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  Due for Love

  A Novelette

  Shenaé Hailey

  B. Love Publications

  Copyright © 2019 by Shenaé Hailey

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Epilogue

  Out now by BLP!

  Introduction

  Hey, book bae!

  “Due for Love” was a total pleasure project. I was on the road from Memphis to Louisiana and the idea just randomly came to me. Not wanting to wait until I got back home to my computer, I typed it on my phone! In six hours, I’d written this super random 8,000-word novelette.

  My hand and wrist were killing me afterwards, lol, but I absolutely fell in love with the uniqueness of this story. It is a love story, but it’s definitely not a romance. It’s not the typical story you’d expect to get from B. Love or Shenaé Hailey. If that’s what you’re looking for, the traditional story, please do not read this one. If you do not like shorter stories or ones that don’t show the beginning, middle, and end of a couple’s journey, please do not read this novelette. It does NOT end in marriage and babies, so if that’s what you’re looking for, please do not read this novelette.

  Still want to take this ride with Serenity and Jamere? Swipe on! Thanks for reading.

  Write for you again soon,

  1

  Because sometimes, love is not enough.

  “Are you okay?”

  Serenity looked up and into the eyes of Sapna. Sapna had been given the daunting task of perfecting Serenity’s eyebrows before her wedding. This couldn’t be just a typical threading. No. Her eyebrows had to be just as perfect as every other part of her face, body, and wedding attire.

  With an assuring smile, Serenity nodded. “Yes, I’m fine.”

  Sapna turned to the left slightly and grabbed the small, black handheld mirror. She handed it to Serenity, then cupped her hands together in the center of her as she waited for her approval. Serenity looked her brows over as intently as she could, not wanting one hair to be missed or out of place.

  “This is perfect, Sop. Thank you.”

  Sapna smiled as she took the mirror from Serenity. Just about everyone in the spa had had a hand in helping Serenity prepare for her special day. From waxing and facials to nails and now her eyebrows. The ladies at Envy Spa made sure to leave no stone unturned. After Sapna led Serenity to the front counter so she could pay, she gave Serenity a small gift bag and told her not to open it until the first night of her honeymoon.

  Serenity spoke one final thanks before heading to the door to exit, stopping at the sound of her name being called. The first time she heard it she continued to walk, because there hadn’t been anyone in the spa that she recognized. But when she heard it a second time… the voice was all too familiar. Shoulders stiff, Serenity turned slowly towards the sound of the voice.

  Haisley.

  Jamere’s ex-wife.

  One of the mothers of his children.

  The thorn in their relationship that just wouldn’t let up.

  Although Serenity had grown close to her soon to be step-children, she loathed one of the women that had given birth to them. Haisley thrived on reactions. She was a scandalous woman who fed her insecurities by wreaking havoc in the lives of others. For the past year and a half, Haisley had tried her hardest to come between Jamere and Serenity.

  Haisley was Jamere’s second wife and first mother of his children. While Serenity understood them having children together tied them to each other for life, she sure as hell wished they could have had a more peaceful arrangement. Serenity hadn’t spoken to Haisley since the engagement, but that didn’t stop her from constantly running her mouth to everyone who would listen and giving Jamere hell every time he got their children.

  Now, on the outside looking in, Serenity appeared to have won. She was the one wearing Jamere’s ring. She was the one he promised to love, honor, and protect. It was Serenity who had packed up all of her belongings and quit her job to move to Virginia and start a new life with Jamere.

  But behind closed doors, things weren’t as easy and perfect as the doting couple made it out to be.

  Serenity already struggled with feeling as if she came second to quite a few things in Jamere’s life, career and children included. Off the promises of his word, she believed the priority and role she had in his life would change when she became his wife.

  If she became his wife.

  Between the drama of his bitter baby mamas and ex-wife, Serenity wasn’t one hundred percent sure if these were things she wanted to deal with for the rest of her life.

  Something had to change.

  “Yea?” Serenity replied, feet sluggishly leading her over to Haisley.

  In true Haisley fashion, she waited until Serenity was standing over her to speak.

  “I heard you’re engaged to Jamere.” All that got was a blank expression out of Serenity because she knew good and damn well what was going on between her and Jamere. Why, Serenity had been the topic of multiple arguments between the two. Haisley even swore Serenity was the reason she wanted Jamere to come to her home to spend time with their children because she didn’t trust Serenity around them, but Serenity wasn’t stupid.

  She knew that was an attempt to have the family unit that Haisley was desperately trying to hold on to. That was one thing she could applaud Jamere on, though. Although he entertained Haisley’s antics more than Serenity would have liked, he never did anything with her or any other woman to cause her to worry about his fidelity. “Are you engaged to Jamere?”

  “You know I am.”

  Haisley chuckled as she sat up in the reclining chair. Her face was covered with a sheet mask, but her lips and lingering smile were free.

