Since You Fumbled

Nia Vaughn gave eight years, two children, and every soft part of herself to DeMarcus "Mars" Hill.

From the outside, Mars looks like the kind of man a woman should be grateful for. He provides. He is handsome. He knows how to play father of the year when people are watching.

But at home, Nia gets leftovers-leftover affection, leftover attention, leftover intimacy, and leftover dreams.

When her best friend shows her proof of Mars wrapped up with another woman inside his own lounge, Nia is forced to face the truth she already felt: the relationship she kept trying to save had already been abandoned.

Leaving him means starting over with kids, bills, family opinions, and the shame of admitting she stayed too long. But Nia is done shrinking herself to fit inside a love that no longer makes room for her.

Then a catering job brings her into the orbit of Kairo Bennett, a retired basketball player with quiet confidence, real patience, and the kind of consistency Nia forgot a man could have.

Kairo does not come to rescue her. He simply sees her.

And this time, Nia has to decide what she deserves before she lets anybody love her again.

Mars fumbled. Now Nia is choosing herself.

Since You Fumbled is a contemporary Black romance novella about betrayal, motherhood, healing, self-worth, and the kind of love that finds a woman after she finally stops settling.

This fits the story's main promise: Nia leaving emotional neglect, rebuilding herself, and receiving romance as the reward-not the rescue.