I sighed, trying my best to absorb her words. “You really think so?”
“I really do,” she assured me. “Look… you know if nobody else understands agreeing to a marriage that isn’t really what you want, I do. Hell, I got dropped too, remember? Russell.”
“Oh, shit. I… had kinda forgotten about him.”
“Good. Fuck him. Anyway… my point is that… we’ve both been able to move past relationships we were too stubborn to let go of on our own. I was shattered when Russell broke up with me, but you know what? It gave me much-needed clarity to take with me into my relationship with Justin.”
“A few months later,” I reminded her. “And Justin was – is – your damn best friend. You’ve loved him most of your life, of course it’s working in your favor. August is…”
“Just the boy you wanted and couldn’t have… until now,” Toni filled in for me. “Don’t underestimate the divine power of that, I’m telling you.”
“Okay Astrid,” I teased, rolling my eyes. “Where is she, by the way?”
“Recruiting for something called Savasana and Soliloquies,” Toni answered.
“Oh she chose a name! Cute,” I gushed. “It’s gonna be a yoga event, with live readings and stuff. I’m trying to really integrate a lot of the people in the community. There’s a candle shop that just opened here, Wax Poetic. Listen… perfection, okay?”
“My wallet and I will be there bright and early tomorrow before my flight – thanks for letting me know. And… thank you for being you,” she added, squeezing my hand. “You are really flourishing in this role, and I feel like it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”
“Okay you’re about to have to get away from me with all the warm and fuzzy shit, I can’t deal.”
“Whatever,” she teased. “Speaking of warm and fuzzy, umm… you can finally stop watching the door.”
Before I could protest and pretend I wasn’t wholly pressed about when August might arrive, she’d slipped away. And then the man himself was in my view, walking toward me with a smile on his face and a bouquet of the deep indigo lisianthus in his hand.
“Hey.”
“Hey yourself,” he replied, transferring the flowers from his hold to mine. As soon as the flowers were out of his hands, he was all over me, possessively pulling me against his body. “I need to talk to you in your office for a minute.”
My eyes went wide. “What? Is something wrong?”
“Yeah… the fact that I’m not inside you right now is very wrong, and I’m about to fix it real quick,” he said in my ear, making me giggle.
“Stop,” I insisted, even though I didn’t really want him to, and if this were any normal night I would happily pull him to my office for exactly what he’d proposed. “Later though…”
“I’m gonna hold you to that.” He stopped teasing to really meet my gaze, his eyes filled with the kind of adulation that in the past, had been turn off – a glowing red flag.
From him though…
“How is it going?” he asked, shifting the energy. “Is everything good? You need help with anything?”
I shook my head. “Nope. Everything is perfect, but I appreciate you offering.”
“Not a problem. I’m trying to get all my points in so I can have a signing for my book.”
My eyes went wide. “What book?”
“The kind that nobody in their right mind would show up to a signing for,” he chuckled. “Botanical research shit.”
“Why didn’t I know you were writing a damn book?”
He shrugged. “Because I hadn’t decided until just now, really. It’s the energy in here, I feel inspired.”
“I… am trying to process how I feel about this news, and what I keep landing on is that I really want to ride your dick now, so… you gotta go,” I told him, playfully backing away. “The agri-intellectual bae energy is too much for me right now.”
“The what?” he laughed.
“You heard me.” I grinned, holding those beautiful flowers close to my chest. “Seriously though, I… feel really good right now, so thank you for that.”
“Well, you’re certainly welcome, but I don’t understand…”
“Saying yes to you,” I explained. “It doesn’t feel like a compromise. It feels like a gain.”
His eyebrows went up, and he actually blushed, which only made me feel even warm-fuzzier, so I had to put a stop to this shit now.
“I’ve got some announcements and stuff to do right now, but after this is over… late dinner?”
He nodded, giving me that sexy ass smile of his.
“Of course. Consider it a date.”
“Welcome to the meme club bih. – Jemma Luh.”
When I woke up to that message on my screen from Jemma, I had no idea what she was talking about. I unwrapped myself from August’s hold to go brush my teeth and find something to eat before I fully opened her text, which had an image attached.
At first, I didn’t understand why she’d sent it to me – it was a screenshot of an image someone else had posted on social me. The main image was from Nubia’s signing, a high-definition shot of her smiling as Steph massaged her shoulders. She’d been sitting there for hours, insisting on personalized signing of each copy for the readers and fans who’d come to support her.
