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  “Reggie, she’s my son’s mother. I can’t ignore her.”

  “I didn’t say you had to do that. I’m just saying give her boundaries. You already work together every day. How much of this handsome face does she need to see?”

  “Don’t be jealous,” Mark playfully admonished his wife. “And don’t read more into it than it is. Lawson and I have been over a long time.”

  “Yes, we know that, but I think sometimes she forgets.” Reginell followed Mark to the door. “Sister or no sister, I won’t hesitate to throw some blows if that’s what it takes to remind her!”

  Chapter 5

  “No one can tell my story the way I can.”

  –Kina Battle

  Kina’s no-nonsense editor shook her head and drew a big red mark through Kina’s manuscript. “No, no, no!” declared Terrilyn Smiley. “This won’t do at all, Kina!”

  “Are you serious?” asked Kina, seated across from Terrilyn’s desk in her Atlanta office, which was as cold and uninviting as Terrilyn herself. “This is the third draft I’ve submitted to you!”

  “And it’s the third draft I’ve hated!” Terrilyn thrust the manuscript at Kina. “This is just a collection of flowery little anecdotes about your kid and your friends, with a few scriptures thrown in here and there. Where’s the heart of your story? Where’s the red meat?”

  “You said it should be uplifting and encouraging to others,” Kina reminded her.

  “No, I told you to write a cautionary tale about the price of fame and fortune. You were supposed to write about how you went from being a victim to a victor and how you lost it all—friends, the money, your scruples—in one fell swoop because you got greedy and selfish and didn’t care who you had to trample over to get what you wanted. This book is supposed to be your comeback, Kina! It’s your chance to tell your side of the story. The public knows your son shot and killed his father. What they want to know now is why and how you dealt with it. They know you claim to be this devout Christian, yet you got caught up in a scandalous affair with another woman and attempted to seduce your best friend’s preacher husband.”

  Kina corrected her. “I never had an affair with Charles.”

  “But you wanted to, and you betrayed your friends and family once you got fame. Here’s your opportunity to tell the world why.”

  Kina offered up a few pages of the manuscript. “I thought I did that.”

  Terrilyn shook her head. “The fact that you think this piece of crap did that is one of the many reasons why I’m bringing in a ghost writer.” Terrilyn buzzed her assistant. “Lola, will you send Desdemona in please?”

  “Why are you bringing in a ghost writer?” questioned Kina. “I should be the one writing my book. No one can tell my story the way I can.”

  “I need someone who can tell your story better than you can, which I why I’m bringing in Desdemona.” Terrilyn broke her stern scowl when she saw Desdemona standing in the doorway. “Come on in, Des. I want you to meet Kina. Kina, this is author extraordinaire Desdemona Price.”

  Desdemona walked in and extended her hand to Kina. “It’s great to finally meet you. I am a huge fan of Lose Big and was one of your biggest supporters.”

  Kina’s first thought was, How in the world is this frumpy specimen in Bohemian rags, wearing glass jars where her eyes should be, going to be the best person to write about me? Instead of asking the question aloud, Kina simply shook Desdemona’s hand.

  “Des is a fantastic writer,” bragged Terrilyn. “She’s one of the best in the business. You’d be surprised by how many celebrities she’s ghostwritten for. You should feel honored that she agreed to work with you on this book, Kina.”

  Kina smiled politely. “No offense to you, Desdemona. I’m sure you’re an excellent writer, but I don’t really think I need any assistance in telling my story.”

  Desdemona adjusted her glasses, confused. “Oh . . . I was under the impression that you needed my help.”

  “She does!” answered Terrilyn. “And she will get it whether she likes it or not!”

  Kina huffed. “Don’t I have any say in this?”

  “Your say-so with this book has been redirected to the circular file, along with this latest round of garbage you’ve written.”

  “I don’t think you’re being fair,” insisted Kina.

