LOGINKeisha’s POVWhen I wake up, my husband to be is already moving around the room.I squint at the clock.5:25.I roll over and see him laying clothes out on the bed like he’s styling a mannequin.I laugh.“What are you doing?”He grins at me.“Baby, you’re going to work and you’re gonna look hot. I already got our daughter dressed. She’s in her car seat. All I need you to do is get up, kiss her, and get your hot ass in the shower. When I get home? Dinner will be ready.”I prop myself up on my elbows.“So you're this happy because of what Crandon told you?”He smirks.“Actually, yes. We got a leg up now. Someone physically knows she doesn’t have a child. I completely forgot about that woman. It’s insane.”He leans down and kisses me.I gasp dramatically.“You kissing me with my stinky breath?”“Yes,” he says without hesitation. “With all your shit-smelling breath. Because I love you.”“Get the fuck away from me.”He walks out laughing.I get up, handle my morning business, and take my t
Kole’s POVBy the time Monday rolled around, I was running on pure adrenaline.After that text from Crandon telling me who Pam was, everything clicked. I remembered her—vaguely. That boxing match night. Years ago. Different headspace. Different life.I completely forgot she ended up with Silas.I could’ve talked to him at any point, but back then my mind was everywhere. I wasn’t thinking long-term. I wasn’t thinking consequences. I was just… moving.But this morning?I woke up focused.I got my workout in before sunrise. Showered. Put on one of my better suits. Woke up my baby girl, fed her, changed her, gave her a quick bath. Got her dressed like she was heading to a board meeting herself. Packed her bag.Then I made sure her mama was good too.Made her breakfast. Checked on her. Kissed her forehead. Made sure she felt steady before heading into her own day.After I dropped the baby off, I headed straight to the office.I was greeting the receptionist like I owned the building. Check
Crandon’s POVAs my mother and Tempest come out of the kitchen with the final touches, everybody settles in, plates in front of them, forks ready like we’ve been waiting our whole lives for this meal.My mother looks at Tempest like she’s known her for ten years and says,“So this beautiful young lady was telling me she’s from California, and I was telling her how much I love California and how we should all go.”I pause mid-reach for the cabbage and look at my mother.Here she go.We just started dating yesterday and she’s already planning family vacations.I start picking at the little food on my plate anyway because I’m hungry and I know better than to argue with Stella Morgan on an empty stomach.She claps her hands.“Stop. We haven’t said grace yet, and you know better.”Silas laughs. Chase laughs. Pam shakes her head. Tiffany is still talking David’s ear clean off.We bow our heads.My mother gives a quick prayer,“Lord, thank you for this food we are about to receive. Amen.”“A
Crandon’s POV I wake up Sunday with this gorgeous woman wrapped around me, and I have to pause for a second to figure out how we even got like this.When we went to sleep, we were on our own sides with her hand on my chest.Now she’s snuggled into me, head and hand on my chest, her thigh thrown across my waist like she claimed territory in the night.I sigh, looking down at her peaceful face. She looks completely relaxed, and for a moment I don’t want to move at all.“Tempest,” I murmur softly. “We need to get up.”She groans. “Okay.”I pull her in for one last squeeze before carefully sliding out of bed and heading to the bathroom. Morning routine, quick and efficient. Shower, shave, brush my teeth, line myself up, fix my hair.By the time I come back out, she’s gone from the bed.I head into my closet and start picking out my outfit. I don’t know why I’m nervous, I mean, my dad already knows her professionally , but this is different. This is personal.I pull on a pair of black sla
CrandonTempest’s lips are still on mine, warm and insistent, her arms looped around my neck as if she never plans to let go. We’re standing in the middle of my bedroom floor, bodies pressed together, moving in a slow rhythm that has my brain short-circuiting.I cup her face and deepen the kiss, completely lost in it, until that little voice in the back of my head cuts through the haze.Why is she doing this? Slow down.I break the kiss, breathing hard.“Tempest.”She looks up at me, eyes soft. “Yes?”“I think… we should slow it down.”A small smile spreads across her face. “You’re right.”“You okay?”She exhales. “Yeah. I just… couldn’t let tonight go by without giving you a goodnight kiss.”I smile and lean down, giving her another lingering kiss. Before I can pull her closer again, she presses her hand lightly against my chest.“You’re amazing, Crandon,” she says. “And I don’t know if women tell you that enough. I know a lot of them at the office are interested in you. They’re just
Crandon POV After our date at Buckingham Fountain Saturday night, we walked past people selling neon necklaces and light-up gadgets. Tempest’s eyes lit up like she was a kid at a carnival, so I bought her a spinning fan that glowed in different colors and a neon necklace she put on immediately. I laughed and added a bracelet to the mix just because I liked the way she smiled when she was excited.As we kept walking, I asked, “So how are you liking the job?”“I’m actually loving it,” she said. “I love the dynamic. I love how family-oriented you all are. One minute it’s serious business and the next minute everybody’s laughing.”“Yeah,” I said. “Other than that whole incident with me and Carmen, I’ve never had an issue there. I was born into that company, so growing up and then actually becoming part of it, it means something. Some of our cousins went off and did their own thing, but they still come back in different ways. My cousin Philandra, she didn’t want to be an accountant or a l







