Page 98 of Yours, For Good

"Done."

"My last meeting here is at the end of next week. I have a train ticket for that Sunday, and I plan to go back to Lock Willow, Javier."

The seriousness of old returned to his eyes as he considered me. "What comes next?"

"My business schedule says I'll have a month to decide where I'll set up my company's headquarters."

Thoughts ran behind his eyes.

"Any chance you'd consider New York?" he asked. "Not that Connecticut is that far away…"

"I haven't written New York off, but that's not the real question."

He arched an eyebrow but said nothing. I ran a finger pad over his mouth, and focused on the intense lines at its edges.

"I need to know if we fit in each other's lives," I said. "If despite all the things that set us apart, we could fall in love. Make a life together for as long as we can. Despite my fears, and despite Mr. B. and everything else. I need— to find a way to be sure. Because if I am to grieve you one day, it might as well be today, if this isn't going to work."

He pursed his lips and, in the dim light of the lamp, he paled. It took him a minute to respond.

"All right." He nodded and, after a beat, turned us on his bed.

I lay on top of him now. The air in the room was cool on my skin, and I shivered.

"We're on," he said, and sealed the statement with a kiss.

Chapter 39

Nora

AS SOON AS I told Javier we had ten days to figure it out, he jumped into action. Hoping I'd stay the night, he gave me his phone with an app open and told me to choose a few things. His clothes wouldn't fit me— the shirt he let me borrow stretched over my curves and with his narrow hips, even his loosest pants wouldn't go up my thighs. I picked a simple set of clothes for the night.

He frowned at the phone when I gave it back. "Mmh. Let's see what else we can get. Algorithm, do your magic."

He explained he funded the app as one of his initiatives, paying everyone in the production chain an above-fair wage. Apparently, the algorithm suggested new items according to your selections, and he filled the cart with what he called a few basics. According to him, I hadn't chosen near enough clothes, and five bags packed full made an appearance an hour later.

While I took a shower and changed into some of the clothes we'd chosen, he'd been busy cooking and planning the next few days. That included texts and emails to a few people, one of which translated to an urgent request to his designer: setting up a temporary office for me, in an empty room of his house, within a couple of days.

"Whether you use it or not," he said over arroz primavera, a quick dish he'd learned from the Sotomayors, "it's there. We'll make it exactly what you want… if you want."

I squinted at him, hearing the promise hidden in his words.

I didn't think of that when we went to bed, and got busy before falling asleep in each other's arms. Or after having a quickie the next morning, before I rushed back to my hotel. I changed clothes and arrived at my first meeting right on time.

I had a text from him when I took a break.

Javier: let me know when you have a minute? If you're not having lunch with anybody we can fix that.

Nora: I will have lunch with Julia and Sally, actually.

Javier: I probably shouldn't join you

Nora: imagine Julia's face, though.

Javier: I can't wait to see it one day, but you should have time with your friends without my distraction.

Nora: Sweet of you to offer, though.

Javier: Will I see you tonight?