Me + Somebody's Son: A Heights Story Read online

  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