CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT Caught Looking Back
Jalen showed up at Maya's office the following week.
Security called first."There's a Mr. Carter in the lobby asking for you.
" Maya's stomach dropped."Tell him I'm unavailable.
""He says it's personal.""It is. And I'm still unavailable.
"Five minutes later, Jalen texted from another number.
Jalen: I'm not leaving until you talk to me.Maya stared at the screen.Anger overcame fear.She went downstairs.Jalen stood near the lobby windows in a dark suit,
looking polished enough that nobody passing would guess he had been blocked three times.
"What are you doing?" Maya demanded."Trying to apologize.
""You did. I received the concept.""You won't hear me.
""Because I don't owe you access to me."He looked wounded.
"After everything between us?"Maya laughed softly.
"Especially after everything between us.
"Jalen glanced toward the security desk.
"Can we go outside?""Five minutes."They stepped onto the sidewalk.
"Camille meant nothing," he said immediately.
"Then you threw us away for nothing. That's worse.
""I messed up. I know I did. But don't pretend what we have isn't real.
""Real things can still be unhealthy.""So that's it?
One mistake and I'm done?"Maya stared at him.
"One?""You know what I mean.""No, I know what you want me to mean.
"Jalen's frustration showed. "You've been waiting for me to fail.
""That's not true.""It is. Every argument, every question, you were comparing me to Andre.
"Maya went still.Jalen saw it."You still love him.
"She looked away."Wow," he said. "You do.
""That is none of your business now.""Were you talking to him?
""No.""Looking for him?"Maya's eyes snapped back.Jalen's face changed.
"You were.""How would you know that?"He hesitated.A cold feeling moved through her.
"Jalen. How do you know?"He pulled out his phone.
"You left your laptop open at my place a few weeks ago.
Your browser sync was on. Andre's name was in the recent searches.
"Maya stared at him."You went through my browser history?
""I wasn't snooping. I saw it.""That is snooping.
""And searching for your ex while you're with me is what?
"Maya almost laughed at the absurdity."You cheated on me.
""After I saw you were looking for him."Silence.Maya felt something inside her settle.
"There it is."Jalen frowned. "What?""The excuse.
I knew eventually you'd find a way to make your betrayal my fault.
""I'm not saying it's your fault. I'm saying I knew you weren't all in.
""So you slept with Camille.""I was hurt.
"Maya nodded slowly."I was hurt when you cheated on me at eighteen.
I was hurt when you lied now. I was hurt when Andre left.
And somehow I managed not to sleep with somebody to punish you.
"Jalen's face hardened."You know what? Maybe we never should've tried this again.
"The sentence should have devastated her.Instead, Maya felt something strange.Relief.Jalen continued, "You must still love him.
Go find him."Maya looked at the man she had spent years remembering.She saw his beauty, his charm, his history with her.She also saw the pattern beneath all of it.
"Maybe I will," she said.Jalen flinched.
"So that's it?"Maya nodded."Yeah. I think it is. "