MARIA POV
His words hung in the air, and I felt my heart skip a beat. I hadn’t been expecting this, not so soon. James had always been easygoing, never putting any pressure on me. And now here he was, laying his feelings out on the table, asking for something more.
I bit my lip, unsure of how to respond. Part of me wanted to say yes. To dive into something new, something uncomplicated. But the other part of me—the part that had been hurt by the twins, that was still reeling from the chaos they’d caused—was hesitant. I didn’t need more complications in my life right now. I didn’t want strings.
“James, I…” I started, struggling to find the right words. “I really like spending time with you. You make me feel… normal, like I can just be myself. But I’m not sure I’m ready for anything serio
