Hey, Beloved!

Tomorrow is the day! Just Say You Love Me goes live tonight at midnight! You can preorder it here to have it delivered as soon as it goes live.

Here’s one last unedited sneak peek to hold you over 🙂

Snatching his briefcase and phone from his desk, Jaxon sauntered over to his door… powerful swagger in no way affected by the swiftness of his steps. In usual Jaxon manner, he was focused on one thing and one thing only – getting through his interviews as quickly as possible to meet Luana – so when he opened the door and saw his mother and Tiffany standing on the other side of it he was unable to stifle his irritated groan. Faith valued no one’s time but her own. It didn’t matter how many times he told her he had to leave, she wouldn’t release him until she was done saying what she had to say.

“Now’s really not a good time, Ma,” Jaxon informed her as respectfully as he could.

“This will only take a second,” Faith tried to assure him, but Jaxon knew that wouldn’t be the case. Faith stepped in front of Jaxon, waiting for him to move aside and let her enter. When he didn’t, Faith used the back of her hand in the center of his chest to gently guide him out of the way, “Speak to Tiffany,” Faith instructed, sitting in front of Jaxon’s desk.

“Tiffany,” Jaxon spoke with as little enthusiasm as he had patience.

Tiffany smiled widely and stepped into his office, finding her place in the seat next to Faith while Jaxon closed the door. Unbuttoning his suit jacket, Jaxon exhaled a long, deep breath as he prayed silently and walked back over to his desk.

“What’s up, Ma? I have quite a few interviews me and Kingston need to get to before a meeting.”

“I wanted to reintroduce you to Tiffany. Your new wife.”

Waiting for the punchline to her joke, Jaxon continued to stare at his mother silently. She had to be out of her mind if she thought Jaxon was going to spend the next few months attached to Tiffany in any way. Tiffany was the kind of woman normal mothers warned their sons to stay away from. Not Faith. With her, it was all about status, power, position and legacy. It didn’t matter how much of a gold digging leech Tiffany was who spent her days working to secure her next sugar daddy; in Faith’s eyes, she came from good stock. And that mattered more to her than a woman’s morals and values – or her son’s interest and happiness for that matter.

When Faith didn’t continue speaking, Jaxon pulled his phone out and shot Kingston a quick text to let him know he was going to be a few minutes late before speaking.

“I agreed to the whole marriage thing, but I’m picking my own wife, Ma.”

Faith looked at Tiffany and smiled softly, then she sat up in her seat… hanging over Jaxon’s desk.

“You can pick your own wife just as long as Tiffany is your pick.”

“Tiffany,” Jaxon called, “Can you step outside and give us a minute alone please?”

Tiffany stood, smiling when Faith patted her hand softly. They both watched her leave, and as soon as the door closed behind her Faith whispered loudly, “What is wrong with you carrying on like that in front of her? She’s going to think you don’t want to marry her.”

“I don’t!” Jaxon seethed, eyebrows wrinkling and teeth grinding. It wouldn’t do him any good to be upset with his mother. It wouldn’t change anything. She would stand firm behind her desire no matter how horribly matched Jaxon and Tiffany were. If anything, his anger would make Faith calmer and firmer.

“Why not? She comes from good stock. A wealthy and political tree. Do you know how powerful a union the two of you would have? The Jeffries and Russel stock could be the combination that gets us in the white house. Tiffany is perfect for you, Jaxon.”

“No she’s not,” Jaxon argued, standing from his seat and peering down at his mother, “She just got out of one marriage with a seventy-year-old man whose death almost made her a millionaire. I’m not going to let her ride off of me to reach that point. She’s a gold digger whose only concern is the size of a man’s wallet. That’s not the kind of woman I want at my side.”

“Yes, Tiffany has the sense to secure her future financially, but that’s not a bad thing. That should let you know that she’s going to do whatever it takes to satisfy you and help you win. She’s a chameleon. She can be the basketball wife, the politician’s wife, the drug lord’s wife. The woman is ever changing and evolving her men, Jaxon. She can help you, son. Tiffany is the one.”

The only thing Jaxon saw Tiffany changing was the money in his bank account and respect he had from men who valued a higher class of woman.

“Tiffany is not the one. You told me I needed a wife to soften my image. There’s nothing about Tiffany that’s feminine, soft or genuine. She’s a known money chaser. I won’t look like a caring, big hearted family man; I will look like a fool getting played like all the others.”

Faith stood, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. Like Jaxon didn’t get his stubborn streak from her.

“We’re not finished with this conversation. I’m going to go because I have a case this morning, but I want you to let Tiffany ride along with you.”

“Ma,” Jaxon whined, feeling like a seven-year-old all over again.

“Keep her at your side while you handle your business today just to see how it feels.”

“So you want me to rent a wife for the day?”

Faith shrugged before walking over to Jaxon and pulling his pocket square out.

“Call it what you want, son, but I want you to give her a trial run. Give her a genuine chance. I really like her for you. For this.”

Jaxon remained silent as he watched his mother fold the square and return it to his pocket. If Faith liked Tiffany for Jaxon she didn’t know her son at all. What Faith didn’t know was that Jaxon had already tried to secure a future with Tiffany years ago. While he was still in college lending money to other students. Getting a feel for his knack of lending and gaining money in interest in return. Before he started his business and grew a name outside of his family.

She didn’t want him then.

When he was refusing to live off his parents’ money and struggling to make his own.

When he had nothing but his love and affection to offer her.

As if that didn’t hold more weight than any amount of money.

Tiffany didn’t want him when Jaxon had nothing; and he didn’t want her now that he had everything.

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I hope you’re as excited to read their story as I am to bless you with it!

Until tomorrow,

Love, B.