Page 87 of The Plus One

“Get used to having you around. I was finally getting good at being alone, Ace.”

“And then I came along.”

“And then you came along.”

I reached for her hand. “Being able to take care of yourself doesn’t mean you gotta stay alone. Tough girls need love too.”

“That was corny.”

I chuckled, “shit love makes a nigga corny.”

I placed a key in her hand. “What is this?”

“A key to my house.”

“Are you asking me to move in?”

“Not unless you want to. I’m telling you there’s a place for you wherever I am. I would love for you to move in but I know I have the tendency to move too fast when I find something I want.”

Kema stared at the key before adding it to her key ring. “You’re really serious about this?”

“About you? Always.”

She reached into her purse, pulled out her keys and removed one before placing it in my hand. “What’s this?”

“My house key. If I have a place wherever you are, then you have one wherever I am.”

I added it to my key ring. “So we got two houses now?”

She nodded. I pulled her into my lap. She looked at our keys before wrapping her arms around my neck. “I love you, Ace.”

“I love you too.” I grabbed her by the chin and pulled her in for a kiss. I wanted her, but I didn’t wanna rush the moment or turn it into something sexual. I just needed to hold her. When the song changed, I stood and held out my hand. “Dance with me.”

“You dance?”

“Come here before I change my mind.” Kema placed her hand in mine. I pulled her against me and moved us slowly between the vines. I didn’t know exactly what our future looked like. I just knew Kema was in it. And now she knew it too.

Epilogue

Ace

One year later...

Contrary to popular belief and what these niggas told you. It doesn't take a man long to know when he met the right one. After our first night together, I knew Kema was my one. I just had to convince her ass we were going to be together for life.

A year after Kema asked me to be her fake boyfriend, we were on my private jet headed to Vegas to get married. A lot had happened since Cancún. Kema spent the last few months building her brokerage from the ground up. She handled the licenses, hired her own employees, and brought most of her clients with her. For our three month anniversay, I bought her a building.

She cried, cussed me out for lying to her, and then she sucked and fucked a nigga so good I wanted to buy her ass another building. Her sucking and fucking was how she got this private jet.

I used to just rent planes but after we started taking more trips and Kema complained about not wanting to have sex in a bed she wasn't sure was clean I bought this shit.

Tiana never pressed charges after her fight with Kema and Sierra. I guess getting her ass beat was enough. A few weeks later, Sierra found out Tiana was pregnant with Kel’s baby. They didn’t get back together, but having a baby meant they were stuck dealing with each other for life. The baby was innocent, but Kel and Tiana having to put up with each other? That was karma. I loved that shit for them.

Kel tried calling me to explain himself and apologize for the fight. He also tried calling Kema like she gave a damn. We blocked his ass. Whatever he had to say, he could tell his baby mama. We had nothing left to talk abbout.

Now we were heading to make us a forever thing with our friends and family. Stephen and Sierra sat across from us with our godson, Deuce. Apparently that Jamaica trip did exactly what it needed to do because nine months later, his little ass showed up. Best apology gift I ever bought. “Ace,” Sierra called.

“What?”