Chapter 14
Maya's POV
"That Toyota," Chloe said, tilting her head toward an oak green sedan parked under the fluorescent lights. "I just looked at it. Pretty solid condition. Interior's well-maintained."
I followed her gaze. "How much?"
"Sixty-eight thousand."
I wrinkled my nose. "Over budget. Can't do it."
Chloe crossed her arms. "Maya, come on. It's not that expensive. A new one would cost over a hundred grand. The value's good. At least think about it."
I shook my head. "I saw one earlier. Black SUV. Twenty thousand. But today they're running a promo—fifteen thousand."
Chloe's expression shifted to full negotiation mode. "You're not even saving that much. Buy something decent and you can drive it for years."
"It's just to get from point A to point B." I kept my voice firm. "I don't need anything fancy. If it gets me through the next three or four years, that's enough. Plus, I don't do car loans."
Chloe sighed, defeated. "Your call."
I pushed open the glass door to the main office. A middle-aged salesman in a rumpled polo shirt looked up from his desk.
"Hi," I said. "I want that black SUV. Can you go any lower on the price?"
He gave me an apologetic smile. "Sorry, ma'am. That's already the floor."
"Okay." I pulled out my wallet. "I'll take it."
His eyebrows shot up. "Great! Let me get you set up in the office. I'll need your license, proof of insurance, and the down payment—"
"Full payment," I interrupted. "Cash. Can I take it home today?"
"Absolutely! You'll drive off with temporary plates. The permanent ones should arrive at your address in about three weeks."
"Perfect."
"Just give me one second." He gestured toward a small office in the back. "I'll grab the paperwork."
Before he could move, another salesman called out from across the floor. The man excused himself and hurried over, leaving Chloe and me standing in the middle of the showroom.
Chloe leaned against a nearby desk, scrolling through her phone. Amy wandered over to a display of toy cars near the window, running her fingers over the tiny hoods.
A few minutes later, the salesman returned, his expression slightly different. More eager.
"Ma'am," he said, "I just got word from my manager. That black SUV? The price dropped. It's ten thousand now."
I blinked. "What?"
Chloe's head snapped up. "Only that one? Or all the cars?"
The salesman hesitated. "Uh... which other one were you looking at?"
Chloe's face broke into a grin. She pointed toward the Toyota. "That oak green one. Go ask! Please!"
He nodded and disappeared again.
The salesman came back a few minutes later. "Alright, so... the Toyota's only three years old. My manager says if you're serious, he can do twelve thousand."
Chloe and I exchanged wide-eyed looks.
"Wait," I said slowly. "You're dropping the price by that much? What's wrong with the car?"
He chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "Nothing's wrong. It's just—first sale of the day. We like to start strong, you know? Good luck and all that." He glanced at his watch. "But you gotta decide now. This deal won't last."
Chloe squeezed my hand so hard I thought she might break my fingers. "Maya. Maya. Take the Toyota. We are not passing this up."
I hesitated. The black SUV was fine. It would get the job done. But the Toyota—same price range, way better condition. It was a no-brainer.
"Okay," I said. "The Toyota."
---
Twenty minutes later, I walked out of the office with a set of keys in my hand and a temporary registration taped to the back window. Chloe was practically bouncing as we approached the car.
"I can't believe that just happened," she said, shaking her head. "You just saved, like, sixty grand."
"I know." I unlocked the doors and slid into the driver's seat. The interior smelled faintly of vanilla air freshener. The leather was soft, barely worn. Amy climbed into the backseat, buckling herself in without being asked.
Chloe leaned against the passenger door. "Hey, I just remembered—I've got something to do. Gotta run."
"Oh. Okay."
She tapped the roof of the car. "Drive safe."
"We will."
She waved at Amy through the window, then headed toward her own car.
I adjusted the rearview mirror and started the engine.
"Ready, baby?"
"Ready, Mama!"
"Alright, let's go home." For the first time in weeks, something felt like it was going right.
---
Adam's POV:
I handed my black card to the salesman, my voice flat. "Take the rest out of this."
He nodded quickly and disappeared into the back office.
Ethan leaned against the wall, arms crossed, smirking at me like he knew something I didn't want him to know.
"Maya Bennett?" he said, drawing out her name. He'd glanced at the photocopy of her driver's license sitting on the counter. "Never seen you do this before, man. Who is she?"
I didn't answer.
Ethan's grin widened. "Come on. You're dropping thousands on some random woman's car. That's not your style."
Parker stepped up beside him, his arms also crossed. "He's right. You gonna tell us what's going on, or are we just supposed to guess?"
I turned to face them, my jaw tight. "It's none of your business."
Ethan and Parker had known about my ex-girlfriend for years. They knew I'd gotten my heart ripped out five years ago. They knew I'd spent weeks after the breakup like a ghost, barely functional. But I'd never told them her name. Never showed them a picture.
They had no idea Maya was her.
Ethan tilted his head, studying me. "She's hot, though. I'll give you that."
I shot him a look. "Watch it."
He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Just saying—"
"She's way hotter than anyone you've ever brought around," Parker cut in, grinning at Ethan.
Ethan shot him a middle finger. "Fuck off."
Parker grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "No wonder you've been so distracted lately, Adam. You've got it bad."
I ignored them both, turning back to the counter.
Ethan's smirk shifted into something more serious. "But seriously—why didn't you just ask her out? Why the whole discount lie?"
Parker leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Yeah. And please tell me you didn't pull that bullshit again."
I met his gaze. "What bullshit?"
"The fake identity thing," Parker said, his tone sharp. "You didn't pretend to be poor this time, did you?"