Suppressing a smile, she arched a brow. “Oh really? Who told you that?” Women who wanted to be said wife and bear him said children, no doubt.

  “My mom,” he replied, his expression deadpan.

  Kennedy erupted in a fit of giggles, and soon he was laughing along with her.

  After the laughter subsided, his expression sobered. “You know, if the whole scholarship business still bothers you, I think I’ve come up with a solution.”

  Kennedy blinked twice in quick succession. She thought they’d moved on from that. And what could possibly resolve a debt north of two hundred grand?

  “What do you mean? What solution?”

  “You can pay me back.”

  “Pay you back?” she squeaked. Okay, that took an unexpected turn. She certainly hadn’t seen it coming.

  “You said you didn’t want my money and I’m trying to fix it. So if paying me back would do that, that’s what I want.” This time she didn’t miss the amused twinkle in his eyes.

  Beast. He was playing with her.

  “But I wouldn’t have gone to Columbia without the scholarship because I wouldn’t have been able to afford it,” she reasoned, playing along for shits and giggles.

  “I’m sure you can afford it now you have your own business,” he murmured, stroking her hip and his other hand encompassing her breast over her shirt.

  Kennedy’s breath hitched as her nipples pebbled beneath his questing fingers, pleasure swamping her. “I guess I could if I were paying it on my back. But then, what would be the point? You’re already getting that for free,” she said in a breathy, uneven voice.

  “And I love my freebies,” he said, his voice dark and low as he eased her back and grasped the hem of her shirt. In one swift motion, she was half reclined on the sofa in her cranberry demi-cup bra and yoga pants.

  Dragging his smoldering gaze up from her pert breasts to her face, he said, “Will you please do something for me?”

  Anything. Kennedy nodded. She wanted out of the rest of her clothes and Nate out of his. It had been a long four days, and the deleterious effects of sex deprivation were coming to a head.

  Yes, all the puns intended.

  “Say you accept it as a gift and then we’ll never talk about it again.”

  Pushing up on her knees, she began unbuttoning his shirt. “No, I don’t want it to be barred from all future conversations. We should be able to talk about it.” She paused after the second button, braced her hands on his shoulders, and kissed him sweetly on the lips. “Thank you.”

  Nate gave her a slow and seductive smile. “The pleasure was all mine.”

  “There’s a chance that when this is all over, we may not have a business,” she warned lightly, resuming the unbuttoning of his shirt. “Which means your girlfriend may be unemployed.” She didn’t intend to change direction completely, but their service of supplying companies with diverse employees for show had run its course. Hopefully, they’d be able to make up the financial loss elsewhere.

  “I’m not going to think about the worst happening. But even if you don’t have the agency, you’ll still have me, Kennedy. For as long as you want.”

  Brushing her hands away, he assumed the task of unbuttoning and removing his shirt.

  His chest bared to her lustful gaze, she eagerly ran her hands over the taut muscles lightly covered by hair. He inhaled sharply. Lifting her eyes to his, she said huskily, “That could be a while.”

  “Take all the time you want. I’m not going anywhere,” he said, his voice dropping to a throaty grumble. And then he removed the rest of their clothes and took his time bringing her pleasure throughout the night and into the wee hours of the morning.

  EPILOGUE

  One year later

  “Do you want to stay through the karaoke?” Kennedy asked, looking across the table at her boyfriend.

  They’d been together over a year, and she’d moved in with him six months ago. Truthfully, it hadn’t been that big an upheaval in her life. She spent most of the time there anyway. In the months before the move, she’d barely seen her apartment, usually only going there to get more clothes and collect her mail.

  “Isn’t that why we came?”

  “I thought you liked the food,” she said.

  “Yeah, that too.”

  Narrowing her gaze, Kennedy eyed him. He’d been acting funny all day. Something was going on, but she didn’t think it had anything to do with work.

  Constellation was doing better than ever, having recently secured a large government contract. Employee morale was high and senior management was the most diversified it had ever been. After months of interviews, Nate had hired Taylor Young to replace Jack, making her the youngest Black female CTO of a Fortune 500 company at thirty-one. Kennedy thought she was a brilliant find and the two got along like a house on fire. He’d also managed to convince Carol Morton to come back but this time as the VP of Human Resources.

  Token itself had undergone significant changes after days’ worth of discussions between her and Aurora. They’d decided to discontinue the service that provided fake employees or friends. Now the agency worked with colleges—mostly HBCUs—and professional alma mater groups to provide fully vetted, professional job candidates, who were predominantly diverse. And added to their classes and services, they now consulted with companies by helping them diversify well before a crisis point was reached. That part of the business was doing better than she and Aurora could ever have dreamed. They were thinking about opening another office on the West Coast.

  The lights in the room dimmed and a spotlight lit up the stage, where a curvaceous middle-aged Black woman in a spandex-looking purple dress stepped up to the microphone and began belting out “I Will Survive,” a karaoke staple, giving it a soulful Aretha Franklin touch.

  “Great voice,” Nate murmured, as the crowd clapped and cheered at the end of the song.