  “Tell him to get divorced first.” Haisley’s smile spread, showing off her teeth.

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means we’re still married. Tell him to get divorced before he tries to marry someone else.”

  “You’re lying.” Serenity’s grip on her purse tightened. That was the only thing she could think of to keep her from wrapping her hand around Haisley’s neck. “He showed me the divorce papers.”

  “I’m sure he did, but I never signed that final paper. Jamere filed for divorce, but it was never finalized. He still belongs to me.”

  “That can’t be true.” Serenity’s purse slipped from her hand. “He showed me the divorce papers,” she repeated, trying to convince herself that the past eighteen months with Jamere hadn’t been a lie.

  “It’s levels to this shit honey. After our final hearing, there were three other forms that needed to be signed. Jamere signed them but I didn’t, and until I do… we’re still married.”

  Serenity’s hands went to her temples as her ears began to ring. Did Jamere know? He couldn’t have known. They had divorced three years ago, or at least that’s what he thought. What he’d told her. Her eyes lowered into thin slits as she looked Haisley over. It seemed like there was some type of issue with Haisley or another woman every time Serenity turned around.

  No more.

  Before Serenity could stop herself, she was connecting her fist with Haisley’s face.

  “You let me fall in love with him and you knew he was still married?” she yelled, her voice being the only thing loud enough in the spa to drown out the connection of her fist with Haisley’s face.

  Before sh
e could hit her a fourth time, several sets of arms were wrapping around her and pulling her away. As Serenity yelled to be free, she had become the complete opposite of her name.

  Serenity was led to her car, and Sapna opened the door for her. She helped her get inside, putting her key in the ignition and her purse in the front seat in the process. For a while, they sat there in silence. It wasn’t until Sapna started humming that Serenity was reminded of her presence.

  “I’m so sorry, Sop. I don’t know what came over me.”

  Sapna’s signature smile covered her face. “It’s okay. How do you feel?”

  Serenity sat back in her seat, not sure of how she felt. As angry as she was with Haisley, there was still the matter of Jamere. If she would give him time to get his situation together or take this as a sign that she needed to get out before it was too late.

  “I don’t know how I feel, Sapna, but I’m going to figure it out soon.”

  Jamere paced back and forth. His eyebrows were pushed together. Eyes empty. Bottom lip constantly being pulled into his mouth as he chewed it. Every so often he’d mumble something under his breath before shaking his head in disagreement.

  Serenity looked at the time on the Rolex adorning her left wrist. It was the gift he’d given her for her twenty-ninth birthday, and a sign of his wealth and why women like Haisley couldn’t bear the thought of him leaving their lives.

  “Jamere,” Serenity called quietly, wanting to get this conversation over with. They were supposed to get married in two days, and at this point, Serenity didn’t know if she could stomach being around him for another five minutes. True, this wasn’t his fault, but it was yet another disruption of the peace she’d worked so hard to conceive and maintain.

  Looking at her, Jamere’s face covered with relief. He took the necessary steps to close the space between them then kneeled before her.

  “I didn’t know, Serenity. You have to believe me.” Serenity nodded as she cupped his cheek. “I should have checked with my lawyer, but I didn’t think she would do something like this, and even if she did I assumed my lawyer would call me if there were any issues. The last time I talked to him, he told me everything was good to go on my end and once she signed those papers I would be a free man. He didn’t give a fuck after that last payment cleared, but this is still on me because I should have made sure everything was everything.” Jamere took her hands into his. “All I need is a day to get this taken care of, baby. It won’t take any more than that.”

  Normally, Serenity would have been okay with anything Jamere said… even when she wasn’t. But this time… this time was different. This time she was tired. Tired of coming second. Tired of having to prove her place. Her value. Tired of wondering if he truly understood her worth. Tired of love being filled with so much hurt. And pain. And disappointment. And rejection. And angst. And waiting…

  Waiting to come first.

  Waiting to be seen.

  Waiting to be heard.

  No more.

  “I…” She paused, needing more bass and volume in her voice. “It’s too much, Jamere.” He stood and began to pace. “It’s always one thing after another, and… and I can’t help but wonder if these are signs that…”

  “Signs that what, Serenity?” He was back in front of her now, grabbing her shoulders and using them to lift her from her seat. “That we shouldn’t be together?”

  Her words escaped her as she stared into his eyes. All she could do was nod.

  “It’s just too much,” Serenity repeated, heart breaking over the shared truth. “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life like this. Love… it shouldn’t be this stacked. This layered with drama and issues and problems, babe. You can’t tell me this is normal to you.”

  “It is. It’s normal to me.”

  “Well it’s not normal to me. It’s not how I thought my life and marriage would be.”

  Serenity pulled the eighteen-karat diamond ring from her finger. She tucked it into her tightly clasped fist as she took a step away from Jamere.

