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Back The Newcomer Save as PDF
Chapters (71)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgments
  69. Also by Mary Kay Andrews
  70. About the Author
  71. Newsletter Sign-up

Letty nodded. “I get that. And for the record, I never questioned your motives.” She turned around to check on her niece, who had fallen asleep in her car seat. “Unlike Maya, I think maybe you really are a real prince. Just not, you know, the kind who wears a crown.”

He exhaled slowly. “So. We’re good? You and me?”

“Yeah. We’re good. And here’s a question. Can you wait for me? I promise you, New York is not forever for us. Give me some time and some space, so I can figure out what’s best for Maya and me and our future?”

“Am I included in that future?”

She scooted as far over in the seat as the seat belt would allow and kissed his cheek. “I don’t think I could handle going back there if I didn’t think you’ll be waiting when I’m ready.”

“I will be,” Joe said. “Pick up the phone and call. Night or day. And I’ll be there like a shot. Is that a deal?”

He slowed the truck as they approached the departures lane at the airport, waiting for a space at the curb. Letty began gathering her belongings, and as soon as he saw an opening, he eased over to the curb and flipped on his emergency blinkers.

Joe jumped out and pushed the seat forward as Maya blinked awake. He straightened her crown and lifted her out of the car seat, then reached in to retrieve their luggage. Letty took the two rolling suitcases, and he slipped the strap of the duffel bag over his shoulder, holding Maya in his arms.

He walked them as far as the airline’s curbside baggage-check kiosk and waited while the clerk checked Letty’s bags and issued their boarding passes.

A cop approached the truck on a Segway. Joe gave a sharp whistle, and the cop turned. “Gimme a minute, brother,” he called. “I’m saying goodbye to my ladies.”

He crushed Letty to his chest, with Maya sandwiched in between them. “I love you guys,” he said. He kissed Letty, surprised by the tears rolling down her cheek. “You never answered me,” he pointed out. “Do we have a deal? You’ll call? And I’ll show up?”

“Yeah,” she said, laughing. “It’s a deal. Goodbye, Joe. I’ll call.”

He kissed her again, his lips lingering on hers. “Hurry, okay?” he murmured. “Please?”

63

Five Months Later

“HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?”

The Manhattan assistant district attorney’s name was Mallory Kennedy. She wore a chic cream-colored business suit, her hair in a short, natural cut. She unfolded that morning’s New York Post on the tabletop.

MILLIONAIRE MURDERED HIS MISTRESS AFTER BABY MAMA DRAMA. A large color photo of Tanya and Evan, dressed to the nines for a charity fundraiser, accompanied the story.