  Terrilyn stood up and stared Kina down. “You want to talk about fair? Kina, I went out on a limb for you! I pitched this book as a salacious tell-all and garnered you a nice five-figure advance. Not only is it your butt on the line if this book flops, but it’s mine too, which I don’t think is fair. Nor is it fair to me to let some sexually confused, fake Christian wannabe reality starlet screw up ten years of solid sales and a stellar reputation at this publishing company!”

  “She didn’t mean it like that,” said Desdemona, embarrassed for Kina.

  “No, that’s exactly how I meant it! Kina, you’re on your fourteenth minute of fame. You have only a small window left to remain relevant in the public eye. The new season of Lose Big is already well under way. In a few weeks, they’ll crown a new fatty, and you’ll be last year’s news. The only way to capitalize on the little bit of notoriety that you have left is to go big and go hard. I don’t have the luxury of time to coddle you through this process. Desdemona is going to write the book, and that’s all there is to it!”

  “I’m not writing it alone,” Desdemona assured her. “Kina, you’ll have lots of input. It’s still very much your story. All I’m doing is bringing your words to life and putting your story down on paper in a way that the company can market and sell it. This is a partnership. You’re as important to the equation as I am, and my only objective is for us to put out the best book possible.”

  Terrilyn sat back down at her desk. “I’m sending Desdemona back to Savannah with you.”

  Kina’s eyes bulged. “What?”

  “You heard me.” Terrilyn turned to her computer. “She’s going to follow you. She’s going to interview your friends. She’ll even administer your next Pap smear if she has to! That’s how well she will get to know you over the next couple of months.”

  Desdemona shook her head. “Don’t worry, Kina. I’ll give you plenty of space. I’m renting a loft downtown, so you won’t have to look at me twenty-four-seven. However, we will be spending a lot time together getting to know one another.”

  Kina was flustered. “Does anyone even care what I have to say about this or how I feel?” she asked.

  “No!” Terrilyn printed out a contract and handed it to Kina to sign. “Slap your John Hancock right here, and we’ll be ready to get down to business.”

  Kina skimmed over the first page. “What is this?”

  “It is an agreement to let Des write the book. The contract is pretty cut and dry. It basically says everything Des and I told you.”

  “Are you expecting me to pay her?”

  “The publishing company pays her. You, of course, will pay us back in the form of future book sales.”

  “What if it doesn’t sell?”

  “It will—trust me. Between Des’s writing and the marketing push we’re going to put behind it, it’ll be a bestseller,” Terrilyn promised.

  “That’s all the more reason why I don’t want people thinking she wrote this book instead of me,” argued Kina. “It’ll hurt my brand.”

  “You have to have a brand in order for it to be hurt,” barked Terrilyn.

  “There’s a confidentiality clause.” Desdemona pointed it out in the contract to Kina. “No one has to know I wrote it if you don’t want them to.”

  Kina copped an attitude. “What if I refuse to sign this?”

  Terrilyn passed her a pen. “Then you can give back the twenty thousand we advanced you and get the you know what out of my office. Now sign it.”

  “I know you have misgivings, but I promise you that nothing will go in this book that you didn’t sanction, Kina,” swore Desdemona. “You have my word that this will be a book you can be prou
d of and a powerful legacy to leave behind for those who love you. You still have fans out there who rooted for you while you were on the show. They’re vested. They believe in you and want to know everything there is to know about you. Let’s work together and write this book for them.”

  “Sign,” commanded Terrilyn.

  Kina was still hesitant. At the very least she wanted time to pray and to have a lawyer look over the contract, but Terrilyn was breathing down her neck, signaling that time was of the essence. Seeing as how she’d already blown through a good percentage of the advance money, Kina tucked her tail between her legs and signed.

  Chapter 6

  “Don’t be fooled for a second by those big brown doe

  eyes. I’ve seen the way she looks at you!”

  –Angel King

  “I wish I didn’t have to go. I hate that I have to leave with you feeling this way,” lamented Duke, zipping his suitcase as he and Angel prepared to part ways at the Thomas Square Streetcar Historic District home he once shared with his late wife and hoped to share again with Angel.

