“You did what?” Faith shooed Alexis out of her bedroom and closed the door.

Dominique giggled, glad to be able to finally share what had happened three days ago. Faith had been dealing with her daughter, who’d been home sick with the flu. This was the first chance she’d had for a heart-to-heart. “We made love in my office. Girl, it was so good, that man knocked me out!”

“What do you mean?”

“I fell asleep.”

“Dang, girl. It was like that?”

“It was even better the second time.”

“Ooh, sister, this is TMI!” And then in the next breath, “Don’t tell me y’all did it again.”

“Jake left the building at a little after four. I didn’t even bother; just took a shower, curled up on the couch, and caught forty winks.” Dominique paused, reminded of how thankful she was for an assistant like Tessa and the wardrobe she kept at the office so she could be like the Boy Scouts—always prepared. “He’s amazing,” she finished, her voice wistful.

“I’m so happy for you, sister,” Faith answered, her voice also soft. And then she turned playful. “Except now when I meet him, I’ll be looking at your man in a whole different way!”

“How do you think I feel? Sitting in my office chair will never be the same!”

That Sunday, Dominique took Jake to Anita’s house to meet her immediate family. Almost two weeks later the roles were reversed as Dominique left Justin behind to spend Thanksgiving with his dad while she and Jake landed in Birmingham. Dominique was nervous, but there was no need. From the time Jake’s mother, Miss Bernie, enveloped her in a big bear hug and said she was family, Dominique felt just that way.

Jake followed his mother into the kitchen where Dominique met the wives of Jake’s brothers and a few of the kids. From there, Jake took her into the den, where the brothers were watching football.

“Big Mac!” one of the men shouted, getting up at the same time. He looked like an older, heavier version of Jake, sans hair.

“Harold,” Jake said after hugging his brother. “This is Dominique.”

“This is what I’m talking ’bout,” Harold said, as he hugged Dominique. “Throw away those chicken legs and bring in a woman with some meat on her bones!”