Martha shrugged. “I’m just glad you’re okay.” A tear fell from Martha’s eye and Samiyah’s arms wrapped around her.
“Don’t cry mom, please, everything is fine.”
“I could’ve lost you. All this time, I’ve been, so hell bent on you staying clear of men and in an instant, you could’ve been gone.” She sighed. “That man really loves you. I’ve honestly never seen anything like it.”
Samiyah smiled, slowly rubbing her mom’s back as their embrace tightened. “I’m so glad you can see that.”
“I’d be crazy not to admit it. You may have truly done it this time.”
Samiyah pulled back astonished. “Are you saying you think he’s the one?”
Martha smirked. “I ain’t saying all of that.” They laughed. “But I do approve. He’s good for you.” Now tears were falling from Samiyah’s eyes. “Awe, don’t cry baby girl.” Martha wiped them away.
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
“I’m sorry I’ve been so hard on you. You’re grown, this is your life, and I should trust you to make the best decisions for it.”
Samiyah placed a kiss on her forehead. “Who are you and what have you done with my mother?”
“Oh, stop it.”
“If you want to stay the night mom, it’s A-Okay. There’s plenty of room.”
“I don’t want to be a bother.”
“You won’t be. I promise; besides, you’ve got a wedding to help me plan.”
“When one door closes,” Martha chimed.
“Another one opens,” Samiyah finished.
They hugged each other and Samiyah led her to the guest room.
The following day, Jonas stepped into his office. “Sandra, cancel my meetings for today.”
“Sir?”
He turned to her. “You heard me correctly, cancel my meetings and see me in my office in fifteen minutes.”
“Yes sir.”
Sandra grabbed the receiver and went about canceling Jonas’ appointments. She had never seen him so serious before and in the office in casual wear. Amanda strolled past her and tapped lightly on the door frame. Jonas looked up. “Come in Amanda and close the door please.”
Amanda swallowed the lump in her throat and glided into the room shutting the door behind her.
“Have a seat.”
Amanda sat down in one of the comfortable leather chairs, and Jonas sat in the one adjacent to her leaning forward so she could look nowhere but his face.
“I want to start off by saying, I apologize.”
Amanda seemed genuinely astonished.
“You came to me as a friend and asked if I would place a bid on you at the auction and I didn’t come through. I never meant to hurt you, and I had every intention of placing a bid. You see, I’m in love with Samiyah Manhattan, and I’m going to marry her. I didn’t know that she would be a part of the auction. If I did, I would’ve made sure one of my brothers placed the highest bid for you. That way you still would’ve been in good hands.”
He sat back and rubbed his jaw. “Throughout the time you’ve been my assistant, things have run rather smoothly, and there’s never been a breach of contract. However, I need to ask you, do you feel like I’ve behaved unprofessionally towards you, at any point and time?”
Amanda hesitated.
“You can speak freely,” he said.
She sighed, “No, you’ve been nothing but professional. I mean you’re very charming, so it’s easy to be…” she reached back and massaged her neck, “taken by you.”
“I understand.”
Amanda bit down on her lip. “I love you Jonas, and I don’t quite understand why you would pick someone else to love over me. I’ve been here for you and done things no assistant should have to do so excuse me if I don’t get it.”
“What have you done that you feel no assistant should have to do?”
“For one, send flowers and a ‘thank you we had a nice time but it’s over cards’ to women you’ve dated. It’s embarrassing.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way. For the longest time, I saw you as irreplaceable. You have no idea how many assistants I went through before hiring you. But honestly, the current events reveal that’s no longer the case.”
“I didn’t mean to fall in love with you, I just did.”
Jonas nodded his head up and down. “You also put my fiancé in an unbearable position. She could’ve been killed.”
Amanda gasped covering her mouth.
“Is that what you wanted?”
“Of course not, I was so angry, I just…” her eyes watered.
“You’re fired.” He stood. “Turn in your set of keys, please.”
“Jonas…” Amanda stuttered, “Mr. Rose, I promise it’ll never happen again.”