  “I know I’ve been a little down since the accident, but I’m fine. I’m not giving up on Sullivan,” vowed Angel.

  “It’s not too late for me to cancel, you know. You, Miley, and Morgan are my priorities. If you need me here to help you get through this, say the word.”

  “No, don’t do that. You’ve already booked the flight and hotel, and you have people at work depending on you to make this deal happen. It’s only two days,” said Angel with a smile. “I should be able to survive that long without you.”

  Duke kissed her forehead. “You always take other people’s feelings into consideration. It’s one of a thousand things I love about you. Thanks again for volunteering to come over and look after the girls. They love having you here.”

  “Duke, neither Miley nor Morgan has my blood coursing through their veins, but you know those girls are as much mine as they are yours. You never have to thank me for loving them, or you, for that matter.”

  “I hope you know how much you’re appreciated. Not only for watching the girls, but also for the way you stepped up to help out after Reese died. You have so much going on in your own life, but I don’t think there’s ever been a time when you weren’t here for us.”

  “Nor will there be! We’re a family.”

  Duke nodded. “Indeed, which is why I’ve been trying for months to get that ring back on your finger and make it official! You keep blowing me off.”

  “You know nothing could be further from the truth, babe. I just want to be sure this time, you know? We’ve broken up so many times before.”

  “But we always find our way back to each other, Angel. All those issues we had with infidelity and trust—that’s over now. I’d never hurt you that way again. You believe that, don’t you?”

  Angel exhaled. “I’m getting there. At Sullivan’s party, Lawson said any couple who has been through everything we have and still wants to be together must be soul mates. I’m starting to believe her.”

  “Well, I’ve known that since seeing you that day in the library at Howard,” recalled Duke. “I knew at that moment, you were going to be the woman I was going to marry.”

  “Did you know I was going to be the woman you divorced too?” Angel replied, ribbing him.

  “What can I say? I was young and selfish when we got married the first time. Not to undercut anything I felt for Reese, because I loved her until the day she died, but my heart never strayed too far from you.”

  The painful memories of their split came flooding back to Angel. “Maybe not, but the rest of you did.”

  “I won’t make the same mistakes twice, though. Angel, having you in my life is the reason I know God is real. I know I don’t deserve those girls or you, but God looked past all my faults and sins and led me back to you. I’d die before I’d do anything to screw it up again.” He planted a tender kiss on her lips. “I love you, baby.”

  “Aww,” gushed Angel, moved. “When you say things like that, you make it almost impossible for me not to be crazy in love with you!”

  “Do you want me to stop?”

  “Yes, unless you want me to rip up this plane ticket so you can’t go anywhere,” quipped Angel. “Actually, I don’t mind you going to LA as much as I hate that you’re going with your starry-eyed assistant.”

  Duke laughed. “Mya is harmless, trust me!”

  “About as harmless as a rattlesnake!” exclaimed Angel. “Don’t be fooled for a second by those big brown doe eyes. I’ve seen the way she looks at you!”

  “Mya’s a kid. She’s what? Twenty? I like my women grown and seasoned like you.” He leaned down to kiss her. “Honestly, she’s a good girl. She has never crossed the line and is always professional. She’s there trying to fulfill her internship requirements, that’s all.”

  “If you say so,” said a doubtful Angel. “A woman knows these things, Duke.”

  “There is nothing that girl can do for me. She’s practically Miley’s age. However, I know exactly what you can do for me. . . .”

  She pulled away from him. “Now, now . . . we agreed to wait, remember?”

  Duke released his sexual frustration in a heavy sigh. “That’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way, pun intended.”

  Angel giggled. “I know, but I want us to get it right this time, which means no shacking up, no sleeping over, and no sex until we get married . . . again.”

  “I guess we’re working our way backward. We got married first, divorced, then shacked up, and now we’re waiting to have sex.”