  “I wish I could sing like that. One of these days, I’m going to bring Sahara. Can you imagine everyone’s reaction if she went up there and sang one of her songs?” Kennedy said, returning her attention to Nate, only to find him pushing his chair back and rising to his feet. Dressed all in black—her man rocked a turtleneck like nobody’s business—and still sporting a gorgeous tan from their trip to Hawaii, he’d had heads turning the moment they’d arrived. Scratch that—he had heads turning everywhere they went.

  She stared at him, her hands halting midclap.

  “Wish me luck.” With that, he winked at her and sauntered to the stage, mounting it in two easy steps.

  Kennedy followed his progress, her brain trying to catch up with what her eyes were seeing.

  What on earth is he doing?

  He pulled the cordless microphone from its stand, a sly smile on his face as he gazed out into the crowd at her.

  Her fight-or-flight instinct kicked in then. Oh my god! I have to stop him. She had to save him.

  Then the music started to play and, in the midst of getting ready to rush the stage to save the love of her life from making the biggest mistake of his, she sat her ass back down.

  Kennedy was shook.

  The too familiar beat of “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” filled the room. And her lover began to sing, rendering her stock-still and speechless. Her eyes were as wide as they could go and her heart had long since leaped from her chest.

  Mind blown, she wondered how it was possible that she’d known this man for over a decade, lived with him for as long as she had, and had no idea he could sing? That he was actually a damn good singer?

  How had she not known this?

  Nate’s was a low baritone, not Barry White’s slumberous bass, but he somehow made it work for the song. An appreciative whistle pierced the air, followed by a scattering of cheers.

  He had yet to take his eyes off her as he crooned, “You’re my sun, my moon, my guiding star.”

  Overcome with feelings so strong, she found it hard to contain them, Kennedy sat with her heart in her throat as she watched him gyrate in time to the music. They’d gone dancing a bunch of times, so his rhythmic abilities were well-known to her, but the way he was moving to the music blew her away.

  Honestly, every time she thought it was impossible to love him more, he somehow managed to prove her wrong.

  His riveting performance drew a lot of hooting and hollering and enthusiastic applause. Kennedy was up on her feet to greet him when he returned to their table.

  Without saying a word, he enveloped her in his arms and kissed her.

  “You’re trembling,” he murmured, his breath warm against her lips.

  Kennedy gave a shaky laugh. “You were so good. I didn’t know you could sing like that.”

  “Come on. Let’s go home,” Nate said, chuckling softly.

  Kennedy collected her handbag and Nate drained the rest of his drink. After dropping a sizable tip on the table, he captured her hand in his and led her out of the main room.

  “How long did you have this planned?” she asked, peering up at him as they walked hand in hand toward the front doors. It didn’t make sense, but she felt a little starstruck. And horny as hell. She wanted to get him alone so bad. Oh, the things she wanted to do to—

  “Kennedy?”

  The sound of her name was jarring, the voice vaguely familiar. Her head snapped to the front, and heading directly toward her was Malcolm Coombs, her ex-boyfriend from what felt like eons ago. He was also the first man to propose to her.

  Nate’s hand tightened around hers, a sign his possessive instincts had kicked in. “Another ex, I take it?” he muttered under his breath, sounding like the proverbial long-suffering boyfriend.

  “Yes. Now, be nice,” she whispered, as Malcolm’s long strides swiftly closed the distance between them.

  Except for a few grays on his closely cropped head and a little more meat on his frame, he looked the same. He looked good.

  “Malcolm, I can’t believe it’s you. It’s been years.” How did she greet the man whose heart she’d been told she broke eight years ago when she was with the man she was in love and living with?

  “It’s been too long,” he replied with an amiable smile, his gaze flicking to Nate and taking in their clasped hands.

  Kennedy delicately cleared her throat. “Malcolm, this is my boyfriend, Nate. Nate, Malcolm’s an old friend.”

  The men exchanged polite nods.

  Returning his attention to her, Malcolm asked, “How are you? It looks like things are going well.”

  She glanced at Nate and smiled. “Things are wonderful. How are things with you?”

  “I’m doing great. Married five years now,” he said, holding up his left hand to display a thick platinum wedding band. “As a matter of fact, there she is now,” he announced, turning his attention to a pretty Asian woman approaching from the direction of the ladies’ restroom.

  Everything seemed to get easier then, the conversation lighter. By the time they parted, the initial awkwardness was long gone. Malcolm’s wife had been friendly, proudly showing Kennedy pictures of their four-year-old son.

  “That was nice,” Kennedy commented once she and Nate emerged from the lounge into the lit city streets.

  Nate huffed, tightening his arm around her waist and pressing her closer to his side. “It’s bad enough your hockey player is dating your twin. Now I’m being forced to make small talk with every ex-boyfriend who ever proposed to you.”

  “She isn’t my twin,” Kennedy denied for the third time since Nate had seen a picture of the couple on the front of People magazine. Although, she had to admit there was a strong resemblance, but the woman was hardly her twin. Her eyes were hazel and her hair was a little shorter.

  “Ah, come on,” Nate scoffed. “He couldn’t have you, so he got a woman who looks like you.”

