Frenemies to Lovers

Excerpt from Waiting for Friday Night by Synithia Williams

Halle Parker checked her watch and cringed. “I’ve got to get out of here soon.” She looked up at her lunch companion, cousin, and one of her two best friends, Dr. Imani Kemp.

Imani’s light brown eyes widened, and she pointed to the half-eaten club sandwich in front of Halle. “You just got your food. Why are you leaving already? Please don’t tell me you’re going back up to that school again. It’s summer vacation. If I can make time to eat lunch, then surely you can.”

Halle glanced down at her sandwich then back at Imani. Her cousin was right. Imani worked with the hospital and was one of two OB-GYNs in their small town of Peachtree Cove. Imani was the poster child of busy with all the new patients she’d taken on plus making rounds at the hospital, but she somehow managed to find the time to meet Halle for lunch once a month.

“You know I wouldn’t typically try to get out of here so fast, but I need to go by the school and check a few things before I pick up Shania,” Halle said, grabbing a sweet potato fry off her plate and taking a bite.

Imani arched a brow over bright brown eyes. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she wore a red fitted T-shirt with black slacks that fit her slim curves. “Why do you need to go by the school?”

Halle avoided eye contact and shrugged. “I just need to check on some stuff.”

“Stuff like what? Just be real. There isn’t anything for you to check up on. You just want to find an excuse to go into that building despite school being out for the summer,” Imani teased.

“Well, can you blame me?” Halle admitted, not bothering to prove her friend wrong. “School will start in six weeks. I have a lot to get ready for. This is my first year as principal.”

The former principal had retired at the end of the last school year, and Halle was quickly chosen to replace her. Even though Halle knew the school and its policies inside and out, she still wanted things to go smoothly her first year.

“Didn’t you say you go back two weeks before the kids?” Imani asked. “You’ll have plenty of time to prepare. Why don’t you take this time to enjoy summer break?”

“I am enjoying summer break. We went on that weekend trip with Tracey last weekend. I’m planning a cousins’ weekend with my family in a few weeks, and I’ve got several activities scheduled when Shania isn’t busy with football practice.” She held up her hand and lowered a finger with each activity. She quickly dropped her hand when two fingers remained standing.

Imani shook her head, not missing the remaining two fingers at all. “All of that is not the same as taking time to do something for you. When are you going to just sit still and enjoy a day of doing nothing? I swear you never slow down.”

“When have I ever sat still?” Halle replied, pursing her lips.

Life was too short to sit still. Time was not promised. She hated when people used the excuse of being “too busy” to make time for the people or things they wanted to do. After losing her parents young, she always remembered that the person she blew off today may not be around tomorrow.

Imani opened her mouth and pointed up, paused, then sighed. “Girl, you’re right. You were always on the go. Even in high school.”

“Exactly,” Halle replied with a vindicated laugh. “I’m team too much. Queen of doing the most. Quit acting surprised.”

“That doesn’t mean you really shouldn’t try to slow down now.” Imani leaned in closer. “Didn’t you finally ask out Gregory Gaines? Please let me know when you’re going to pencil him in.”

Halle’s heart flipped at the mention of her current crush. Though, at thirty-six, was it still normal to refer to liking a guy as a crush? The word didn’t matter; Gregory Gaines was a guy who finally checked all of the boxes she wanted in a partner. The new English teacher at Peachtree Cove High School was perfect. Smart, well-read and articulate. After one conversation with him, she’d tumbled straight into crush mode. After years of focusing on being the best mother she could be to her daughter Shania, she hadn’t been excited about dating someone for a long time until she’d met him.

“I asked him to coffee, but we haven’t gone out on a date date,” Halle said. When she’d found the potential man of her dreams, she’d had to tell her best friends. Ever since, they’d been encouraging her crush. They both believed it had been too long since Halle had spent any quality time with a man. Something Halle hadn’t really focused on, until Gregory easily quoted Langston Hughes and her sex drive miraculously sputtered to life.

“Halle! If you can schedule coffee and go to this school then you can schedule an actual date. I know we came here so you can see him.”

