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Jas now owned what was once known asWitherspoon Homes. He bought it in a major merger then acquisition. The astute man was now in control of forty-three percent of the residential construction in the state of New Jersey. His actions, including defeating Dan Lewinski in a nasty, drawn-out legal battle, had been unprecedented. The other, larger firms had met their proverbial “David.”
Some of the hard thinking I’d been doing recently included where I would have ended up ifWitherspoon Homeswas taken while I was still at the helm. Where would I have landed? Would I have then finally pushed myself to make my dreams happen?
“I have another secret for you,” Austin’s timber broke my thoughts.
“I’m listening.”
“Naomi’s pregnant.”
I blinked. “Your girlfriend, Naomi?”
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
“But she’s been my replacement on the red carpets. You two have been photographed together for over two years. Right?”
Naomi was a new R&B artist who had been under Pixie’s camp. She ran the circuit by doing features with major artists like Young Lord, Chris Brown, Doja Cat, and even Ameerah, the violinist. It had been three years since her debut and she’d worked with major artists and had even had short roles in movies with Ragee and Julia Roberts. She’d even begun dating Austin Seers. The two had been photographed kissing and holding hands. It was unheard of, her introduction into the industry.
The strange thing was she had not put out an album yet. There were a string of nasty tweets last year about owing her fans a full album after they’d been supporting her career. Austin even subbed the haters on anIGpost, which went viral last year. They never publicly announced their relationship, nor did they try to hide it.
“We’ve been cool for close to three years, but that’s it. She’s been a great friend and understanding of my situation.”
“What situation?”
“Of one day getting the balls to tell you I want you again.”
What?
My face wrinkled, and heart galloped.Holy shit!
“I don’t mean to freak you out. You weren’t a topic of conversation for us much, but I told her from the jump that I’d never had a love like you, and I fucked it up. So, until I could man up and apologize to you, I wasn’t trying to get into another relationship.”
“It sure looked like you did to me,andshe’s pregnant.”
“You got pregnant by a man who wasn’t yours,” Austin argued.
My jaw fell. “Jas and I were together, Au. As short-lived as it was, things were serious between us.”
No, he didn’t tell me his legal name until I was good and pregnant, sending me into labor. But I’d fallen in love with Jas in two to three months. It had taken over a year for me to feel the passion I’d felt for Chivon’s father with Austin.
Austin scoffed, “Come on, Shi-Shi. You two didn’t make it a year.”
“This isn’t a debate I’m about to have with you.” I swallowed, half annoyed, half embarrassed. “Why do you care?”
“Because I want you back, Shi-Shi. I don’t give a fuck if it ruins my relationship with ADJ; I want you to know I’m ready.”
First of all… “Who is ADJ?”
“I’m sorry. Azmir. I know those two are friends and all, but you were mine first. Fuck that.”
I shook my head dazed. This was the type of bullshit I had to deal with. At first, taking this call, I was okay with light flirting—giving Austin the opportunity to inspire some level of romance or lust in me. But no. The fantasy had been effectively broken, and I’d been reminded of my reality: just any man wouldn’t do for me at this place in my life. Spinning the block wasn’t even an attractive possibility.
“Au…”
“No,” he stated with adamance. “It’s taken me too many years to say this. I wasn’t planning on dropping it on you today. I wanted to kind of…grow into it, but come on, Shi-Shi! What’s holding us back? It ain’t your daughter. Can’t be her father.”
“No.” I rolled my eyes. “It’s your impending child. Austin, are you even listening to yourself? You’re about to have a baby and asking me to get back together. That’s messy as hell.”
“Na and I are just friends. Good friends, but nothing more, Shi-Shi.”