He peered at her. “You seem surprised. Did you think I would keep you on board after what you’ve done?”
Her eyes shifted away then back to him. She stood up. “I thought you would forgive me! I thought you would understand.”
“I do forgive you. However, you gave out my personal information. That never should’ve happened, under any circumstances.”
Her small frame shook. “Please!” Amanda begged.
“You’ll have a hefty severance package. Unfortunately, I can’t write you a letter of recommendation, and I wouldn’t put me on the call list for a reference either.”
Tears streamed down Amanda’s face. There was a knock at the door. “Come in.”
Sandra floated quietly into the room. “Sir.”
“Yes Sandra, I’ll need another assistant as soon as possible. Go through the list we have on file please and set up some interviews.”
Sandra glanced from Amanda’s wilted frame back to Jonas. “Anything else, sir?”
“Yes, I’ll need you to step in until I’ve replaced Amanda.”
Amanda clutched her purse and walked stunned towards the exit. After she left, Jonas closed the door.
“Have a seat Sandra.”
Sandra hoped this conversation wouldn’t end like the one between him and Amanda.
Jonas perched his hip on the desk in front of her. “It has come to my attention that Amanda had romantic feelings for me. I don’t reciprocate those feelings. She breached her contract, and I had to let her go. Now, I know you know, she’s been with me for years but make no mistake, I will not tolerate insubordination. I’m newly engaged.” Sandra’s eyes widened. “Does that present a problem for you?”
“No sir.”
“I need you professional at all times, can you do that for me?”
“Yes, of course.”
“No more flirting or lingering in my doorway.”
Sandra’s face lit up beet red. “Um, no, of course not.”
“Good, now that that’s out of the way. Make sure to have a list of interviews set up by the weekend.”
“Shall I change the passcodes that Amanda has?”
“I’m doing that myself; I’ve already started.”
“Okay, will there be anything else?” Sandra was all too eager to flee the office.
“No, that will be all.”
Before Jonas could count to ten, Sandra was gone.
Epilogue
The grains of sand sank between Samiyah’s toes as her feet landed on rose petals. With tentative steps, Samiyah glided between row on row of white chairs filled with family, friends, and associates. In their eyesight, she was radiant and gracious. They’d come back to where it all began, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Samiyah suggested they honor Jonas’ mother by saying their vows where his parents had said theirs. It made Jonas’ heart swell, and his eyes fill with a mist of tears.
Darkness covered the sky, and the moon sat bright in the heavens. It was a perfect scenery with stars sprinting across the atmosphere. The beach was decorated with night lights that wrapped around chairs, bouquets of flowers, and the golden arch standing over her groom.
In Jonas’ eyes, Samiyah was a goddess, the most beautiful person he’d ev
er seen. Covered in a red and white wedding gown that hugged her curves down to her knees. It was her desire to walk barefooted, and Jonas didn’t mind at all. Samiyah’s hair flowed down her back with red jewels drawing a line down the middle. Jonas’ wedding day was always a blur in his eyes.
He didn’t see it coming, his mom was his whole heart, and he couldn’t imagine loving someone the way his father had loved her, then losing them to such violence. It had rendered him incapable of opening his heart. At least that’s what he thought.
Samiyah came into his life and broke through a barrier he thought was unbreakable and she was the best thing that ever happened to him. When she stepped in front of him, Jonas wanted to remove her veil instantly but held back for the sake of tradition. The pastor started with dearly beloved and Jonas didn’t hear anything else. His heart beat fast in his chest, and he could swear it would explode at any moment.
A grin spread across his clean-shaven face. The excitement was like a ball of energy. As the pastor spoke, Jonas pulled Samiyah’s hand to his lips and kissed the back. Her eyes sparkled, and a few tears landed on her russet cheeks. Jonas would give Samiyah all she longed for and more.
Samiyah was on pins and needles. The last six months had been a whirlwind of preparation and things had come together in a fantasy fairytale. In her opinion, the time frame was still too short to plan the wedding, but it couldn’t have come fast enough for Jonas. She loved that he loved her so assiduously. It was contagious, and her love for him drenched her completely. Jonas broad shoulders filled his Armani suit in polished, exquisite fashion. Thick black lashes hovered over his possessive stare sending a shrill of excitement crawling down Samiyah’s spine. His mouth moved slow and sexy.