Halle glanced around but thankfully, no one else in the restaurant was listening to them. Still, she put a finger over her mouth. “Will you not announce it to the world? I don’t need everyone in Peachtree Cove to know I’m trying to date him before he does. Besides, I really have to get back to the school today. The schedules are changing next year. I’ve got a few announcements to put together for the students and the families. Not to mention making sure maintenance fixed the leaking A/C unit dripping in the sixth-grade hall. I’ve got to check all that before picking Shania up from football practice.”

Imani cocked her head to the side. “You’ve got six weeks to tell the parents about a new schedule, and with this modern device called a cellular phone—” Imani tapped her cell on the table “—you can probably call your maintenance people and ask them if the leak is fixed.”

Halle shook her head. “Knowing the schedule is changing doesn’t take away the nervousness related to the change. I’m making sure my parents and students are up to date on everything about the new schedule, and how it will affect them. That’s my way of reducing their anxiety.”

“You are not responsible for the anxiety of every person coming to the school,” Imani lectured.

“No, but that doesn’t mean I should contribute to it by not communicating,” Halle countered and popped another fry into her mouth.

Imani just threw up her hands. “I don’t know why I bother. I keep thinking that one day you’ll realize you don’t have to do everything yourself, that letting others help out isn’t so bad. But I swear, if you didn’t have something to do, then you’d start worrying about having too much free time on your hands.”

Halle laughed and shrugged. “You might have a point.”

Imani’s words didn’t hurt Halle’s feelings. It wasn’t the first time she’d been accused of trying to do too much. What could she say? She enjoyed being involved. She was an active part of the Peachtree Cove community and as the newly appointed middle school principal, she took her job as a community leader seriously. A lot of people depended on her, from the teachers, staff, students and their families. Involvement didn’t mean sitting at home twiddling her thumbs hoping everyone understood what was happening.

“You know the school will still be there if you get hit by a bus.”

Halle knocked three times on the wooden table to neutralize any bad luck attached to Imani’s words. A superstition she’d inherited from her parents and kept going. “Or if I win the lottery and move to Tahiti,” she countered. She hated the hit by a bus analogy. She much preferred to think of a positive reason to suddenly be gone.

Imani knocked on the table as well. “The result is the same. Peachtree Cove Middle School has been there since two thousand and ten and it’ll be there long after you move on. You don’t owe the school everything.”

“Spoken like a reformed workaholic. Tell me again how you’ve mastered having it all. A wonderful career, loving relationship and time for yourself,” Halle asked with feigned awe. Though, in truth, she was in awe of Imani. She’d managed the transition of moving to Peachtree Cove while also planning her wedding with her fiancé, Cyril Dash. Imani’s life had been nothing but work before she’d come home to Peachtree Cove. Now her life was filled with spending time with her mom, her fiancé and her friends all while working.

Imani narrowed her eyes but grinned. “You’re trying to be funny.”

Halle shrugged innocently. “I’m just saying, Dr. Imani Kemp, please enlighten me. Oh wait, it was you who cut short the last ladies’ night, am I right?”

Imani pointed a finger. “I had a patient giving birth. That doesn’t count.”

“I’m just making my point. Schedule changes at the school are the equivalent of someone giving birth at my job. Kinda. So, our lunch will be shortened today so I can handle it.”

Imani sighed. “Point taken. Go on and check things out at the school. But you will set a date with Gregory.”

“I will. The next time I see him.”

“You said it, I didn’t.” Imani lifted a hand and waved. “Hey, Gregory, how are things getting settled?”

Halle gulped and spun around, hoping Imani was playing a prank on her. She was not. Gregory maneuvered through the tables as he made his way over to them. He was slightly under six feet tall, thick, with golden brown skin and kind, chocolate-brown eyes. Today he was dressed casually in a short-sleeved white three-button shirt and olive slacks.

“Hello, Dr. Kemp, Halle, good to see you.” He spoke in a smooth, cultured voice.

“Gregory...hey!” Her voice squeaked. She cleared her throat and tried again. “How are you doing?” She smoothed her suddenly sweaty palms over her black pants.

“I’m doing well. Just came in to pick up my lunch.” He held up a brown takeout bag.

“Oh, too bad you’re getting it to go. You could have joined us,” Imani said.

Halle blinked and kicked her friend’s foot underneath the table. Imani didn’t flinch as she smiled sweetly at Gregory.

“Oh, well, I’m not in a rush,” he replied and glanced at Halle.

