely, in her silky shorts and tank top.
Damn. She’s irresistible. She could be wearing medical scrubs and I’d still want to tear her clothes off.
She’s staring out, enjoying the view. She loves this place so much. She lights up as soon as we walk through the door. I step closer behind her, making her turn around.
“You rushed out of bed,” she says, searching my face for clues, wondering if everything is okay.
This is it. This is the moment. I press the spare fob into her palm. She looks down at it. Then up at me.
“What’s this?” she asks, even though she knows exactly what it is.
“It’s yours,” I say simply. “Not as a favor, or something temporary. It’s yours forever.”
She doesn’t take it. “Zee, we already talked about—”
“I know. But this isn’t charity. It’s me starting to make things right. Please let me.”
Her throat works, and she looks like she might cry. She’s fighting the many reasons I know she’s come up with, for why she doesn’t feel right taking this, but my words seem to sink in this time. She shrugs, and looks like she’s about to give in.
“For you then,” she says, tip-toping up to give me a gently kiss. “Thank you.”
We don’t say anything else about it. We don’t need to.
“Sorry.” I keep apologizing, just like I did to Carmen before she left. My father will never apologize, and I know that no amount of apologies will ever make up for what Maya and her mom endured.
But I’m trying. Maya snuggles against me, arms around one another, and we stay like that, immobile and content.
Life is good. Things are getting better at Stella.
Sales are up enough to prove that the changes I pushed through and implemented weren’t wrong.
With the board’s approval, we’re going to shift things around.
She suddenly pulls apart. “What did you and Cecil talk about last night?”
“Oh.” I heave out a heavy sigh. “He’s going to hand in his resignation soon. Not a word to anyone.”
She zips her lips shut and nods.
“He said fashion was never his world, and I agreed—”
“Tell me you didn’t say that to him?”
“I didn’t. But it’s true. You know it’s true.”
She shrugs. “It’s true. He’s too nice to work in fashion.”
I drop a kiss on top of her hair. “He’s taking a role at a nonprofit community arts foundation. It’s the right fit for him.”
“That makes sense.”
“Katherine’s not going anywhere,” I add. “But with Cecil gone, I’d like her to oversee brand partnerships and internal strategy. She’s sharp and she deserves to be seen.”
Maya’s mouth curves up into a smile. “She’ll like that.”
“She will, but she doesn’t know yet. I’ll have a meeting with her at the end of next week when I’ve thought things through.
I didn’t expect Cecil to hit me with news of his resignation.
I thought it was going to be just dinner, but it didn’t surprise me.
Still, it changes things around.” I lift her chin up, wondering whether to kiss her now or after I tell her. “That means changes for you, too.”
Her eyes flutter wide open. “What sort of changes?”
My heart starts to beat faster. I can’t contain my grin, or the excitement bubbling inside me at the news I’m about to give her. “New title. New salary. Your own office.”
She stills. “My own—?”
“You’re not going anywhere,” I say gently. “Unless you want to.”
She exhales, something easing in her shoulders. “I don’t want to. I’m happy exactly where I am.”
But something in her expression signals hesitation. “Did you …” She shrugs, tries again, because I can see it’s needling her. “I want the truth, Zach. Are you doing this because we’re together?”
I tighten my arms firmly around her waist. I knew this was coming. Maya hates any hint of obligation. She’s proud, and doesn’t want to be seen taking anything she hasn’t earned.
“Cecil spoke to me about it a few weeks ago, actually. He and Katherine both did. We acknowledged that the structure at Stella needed overhauling. Katherine was insistent that it was about time we gave you the promotion you deserved months ago.”
Her face lights up. Katherine has been an awful boss, but lately she’s changed and she and Maya have found an easy truce and a mutual respect.
“You’re telling me the truth?” Maya asks.
I nod. “Do you trust me?”
“I always have.”
We kiss again, and she mewls against my mouth, her fingers curling around my neck. Just having her in my arms makes my blood drain south.
“You make me happy, Zee.”
“You always made me happy. I love you, and I don’t want to lose you again.”
She shakes her head like that’s never going to happen.
“I’m also looking for a permanent replacement for Cecil,” I say, needing her to know that my time at Stella will slowly come to an end.
“Once that’s done, I’ll step back. I’ll remain a majority shareholder and keep oversight, but it’s time for me to return to the Knight offices.
Stella doesn’t need me hovering around forever. ”
She studies my face. “How’s everything else?”
I know what she’s really asking.
“My father’s not well,” I admit. “The treatments aren’t working the way he hoped. He’s more tired, and he doesn’t look like his usual bulletproof self.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
I shrug. She rests her forehead briefly against my chest. I hold her there, breathing her in. She calms me down, just like she always did. Then she pulls back, a naughty glint flashing in her eyes. I lean in and kiss her soft and slow, like we have all the time in the world.
“Come on,” I say.
“Back to bed?” Her hand lowers, slides into the waistband of my boxers, fingers curling around the hardness she finds.
I hiss out a sigh. “Scranton,” I reply, with some difficulty. It’s impossible to focus when she swipes her thumb over my wet tip.
Her thumb stills. “Scranton?”
“I have a few properties your mom might like.”
Her brows lift. “My mom?” It takes a few seconds. “But, Zee, I thought you were just talking about it.”
I’d mentioned to her again that I wanted to make things right for her mom and buy her a nice home. Maya dismissed my suggestions, but I’ve made up my mind. I whisper in her ear. “When I know I want something, I don’t wait.”
“I love you,” she says, simply. Her thumb starts to swipe over my tip again, and I stiffen in an instant, losing the ability to think or talk.
“Let’s go,” she says.
“Okaaaay,” I manage to say. She pulls her hand out, much to my dismay, but then she leads me to the bedroom, towards the bed.
One of my dreams has come true. Against all odds, I finally found the girl I’ve loved. And this time, I get to keep her.
Thank you for reading Zach and Maya’s story! I hope you loved it as much as I loved writing it.