  He wasn’t the only one who thought that. Aurora, Sahara, Jonathan, Julie, and Mina thought so too. The couple were the talk of the hockey world, many claiming it proved Roger’s innocence. How could he be a racist if he was dating a Black woman? And formerly shunned by every major brand, he’d managed to rehabilitate his reputation enough to sign a lucrative endorsement deal with a cologne company. Romantic that she was, she hoped he wasn’t using the woman, and if he was, Kennedy hoped she was in on it.

  “Are you saying you find her attractive?”

  “I’m saying she looks like you, so of course she’s beautiful. Lucky for me, I have the genuine article.”

  Kennedy smiled. The man was obviously biased and she loved him dearly.

  “Now come on. That’s our ride,” he said, pointing his chin toward the—limo—waiting at the curb in front of them.

  Kennedy stopped abruptly and stared at him. “That’s for us?”

  “I thought I’d treat us to something roomier tonight,” Nate replied, urging her toward the black stretch limo.

  Roomier for what? Did he think she was going to have sex with him in the back of a limo? Silly man.

  After helping her inside their luxurious ride, Nate joined her, and soon they were on their way. While she took in the cream interior, leather seating, and expansive bar, he moved to the sound system.

  “This is nice,” she said, smoothing her hand over the leather seat. “But wouldn’t you rather do it in the comfort of our bed?”

  Her question elicited a hearty laugh. “You think that’s what this is all about?” he asked.

  She took another look around. “What did you expect I would—” Kennedy broke off when her gaze swung back to him...because in his hand was a black velvet box, and nestled inside was a solitary diamond ring.

  “Yes!” she said, excitedly preempting his proposal.

  “Would you let me propose first?” Nate lovingly chided. “I want it to be something I can tell our kids.”

  At his words, Kennedy immediately fell mute, on the verge of happy tears for the second time that night.

  “Kennedy, I meant what I said in there. You are my first love, my last love, my everything. Will you marry me?”

  Tears spilled down her cheeks as she cupped his gorgeous face in her palms. “You’re mine too.” She kissed his lips. “And yes, I’ll marry you whenever and wherever you want.”

  Raising her left hand, he carefully slid the ring on her finger. “I’m going to hold you to that.” She only had a second to admire the way it looked on her hand before he crushed her mouth beneath his.

  She was going to marry the love of her life. Third time had indeed been the charm.

  * * *

  DISCUSSION GUIDE

  With the title Token, what did you think the book would be about? Did it meet your expectations? Were there any surprises?

  What was your reaction when Kennedy found out why she was sent to meet with the CEO of ECO Apparel?

  When Kennedy accepted money to help ECO Apparel win Sahara’s business, was that ethical? Why or why not?

  How would you describe the work that Token does?

  What are some examples of how diversity, racism, and equity are addressed in the story?

  Should Nate have known about the discrimination going on in his company?

  What are ways wealth and equity are addressed in the story and in character motivations? For example: What significance, if any, does Nate’s background of wealth and fame, and early business success, have on his relationship with Kennedy?

  Kennedy comes from a working-class, part-immigrant family and believes in paying her own way. What did you think when she resisted Nate’s offer to buy her an apartment and when she felt betrayed and angry that Nate had paid for her education without telling her?

  Was Nate being underhanded? Generous? Patronizing? Insensitive?

  Was Kennedy ungrateful? Scared? Proud?

  Is Token a rom-com? Is the story romantic? Were there any memorable funny moments? What are some deeper elements to the story, if any?

  Who were your favorite secondary characters and why?

  Keep reading for a special sneak peek at the next book by Beverley Kendall.

  “So when’s the wedding? I’m going to need to block out the time on my calendar at least six months in advance,” Sahara teasingly informed her friend, who was one of the few exceptions to her don’t interrupt me when my office door is closed rules. When Kennedy called, she was available.

  “Were you not listening to me?” Kennedy laughed. “He asked me to move in with him, not get married.”

  “Sweets, he asked you to move in with him last year. What’s new is that you finally agreed. Plus, you were practically living with him anyway. You’re only making it official by letting USPS and your landlord know the deal. What I’m talking about is the wedding. And don’t even pretend it’s not happening or that it’s going to be some time in the distant future.”

  Not only did Sahara know this, she felt it deep in her bones. Her friend had found the love of her life and was giddy with it—all the time. As well she should be. Nate was one of the good ones. It also didn’t hurt that he was fine as hell and rich with a capital B, as in billionaire.

  “You need to cool your heels,” Kennedy said, a smile obvious in her voice. “We’re taking it one step at a time. Right now, we’re living in sin, and if the sinning continues to go as well as it has been, then we can talk marriage.”

  Stretched out on the couch of her home office in Hollywood Hills, Sahara absently glanced down at the Dorothy Dandridge biopic script open on her lap. “Oh, don’t give me that. You know damn well you’re marrying this one. Just don’t make him wait too long.”

  Kennedy made a sound that was a mixture of amusement and exasperation. “What do you mean wait too long? We’ve only been dating six months. We have lots of time to think about marriage.”