It was sweet as hell.
But… then I looked closer.
Oh, shit!
Further in the background of the picture was another couple, and it was that couple who’d had gotten the meme treatment. Jemma was used to it, with the pictures from her bae-cation travels with Levi, but for me… it was new.
It was something that not that long ago – remember? – I’d just said I had no interest in.
But there I was.
Off in the cut at Tones&Tomes, grinning like a damn Cheshire cat because August’s hands were at my waist and because he’d given me those beautiful flowers and because I was just… joyful.
And there were those offending words.
Me – Well, Me.
Somebody’s Son – August.
Ah, fuck.
-the end.
Afterword
Did you enjoy August and Haven’s story?
If so, please consider leaving a review, posting an image of you reading the book, the cover on your kindle, etc! And don’t forget to tag/mention me so I can see it!
Acknowledgments
Shoutout to N, A, D, R, A, and L
<3
About the Author
Christina C. Jones is a modern romance novelist who has penned many love stories. She has earned a reputation as a storyteller who seamlessly weaves the complexities of modern life into captivating tales of black romance.
Also by Christina C Jones
ROSES
The Reinvention of the Rose
The Rose That Got Away - Podcast
THE CLARKE BROTHERS
Collision Course
Controlled Chaos
Close Contact
THE WRIGHT BROTHERS
Getting Schooled
Pulling Doubles
Bending the Rules
THE LOVE SISTERS
I Think I Might Love You
I Think I Might Need You
I Think I Might Want You
SUGAR VALLEY
The Culmination of Everything
The Point of It All
INEVITABLE SERIES
Inevitable Conclusions
Inevitable Seductions
Inevitable Addiction
THE TROUBLE SERIES
The Trouble With Love: a tale of two sisters
The Trouble With Us
The Right Kind of Trouble
IF YOU CAN SERIES
Catch Me If You Can
Release Me If You Can
Save Me If You Can
HIGH STAKES SERIES
Ante Up
King of Hearts: A Short Story Collection
Deuces Wild
EQUILIBRIUM SERIES
Love Notes
Grow Something: An Equilibrium Novelette
In Tandem
Frosted.Whipped.Buttered: An Equilibrium Short
Plus One: An Equilibrium Short
Bittersweet
Press Rewind: An Equilibrium Short
SWEET HEAT SERIES
Hints of Spice
A Dash of Heat
A Touch of Sugar
SERENDIPITIOUS SERIES
A Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Didn’t Mean To Love You
Fall in Love Again
The Way Love Goes
Love You Forever
Something Like Love
CONNECTICUT KING SERIES (Collaboration with Love Belvin)
Love on the Highlight Reel (Book 2)
Determining Possession (Book 3)
Pass Interference (Book 6)
STRICTLY PROFESSIONAL
Strictly Professional
Unfinished Business
TRUTH AND LIES
The Truth: His Side, Her Side, and The Truth About Falling in Love
The Lies: The Lies We Tell About Life, Love, and Everything in Between
FRIENDS & LOVERS
Finding Forever
Chasing Commitment
ETERNALLY TETHERED
Haunted
Coveted
STANDALONES
Mine Tonight
Wonder
Equivalent Exchange
Love & Other Things
A Mutually Beneficial Agreement
Relationship Goals: a novella
Anonymous Acts (Five Star Enterprises)
Audiobooks:
Ante Up (High Stakes, Book 1)
Deuces Wild (High Stakes, Book 3)
I Think I Might Love You (Love Sisters, Book 1)
I Think I Might Need You (Love Sisters, Book 2)
Getting Schooled (Wright Brothers, Book 1)
Pulling Doubles (Wright Brothers, Book 2)
Bending the Rules (Wright Brothers, Book 3)
Inevitable Conclusions (Inevitable, Book 1)
Inevitable Seductions (Inevitable, Book 2)
Inevitable Addiction (Inevitable, Book 3)
Haunted (Eternally Tethered, Book 1)
Coveted (Eternally Tethered, Book 2)
The Culmination of Everything (Sugar Valley, Book 1)
Equivalent Exchange (Night Shift)
Wonder
Me + Somebody's Son: A Heights Story Page 7
