Chapter 39
Maya's POV:
I stared at Adam like he'd lost his goddamn mind.
Adam stood there with that look on his face like he actually meant it.
Like this wasn't some trap.
I wasn't falling for it.
Amy's face flashed through my mind.
I gripped my bag tighter. "Adam, if you suddenly... if a kid just appeared in your life, would you—would you accept them?"
His gray-green eyes locked on mine. Immediate. Unwavering.
"I'm not going to suddenly have a kid pop up, Maya." His voice was firm, almost offended. "You can stop worrying about that. I've only ever been with one woman. You."
"Actually, Amy—" I started.
His phone rang.
Adam glanced at the screen. "Hold on. I need to take this."
He pressed the phone to his ear. "Grandmother."
Then Adam's eyes flicked to mine. A ghost of a smile tugged at his mouth.
"Actually, Grandmother, I'm with her right now."
"Perfect! Put her on. I want to talk to her."
Before I could protest, he shoved the phone into my hand and grabbed my wrist. Started pulling me toward his car.
"Come on," he said. "We're going."
"Adam—"
"Talk to her," he mouthed.
I pressed the phone to my ear, stumbling to keep up as he dragged me across the parking lot. "Mrs. Sterling, hi—"
"Maya, darling!" Her voice was warm, delighted. "What do you like to eat? I'll have the kitchen prepare it. You're staying for lunch, aren't you? Tell me you're staying."
I shot Adam a desperate look. He ignored me, unlocking the Aston Martin with a beep.
"I—um—Mrs. Sterling, I really don't want to impose—"
"Nonsense. You saved my life, dear. The least I can do is feed you." She paused. "Do you like lobster? We have wonderful lobster. Or beef Wellington? Adam loves beef Wellington."
Adam opened the passenger door and gestured for me to get in.
I mouthed, No.
He raised an eyebrow. Waited.
"Mrs. Sterling, I actually need to get back to work—"
"Oh, work can wait! This is family time. I'll wait for you at home."
The line went dead.
I stared at the phone. Then at Adam.
"She hung up on me."
"She does that." He was still holding the door open. "Get in, Maya."
"This is kidnapping."
"This is lunch."
---
Adam pulled up to the curb in front of a pristine brownstone. Louisburg Square. I recognized it from magazines—the most exclusive address in Boston.
The front door opened. Mrs. Sterling appeared, waving enthusiastically from the top step. Even with her ankle still bandaged, she looked radiant—pearls, cashmere cardigan, perfectly coiffed white hair.
"There you are!" she called. "Come in, come in! Don't make an old woman wait!"
Adam got out of the car. Came around to my side. Opened the door before I could stop him.
"Shall we?" He offered his hand.
I ignored it. Climbed out on my own.
But the second we reached the steps, Adam's fingers closed around mine.
"Grandmother!" He flashed a perfect smile. "I brought her."
Mrs. Sterling clasped her hands together. "Oh, Maya. You look lovely. Come here, dear."
She pulled me into a hug before I could react. Smelled like lavender and old books.
"Thank you for coming," she whispered against my hair. "You have no idea how happy this makes me."
---
The dining room was ridiculous.
A long mahogany table stretched beneath a crystal chandelier, set with enough china and silverware to feed a small army. Mrs. Sterling sat at the head, gesturing for me to take the seat beside her.
Adam took the chair next to me.
Mrs. Sterling passed me a dish of roasted vegetables. "Eat, dear. You're too thin."
She beamed at me. Piled more food onto my plate.
Adam reached over, quietly placing another serving of beef Wellington on my dish without a word.
I shot him a look. He ignored it, calmly cutting his own food.
Mrs. Sterling launched into a story about her own courtship—something about a charity gala and a spilled martini and love at first sight. I nodded along, trying to focus while Mrs. Sterling kept refilling my plate and Adam silently added more food when she wasn't looking.
Between the two of them, I barely had to lift a finger.
---
My phone buzzed.
I glanced down. Julian's name flashed across the screen.
Where are you? I need you back at the office. Now.
Relief flooded through me.
"Mrs. Sterling," I said, setting down my fork. "I'm so sorry, but I need to get back to work. My boss just—"
"Of course, of course." She waved a hand. "Work is important. But Adam will drive you, won't you, dear?"
"I can take an Uber—"
"Nonsense." Mrs. Sterling reached over, squeezed my hand. "Driving his girlfriend to work is the least he can do. Isn't that right, Adam?"
Adam was already standing, grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair. "Absolutely."
I wanted to argue. To insist. To tell them both to stop calling me his girlfriend.
But Mrs. Sterling was looking at me with such warmth, such hope, that the words stuck in my throat.
"Thank you for lunch," I managed.
"Anytime, darling. Come back soon."
---
Adam didn't say anything until we were back in the car.
Then: "You're blushing."
I turned away, staring out the window. "I am not."
"You are. Your face is red."
"That's because your grandmother thinks we're—" I couldn't even finish the sentence.
"Dating?" Adam supplied. He pulled into traffic, perfectly calm. "Engaged? Madly in love?"
"Stop."
"Which one bothers you the most?"
"All of them!" I spun to face him. "Adam, this is insane. You let her believe we're together. You didn't correct her once. You just sat there, holding my hand, acting like—like—"
"Like I'm your boyfriend?"
"Yes!"
He glanced at me. His expression was unreadable. "Maybe I want to be."
My heart slammed against my ribs.
"You don't mean that."
"I do."
"You're lying. You're playing some kind of game. You're going to wait until I actually believe you, and then you're going to—"
"Maya." His voice was low. Serious. "I'm not playing anything. I told you..."
I closed my eyes. "Julian's waiting for me. Can you just—can you just drive?"
"Julian."
The way he said it—flat, cold—made my skin prickle.
"What about him?"
"Why does he need you back so badly?"
"Because I'm his assistant. It's my job."
"So quit. Come work for me."
"What?"
"Come work for Sterling Global. I'll pay you double what Julian's paying. You'll have better hours. Better benefits."
I turned my head away. "No."
"Why not? Do you know how many people would die to work as my EA?"
"Then let them die for it." I kept my eyes on the window. "I'm not interested in dying."
Adam pulled up near Garrison Industries.
"You can drop me off here," I said.
"We're not there yet."
"Close enough."
"What, you don't want to be seen with me?" His jaw tightened.
I grabbed my bag. "Exactly."