  “I think we need to take a break, Jamere.”

  His head shook rapidly as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “All gas, baby. No breaks. You know I don’t believe in those.”

  Serenity chuckled as her grip on the ring loosened. “I know, and that’s why you’re in this situation now. You jump from one relationship to the next without taking the time to focus on and work on yourself. Leaving children and broken hearts and pieces of you within every woman you come into contact with that’s just as scarred as you, but I don’t want that for me, Jamere. I deserve better, and I’m just not sure if you’re capable of giving that to me. I thought I could be the woman to make you happy and change you, but that change has to come from within yourself.”

  It was as if her words went in one ear and out of the other, because all Jamere said was, “But I love you.”

  Serenity released a long breath as she lifted her hand in an attempt to give him the ring back. “But sometimes, love isn’t enough.”

  “Okay.” His hands went into prayer position over his mouth before he spoke again. “What about this? What about you give me 24 hours to show you that love is enough?”

  “Jamere, no.”

  She stuffed the ring into his chest, but he still wouldn’t take it. Instead, he covered her hand with his and kept it at his chest.

  “Give me 24 hours to show you that love is enough, and that it’s the perfect foundation for everything else that you need. Everything else that you can receive from me. If you don’t feel like it is we’ll cancel the wedding, but if I can prove that to you, you’ll marry me and leave Memphis like we planned.”

  There was no part of Serenity’s mind that told her agreeing was a good idea, but her heart had a mind of its own. A mind that told her to do whatever she could to hold on to a man like Jamere. One who was handsome, well educated, and bringing in a quarter of a mil a year. A mind that told her that Jamere was the best she could do, and since she was knocking on the door of thirty, she’d better answer. A mind that told her that even though it wasn’t perfect, Jamere loved her the best way he knew how.

  “Please, Serenity. I know this isn’t how you saw your life. I know you wanted your first marriage to be your only marriage and that you wanted you and your husband to have your children together, but just because our love isn’t the fairytale you pictured doesn’t mean it’s not real. This is my reality, baby, but I promise you I can give you what you need. You won’t have to worry about Haisley or any other woman. The moment you become my wife, things will change.”

  But they wouldn’t.

  Because as long as he had children to raise and ex-wives to pay… things would always remain the same. But that didn’t stop Serenity from saying, “Okay,” as low as she could, so her mind wouldn’t hear her.

  Jamere’s shoulders dropped. Head flung back. Mouth opened before it formed a smile. He pulled her into his arms and squeezed her tightly as tears filled her eyes.

  “You won’t regret this, I promise. When you see me, pretend as if you don’t know me. We will roleplay and act as if this is our first time meeting all over again. Because we need this moment of vulnerability and transparency. You won’t regret this, Serenity, I promise.”

  Serenity nodded as she held him tighter, fearing she’d break the moment he released her.

  2

  Because sometimes, love is all you have.

  Serenity caught the tear before it could slide down her cheek. Six hours had passed since she’d agreed to become strangers all over again with Jamere. In that moment, it seemed like the perfect goodbye. As time passed, she became conflicted. Could she possibly end things when it was over after he’d shown this effort?

  “Five more,” Serenity requested, pushing the last empty shot glass towards the bartender.

  He eyed her skeptically before lining five more glasses up and filling them with tequila.

  “You have anyone I can call for you when you’re done?” He ask
ed, wiping up the spilled liquor that hadn’t made it into the glass.

  Serenity shook her head as she pulled one of the glasses toward her.

  “No, I don’t need…”

  The door of the bar opened, right at 8:00 p.m. like Jamere said it would. Her eyes shifted, anxious to see who was coming inside. His left foot entered the bar first, and as soon as it did her pussy leaped.

  He was fine.

  The kind of fine that snuck up on you. His looks may not have been the first thing you noticed about him, but it would for sure be the last thing you locked permanently into your memory. Golden brown skin was covered in a cream linen shorts suit. His stomach was flat, guiding her up to his curly haired chest that was exposed by the first three buttons of his shirt being unbuttoned.

  Just as on his chest, the hair on his head was curly as well. And thick. Jet black in color. So was his beard.

  His upturned eyes landed on her, and as he took her in, the left side of his mouth lifted into a smile. Slowly, he sauntered over to her, making her heart quicken with each step he took. Not wanting to make her ogling obvious, Serenity turned in her seat, knocking the shot back in the process.

  He stood next to her, taking his time getting into the empty bar stool to her right. Before he did, he looked at her once more as his smile widened.

  “I’ll have a Hennessy and Coke and put whatever she’s having on my tab as well,” he ordered and offered, to which Serenity shook her head immediately.

  “Oh no. That’s not necessary. I’ve been here for quite a while and I’m sure I’ve racked up a nice bill.”

  “That’s fine,” was all he said, but he continued to look into her eyes.