Epilogue
“Surprise!”
Adam jumped back against Janae’s door as he quickly scanned her living room. Party streamers, balloons, and a giant sign over her mantel that read, “Happy Birthday, Adam!”
He found his friends, family members, and some of his and Janae’s colleagues huddled together with excited grins and bright eyes all focused on him.
Equally overwhelmed and happy, he searched the room for the one face he wanted—no, needed—to see.
Janae.
The small crowd parted like a river and through the center emerged the woman he loved carrying a giant cake covered in candles as she slowly walked toward him singing “Happy Birthday.”
The gleam of the candles gave her smooth skin a fitting ethereal glow. He already saw her as his own personal goddess, but in this light, her appearance was almost celestial.
“Aren’t you going to blow out your candles?”
Her voice brought his attention momentarily to the cake before he gave her a faux glare.
“All these damn candles are a bit disrespectful, don’t you think?”
“Ah, feeling sensitive about your age, old man?”
He scowled at the slight, taking a dramatically deep breath, and extinguishing all the candles at once.
He leaned in, whispering in her ear, “I’ll show you what this old man can do when you get rid of all these people.”
“Promises, promises,” she mouthed before handing Vanessa the cake and pulling Adam into her embrace.
He pulled her to his side, loving the feel of her heat against him. His body was always thrilled when Janae was near him, touching him. Her touch was exciting, titillating, and at this moment… comforting.
Nine months had passed since he’d run into her in Vanessa’s office. He’d walked in to drop off tickets to Michael and had no idea he’d be walking into his future. Simply put, Janae Sanders had become his everything. She had become his peace.
He clung to her as they moved through the room greeting everyone. He’d finally made his way toward the kitchen where he found their motley crew.
Derrick sat at Janae’s table, bracketed by Cree and Vanessa.
“Where’s Mike?”
The three looked at one another before Derrick said, “He had to make a quick run.” Derrick leaned over the table, pulling Adam into a hug. “Happy birthday, man. Your woman really went all the way out for you. You better appreciate her.”
Adam slipped his arm over Janae’s shoulders and pulled her to him, kissing her gently.
“Trust,” he said to Derrick while his eyes took in Janae. “I realize how blessed I am to have her.”
Inside, his chest tightened and his throat was thick with emotion. Standing here with his arm around this loving woman, surrounded by friends who’d been more loyal to him than his ownblood, Adam couldn’t help but be grateful for all he had. As far as he was concerned, life couldn’t get much better than this.
Janae’s heart was bursting. That was the only way she could describe how it almost hurt to breathe, while she was simultaneously experiencing so much joy.
Her house was full of people she loved and respected and she was in her element making sure everything was perfect for her man.
Her man.
Her wonderful, supportive, and caring man.
If someone had told her nine months ago that she was going to fall in love with a man who loved and was loved by her son, and he’d also have a good relationship with her ex-husband, she would’ve called them a bold-faced liar.
Looking at her life now, she was so glad she’d been wrong on that count.
