“Would you be okay with me giving him a few pointers? Would his dad?”
Adam didn’t want to cause any tension between himself and James’ father. Him wanting to find a place in Janae’s life didn’t mean he needed to try to push or step over her ex-husband.
“I think the question is: Would you mind?”
He lifted a brow, asking her to seriously consider what he’d asked.
A moment passed, then she shared a careful nod with him. “I don’t think his dad will have a problem with it. I’ll talk to him tonight just to make certain, though.”
She looked up at him, seemingly searching for a reaction. And he realized right there that she was testing him. If he got this wrong, there was no way they were moving forward.
In all things, Janae was a straight shooter, and she didn’t take well to people coming at her with bullshit. He knew whatever his answer, it had better be genuine, or this was a wrap.
But when he looked at the expectant and cautiously excited glow on James’ face, Adam could only answer in one way.
“I’d love to. I can come by tomorrow if you’re free, James, and if your parents don’t mind.”
Janae’s lopsided grin gave Adam hope he hadn’t screwed this test up completely. “Come over around eleven. I’ll make lunch while you two practice in the backyard.”
James was nearly bouncing with all his excited energy when he dropped a kiss on Janae’s cheek and gave Adam a hearty “thank you” before heading back to his station.
“That boy is something else,” Janae said, pride coloring each note of her voice.
“I’d expect nothing less with you as his mother.” He looked down at her, trying to gauge the true nature of her mood now that James was no longer in their presence. “Are you sure you’re okay with me coming by tomorrow? I’d love to do it. I just don’t want to overstep your boundaries where your kid is concerned.”
“I’d let you know if you had.” Her grin was wide and demeanor open. “I’ll never turn down someone’s help when it comes to my baby.”
She straightened her shoulders, crossing her arms as she stared at him. Whatever she was about to say, Adam knew he’d better pay close attention, because it was going to be serious.
“Just, make sure to keep your word. If you say you’re gonna show, show. And if for some reason you can’t, be real and tell him the truth. James’ father is in the military so his time isn’t always his own. I work twelve-hour nights three days a week, which can be grueling. But my schedule is pretty much fixed and as a supervisor, I don’t usually work weekends. His dad gets pulled in all the time, making it hard for him to keep plans with James. I just don’t want him disappointed if he doesn’t have to be.”
This was that thing Michael was talking about. That difference when you’re trying to push up on a woman who’s a dedicatedmother. When it came to having any sort of significant access to her life, everything was so much deeper than just having fun. He’d better be damn sure he knew what he was getting into and what the stakes were.
“I’m a man of my word, Janae. What do you want me to bring for lunch?”
“Your appetite.”
That most definitely wouldn’t be a problem.
Chapter 19
“You look great.”
Janae stole a glance at Vanessa through her standing mirror. Despite Vanessa’s reaction to her outfit, Janae’s brows still pinched into a worrisome vee.
“You sure it’s okay? It’s not too much?”
Vanessa was sitting on the foot bench of Janae’s bed, leaning comfortably on one elbow carefully placed at the bottom of Janae’s king-size bed.
“Girl, you got me up early on my man’s first weekend off in weeks to come make sure your ’fit is right. You really think I got time to lie to you?”
When Janae didn’t answer, Vanessa sat up, her head tilted slightly with her eyes narrowed and her mouth ajar. She remained that way for a moment, adding to the uncharacteristic nerves causing Janae’s stomach to quiver.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Vanessa began, her hesitation causing a drop in the floor of Janae’s already unsettled gut. “Let me translate that into Black girl for you.”
Vanessa rose in one graceful motion, putting her hands on herround hips the jeans she was wearing put on display. Her sleek tresses framing her face, adding to the elegant vision she made.
“Uh-uh! Where you going? Who you getting cute for? Who told you, you could get up and be that fine?”