“I do,” he said.
She barely heard it. Everything was now moving in slow motion. It was happening, her second chance. She didn’t beg for it, didn’t even want it, and yet it had found her faster than she could blink. Samiyah held no regrets. Her mother was in attendance. Martha had given them her blessings, helped Samiyah plan the wedding, and picked out a dress.
Samiyah gained a father, six brothers, and three sisters who were all in attendance. Samiyah even referred to Norma as Auntie Norm. It was overwhelming; more than anything she could ask for. But most importantly, Samiyah gained the man of her dreams; the love of her existence and without a doubt, she loved him more than life itself. It bewildered Samiyah. She didn’t think a love like this was possible.
Suddenly, Samiyah noticed the silence. Jonas continued to level her with a watchful gaze. Quickly Samiyah glanced around; they were waiting on her. A radiant smile floated across her face.
“I do.”
“With the power vested in me—” before the pastor could finish, her veil was lifted, and Jonas drew her in for a succulent kiss. Thunderous applause rose from the crowd. The tears had a mind of their own now, streaming fast down both of their faces. Chocolate mint and sweet honey lay fresh on their palates as they continued the stimulating kiss they couldn’t seem to pull apart from.
“I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Alexander Rose.”
More thunderous applause. Jonas finally released her lips, long enough to breathe and kiss her again.
“I love you,” his dark voice groveled.
“I love you, too,” Samiyah crooned.
They turned to the crowd and waved, Samiyah blowing kisses to her mom and best friend, Claudia. When Samiyah looked back to Jonas, his eyes were on her. He winked, and they ran down the aisle into the night.
The End
Enjoying Falling for a Rose Series? Grab the next installment which follows Jaden Alexander Rose and Claudia Stevens as they venture into a thing called love in, Enough.
Hey reading family, thanks for rocking with me on this roller-coaster ride! I hope you enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. If so, take a moment and leave a review on Amazon. Check the next page for other books I have in store and be sure to sign up for my newsletter!
XOXO - Stephanie
More Books by Stephanie Nicole Norris
Contemporary Romance
Everything I Always Wanted (A Friends to Lovers Romance)
Safe With Me (Falling for a Rose Book One)
Enough (Falling for a Rose Book Two)
Only If You Dare (Falling For a Rose Book Three)
Romantic Suspense Thrillers
Beautiful Assassin
Beautiful Assassin 2 Revelations
Mistaken Identity
Trouble In Paradise
Vengeful Intentions (Trouble In Paradise 2)
For Better and Worse (Trouble In Paradise 3)
Until My Last Breath (Trouble In Paradise 4)
Christian Romantic Suspense
Broken
Reckless Reloaded
Crime Fiction
Prowl
Prowl 2
Hidden (Coming Soon)
Fantasy
Golden (Rapunzel’s F’d Up Fairytale)
Non-Fiction
Against All Odds (Surviving the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) *Non-Fiction
About the Author
Stephanie Nicole Norris is an author from Chattanooga Tennessee with a humble beginning. She was raised with six siblings by her mother, Jessica Ward. Always being a lover of reading, during Stephanie's teenage years her joy was running to the bookmobile to read stories by R. L. Stine.
After becoming a young adult, her love for romance sparked leaving her captivated by heroes and heroines alike. With a big imagination and a creative heart, Stephanie penned her first novel Trouble In Paradise and self-published it in 2012. Her debut novel turned into a four-book series packed with romance, drama, and suspense. To date, Stephanie has self-published twelve books which include ten full novels and two short stories. They can be found at stephaniennorris.wordpress.com and Amazon. Stephanie is inspired by the likes of Donna Hill, Gwynne Forster, Eric Jerome Dickey, Jackie Collins, and more. She currently resides in Tennessee with her husband and two-year-old son.
Safe With Me (Falling For A Rose Book 1) Page 18