  “It’ll all work itself out in the end. In the meantime, you better get out of here. I don’t want you to miss your plane.”

  “You’re right. I’m just going to run upstairs and kiss the girls good-bye one last time. Then I’m coming back to kiss my other girl one last time too.” Duke winked at Angel before heading upstairs.

  Duke’s phone vibrated, signaling that a text message had just come through. Angel’s curiosity got the best of her, and she picked up the phone and read it. Looking forward to a great time in LA. Mya.

  Angel placed the phone back where Duke had left it, trying to convince herself that the text was innocent and that she had nothing to worry about. She smiled, remembering both Lawson’s and Duke’s words about their relationship. For a moment, she wholly believed that Duke could go with Mya and keep everything platonic and professional while they were in Los Angeles.

  Then she eyed his plane ticket and remembered her mother’s harsh warning to her the first time she took Duke back after he cheated on her. A leopard never changes his spots. He changes only his location.

  Chapter 7

  “You know the saying . . . Mama’s baby,

  Daddy’s maybe.”

  –Lawson Banks

  Sitting on Lawson’s living room sofa, Mark lowered his head into his hands as the news sank in. “Pregnant? You all are just kids yourself.”

  “Yeah, kids who’ve been playing grown folks’ games!” retorted Reginell and poked Namon. “Boy, what happened to all those condoms I gave you?”

  “You too?” murmured Garrett.

  Lawson eyeballed Shari with suspicion. “And you’re positive that Namon is the only one who could be this child’s father?”

  Shari nodded. “He’s the only one I’ve been with.”

  Namon was offended. “It’s my baby, Ma, so stop asking her that.”

  Lawson sucked her teeth. “You know the saying . . . Mama’s baby, Daddy’s maybe,” she grumbled.

  “Lawson, don’t make it worse,” cautioned Garrett. “Namon says it’s his child, so let it go.”

  Mark sat up. “Well, look, what’s done is done. Now we’ve got to figure out how to make the best of this situation.” He turned to Shari. “Do your parents know?”

  Shari shook her head. “Not yet. I’m going to tell my mama when we leave here. I’ll write my dad and tell him sometime next week.”

  Mark was confused.
“Write him?”

  “He’s in jail,” said Lawson, filling in the blanks. “He’ll make a fine grandfather, won’t he?”

  Namon groaned. “Mama . . .”

  Lawson threw up her hands and walked away from him.

  “What are y’all going to do about school? Living arrangements?” questioned Mark. “How are you going to take care of this baby?”

  Namon stepped forward and spoke up. “I was thinking maybe Shari and me could find a place together, maybe even get married in a year or two—”

  “One mistake is gracious plenty!” interjected Lawson, returning to the fold. “We don’t need the two of you making another one.”

  “Lawson, this baby isn’t a mistake,” announced Reginell. “Just a surprise.”

  “I wasn’t talking about the baby. I meant the situation,” explained Lawson. “At the same time, we’re not going to stand here and sugarcoat this disaster, either! Neither one of them is in any kind of position to take care of a baby!”

  “I can get a job,” volunteered Namon.

  Lawson rolled her eyes. “Doing what? Flipping burgers or waiting tables somewhere? I hope you realize that’s all that’s out there for an eighteen-year-old with no education, no experience, and no connections.”

  “She ain’t lying!” added Reginell, recalling her own odd jobs waitressing, which soon blossomed into exotic dancing to make ends meet. “Why do you think I’m back in school?”

  “And what happens to school?” Lawson asked her son. “Are you simply gonna drop out?”

  Namon gulped. “If I have to, I can leave school for a little while or go online.”

  Lawson tried to reason with him. “Namon, I don’t think you’re being realistic. Everybody can’t excel in online classes, and if you drop out, chances are that you’re not going back. I’ve seen it too many times.”

  “You didn’t go to college right off, but you made it, and you were younger than me,” asserted Namon. “If you did it, we can do it too.”