She was still trying to figure it out when she saw one very tall Black man with his beautiful locs twisted in an intricate pattern on his head. He wore a casual cream-colored pullover shirt that was accented by the shiny herringbone chain that adorned his graceful neck. Paired with khakis and a crisp pair of all-white Adidas Superstars, he was just the right mix of confident and trendy without going overboard.
God bless his loctician,was the first thought to cross her mind.What the hell is he doing here?was the next.
Two seconds later she was standing in front of him, slightly dazed by his grin and the sultry scent of his cologne.
He pointed to a large insulated food bag on his shoulder and said, “A little birdie told me you got stuck at work unexpectedly. I figured that might mean you hadn’t brought extra food with you tokeep you through your second shift. So, I brought dinner. Are you ready to eat?”
Was she hungry?
Yes. No question. But the real issue was whether she was hungry for food or him. Because the truth gripping her by the neck like a tightening fist was that she wanted both him and whatever it was he’d brought her in that bag.
She glanced up at him standing there with a gentle smile on his face and eagerness in his eyes as if he’d been thrilled to come down to the hospital and bring her something to eat.
Never one to mince words, Janae asked, “What made you go through all this trouble, Adam?”
He watched her for a moment, his brows drawn together in a puzzling vee.
“I’m not sure I understand the question, Janae.”
She took a slow breath before lifting her eyes to his again.
“What do you hope to get out of this? I told you I wasn’t interested in personally connecting with you. I’ve got a lot going on right now and I just don’t have the spoons to—”
“Janae.”
His voice was calm and patient, not a hint of displeasure or frustration. It confused her, but worse, it disarmed her, making her want to drop her guard and listen to what he had to say.
“I know you’re busy. I’m busy too. But what I’ve learned over the years is that you can never have too many good friends. I only mean to include you in my very small circle of friends.”
“Why, though?”
“Because you fascinate me. You always have. I just didn’t have the emotional maturity to understand that when we were eighteen. I came back home for three reasons. One”—he lifted a finger and continued—“to help my parents deal with my dad’s injury. Two”—he added another finger to his count—“because after spending so manyyears in New York being passed over for promotions that I know I deserved, I wanted to prove to myself that I was more than capable of taking on more responsibility at work.”
He stood there watching her intently. His observation was so powerful, it pulled her in, causing her to step closer to him, even though her brain knew this was a bad idea.
She swallowed, finding her tongue and her will to speak.
“Are those the only reasons you came home?”
He shook his head, lifting her chin slightly with his finger.
“No, there’s one more reason.”
“What’s that?” Her heart was thundering in her chest as she waited for him to answer.
“To live my life on my own terms and say yes to the opportunities my father’s NBA plans for me never allowed me to accept.”
She wasn’t quite sure how or if she fell into that last category, but the intensity in his eyes and the sharp features of his face made it clear that this above all might be Adam’s most important reason for returning. She recognized that need to start over on your own terms. She’d definitely had to hold on to her own determination when she was reshaping and remaking her world.
Maybe it was trauma bonding? Maybe she was just hungry and her blood sugar was low? Ultimately, whatever it was, she smiled up at Adam and said, “Let’s go see what you got in that bag.”
Chapter 8
“Oh my goodness that food was good.” Janae’s delight in her meal warmed Adam. The delicious sounds she’d made while eating kept him captivated throughout their dinner.
He realized that one of the things he’d always enjoyed about Janae was her ability to live out loud, not caring about what anyone thought. He might not have engaged much with her when they were in school, but that didn’t mean he didn’t notice her every single time she stepped into a room or laughed out loud, or put someone in their place when they’d crossed the line. He’d noticed it all.
Considering their years apart while they lived separate lives, he was so pleased to see that life hadn’t stomped out her fire.
