Texts and the City: Chapter 1

I have a new romance short story for you! You’re about to meet Ebonee and Devon.

Their story was inspired by “One Fine Day,” a movie starring Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney. It’s an old one but well done. Two single parents have a crazy day while juggling kids, work, and their swapped phones—and fall for each other in the process. It’s one of my favorite romantic movies.

In Texts and the City, I put my own spin on the swapped phones idea. Some of the story unfolds via text, which was a challenge I set for myself, and it turned out to be a fun exercise. You’ll have a front-row seat to Ebonee and Devon’s conversations—sprinkled with some humor—and watch them fall for each other, just like George and Michelle in the movie.

But like I said, it’s a short. A little something-something to hold you while I’m working on Thiago (Family Ties, book 6).

There will be five to six chapters, with chapters dropping Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Enjoy!

Blurb

An accidental phone swap leads to a day of messages—and an unexpected connection.

When Devon and Ebonee bump into each other at a busy subway station, their phones get swapped, and they find themselves connected for the day. What starts as a frustrating inconvenience turns into a series of flirty, revealing texts—and the possibility of new love.

The Collision at the Subway Station

“Noooo,” Ebonee moaned as she sat in her car outside the train station and watched fat drops plop onto her windshield.

Why couldn’t the rain wait until she was safely inside the station? She watched with envy as other commuters held umbrellas over their heads and hustled across the parking lot. She would not be so lucky because, of course, she had forgotten her umbrella at the door when she left for work in a rush this morning.

“Great start to the day,” she muttered with a sigh.

Thank goodness she had put her hair in a ponytail today, or she would arrive at work looking like someone who had stuck their hand in an electrical socket. That caused a peal of laughter to escape her throat. Ah, well, she still had her sense of humor and could laugh at herself.

Pushing open the door, she stepped onto the wet parking lot, squinting as water pummeled her face. She slammed the door shut and held her bag over her head, jogging in her heels toward the entrance as she tried in vain not to get rained on.

Inside the station, she breathed a sigh of relief and slung the bag over her shoulder. Looking down at her blouse and skirt, she decided she didn’t look as bad as she had expected. Wet, but not soaked.

Using brisk steps, she wound her way through the crowded station and hurried down the stairs to her platform. She shivered and rubbed her palms up and down her damp arms as she waited for the train to arrive.

Her phone rang. Her mother.

Why would her mother be calling so early in the morning? Quickly, she pressed Answer.

“Hi, Mom. Everything okay?”

“Hi, honey. I’m fine. Just wanted to know if you could do me a favor this afternoon.”

“Sure.”

“Could you stop by the bakery near your job and pick up some cannoli on your way home? I think I’m going to make a lasagna.”

“Whoa, are you cooking tonight?”

Her mother laughed. “Yes, but not for you, sweetheart. Charles is coming by, and I’m feeling domestic. I’m going to surprise him with a nice lasagna and those delicious cannoli. I haven’t had any in a long time.”

“Okay, but if I’m going to do that for you, you need to save me some lasagna.”

Her mother laughed again. “Of course I will—if Charles doesn’t eat it all.”

Ebonee smiled to herself. “You must really like him.”

“Well, you know, this dating thing ain’t easy at my age, but I’m trying.”

“And he’s a nice guy. Daughter-approved,” Ebonee said.

“I’m so happy the two of you get along. So, about dessert, you won’t forget me, right?”

“Of course not, but you know those cannoli don’t last. I’ll stop by on my way to work and keep them in the refrigerator in the break room. Just in case they don’t have any today, do you want me to bring something else?”

“Tiramisu or one of those yummy olive cakes, but don’t get chocolate. Charles doesn’t like chocolate.”

“All right, not a problem. See you later.”

“Bye, sweetheart.”

Ebonee and her mother lived next door to each other in a duplex. They had tried living together after Ebonee’s father died, but that idea was squashed after only two months. They got along much better having their own space, so they bought a duplex together, and their relationship had improved ever since.

She added stopping by the bakery to her notes app. It was silly, but she liked adding tasks to her list so she could mark them off. As she was scrolling through the rest of her To-Do list, she heard a man’s loud voice several feet away.

“The contracts should have been delivered yesterday!”

Ebonee glanced sideways in the direction of the voice and saw a man holding a briefcase with a phone pressed to his ear. There were few things that annoyed her more than someone talking loudly on their cell phone in public.

Although, she might make an exception for this man. Tall, with golden-brown skin, he was eye-catching with a full beard and a fresh fade. He wore a chocolate suit, gold-and-rust tie, and polished shoes. Lawyer, maybe? No, not with that gold hoop in his ear.

“Mort, come on, man. We can’t do business like this,” the fine stranger continued.

His jaw tightened, and his mouth drew taut in frustration, causing an odd sensation to skitter across her skin.

He chuckled, but he was obviously far from amused. It was more like an irritated chuckle to mask his annoyance.

“You know damn well that’s not gonna work.”

Okay, sir, keep your voice down, Ebonee thought. Don’t nobody need to hear all your business.

Several other commuters also turned in his direction. Unexpectedly, the stranger twisted his head and looked right at Ebonee. When his dark brown gaze collided with hers, she caught her breath.

Oh, he was fine, fine. Probably giving some poor woman the blues on a regular basis.

“Yeah, yeah, okay. Keep me posted,” the stranger said, his gaze locked on Ebonee the entire time.

She felt trapped in his gaze, unable to tear her eyes away.

Then the train rolled up and captured her attention as everyone on the platform edged forward. It came to a stop, and she pushed inside with the rest of the commuters. The fine man stepped inside the same door, and there were only two people between them. With standing room only, she gripped the silver vertical pole as the train took off.

Ebonee ventured a glance at the stranger and was surprised to find him already looking at her. She smiled faintly. He nodded and added a smile, too, though his was more of a smirk. As if he had expected her to check him out.

Oh, hell no.

He was one of those brothers. Cocky and full of himself. He probably had a small harem of women stressed over his fine self.

Ebonee swiveled her head so her line of sight was now dominated by the big salt-and-pepper Afro of an older man in front of her. She refused to look in the direction of Mr. Hottie again and pulled out her phone.

For the rest of the commute, she kept her attention firmly planted on her screen. When the train screeched to a stop, she moved forward with the rest of the passengers, surging toward the open doors.

She barely registered the tall figure in front of her until they bumped into each other.

“Shit,” he muttered.

“Dammit,” she hissed at the same time.

The jarring impact knocked her phone from her hand, and it clattered to the hard platform. Panic shot through her as she ducked to retrieve it, praying the screen hadn’t cracked and hoping it wouldn’t get stomped on by the sea of rushing feet.

She snatched up the phone and did a quick examination. Her email app was still open, and the phone was in one piece. No visible damage except for a bit of dirt, which she dusted off.

Relief swept through her, quickly replaced by irritation as she looked at Mr. Hottie, who smelled really good. Not like cologne, but fresh and clean, as if he’d stepped out of the shower five minutes before coming to the station.

“You should watch where you’re going,” she snapped.

His dark brows lifted higher. “Funny, I was about to say the same thing to you.”

Ebonee opened her mouth to share a sharp retort but closed it again. He wasn’t wrong. She had been rushing and not paying attention.

“Whatever,” she mumbled, and stalked off toward the escalator.

“Have a great day,” he called after her.

Ebonee glared at him over her shoulder, but he had an irritatingly attractive smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

She rolled her eyes and walked faster, tucking the phone into her shoulder bag.

_____

The next chapter arrives on Wednesday!