Halle’s heart flipped. Did he want to join them? Was he saying he was willing to stay and have lunch with them?

“Unfortunately, Halle has to run,” Imani said with exaggerated regret.

Disappointment flashed in Gregory’s eyes. “You’re leaving?”

A part of her was ready to say forget the new schedule and water leak, then ask him to sit down. But a quick glance at her watch made her sense of responsibility kick in. “I do have to run. I’ve got to go by the school before picking Shania up from her first football practice.”

He frowned. “Football?”

She nodded. “Yep. She played in middle school and is also trying out for the high school team.” She waited for his reply. She understood girls playing football was still a new concept for some people. There were those in her own family who had snide comments about how Shania should be going out for the cheerleading squad instead of being on the field. She really hoped Gregory wasn’t one of those people.

His frown cleared up. “Good for her. What position does she play?”

“She’s played wide receiver in a recreational flag league and middle school. I think she wants to be the starting wide receiver.”

“That’s a big position. Especially in high school,” Gregory said, not sounding discouraging. If anything, he sounded impressed by Shania’s audacity. Further proof he was the man for her.

“Whatever she ends up doing I’ll support her.”

He nodded. “I hope she makes the team.”

If fireworks would have gone off at that moment, she didn’t think she could be any happier. Gregory was cute, smart and wanted her daughter to make the team. She’d been right to pick him out as the man to kick-start her dating life again. Maybe he’d turn out to be the perfect partner and father Shania needed.

“I’ll be sure to tell her that.”

“Did you also play sports?”

Halle cringed before shaking her head. “Not at all. Before Shania I didn’t know the difference between a fourth down and a three-point shot.”

Gregory laughed. “I’m about the same. I didn’t play sports. Too busy with my nose in a book.”

“I love a man that reads,” she said with a sigh.

Imani made a small squeak of surprise. Halle pressed her lips together. That had come out a lot thirstier than she’d intended. Gregory, bless him, only smiled and rubbed the back of his head.

“Maybe we can meet up and talk about books sometime,” he said hesitantly.

Imani kicked her under the table. Halle tried not to flinch, then grinned. No need to ask about progressing beyond coffee to a second date; they’d flowed right into that. She was one step closer to making this perfect man her man. “I’d like that.”

“How about Friday?” Imani said.

Gregory and Halle broke eye contact and looked at her. “What?” Halle asked.

“Remember, I can’t make our plans to have dinner at the new Italian place opening downtown. Maybe Gregory can sit in for me.” She looked at Gregory. “You don’t mind, do you?”

Halle would be forever grateful for a cousin like Imani. She nodded and played along. “We did just talk about that, didn’t we?” She looked at Gregory and prayed she didn’t look as eager as she felt for him to say yes.

Gregory hesitated for a second before looking at Halle and nodding. “I don’t mind if you don’t.”

“I don’t. Friday night sound good?”

“It does. I’ll see you Friday.” A small smile lifted the corners of Gregory’s mouth. If she weren’t being too confident, she’d be willing to say it was a satisfied smile.

She swallowed and grinned. “Friday.”

“I’m looking forward to it. See you then.”

Halle watched him walk out before turning back to her friend. “Did that just happen?”

Imani nodded then patted her own shoulder. “It did. Thanks to me.”

“I could see myself marrying him.”

Imani closed her eyes and shook her head. “Hold up before you start buying a dress and booking Tracey’s bed-and-breakfast for the venue. Don’t get ahead of yourself. You’re going to dinner. It’s only a second date.”

“I know, I know, but I’m just saying. I haven’t thought about getting serious with anyone in a long time. Gregory is sophisticated, smart and obviously open-minded. He’s not only my dream man, but I could also imagine him as a good stepdad for Shania.”

Halle had spent so much of her adult life taking care of Shania and being the best mom she could be that she hadn’t focused on long-term relationships. Something she didn’t regret at all. Although she’d dated, no one had ever made her think about inviting him into her life long enough to be a true part of her and Shania’s life. Maybe it was watching Imani find her happily ever after, or maybe it was the realization that Shania would be graduating in four short years and she’d be left alone, but Halle was ready to fill the long empty spot she’d ignored for a long-term romantic partner.

“Stepdad? Weren’t you the main one who said you could handle raising her all by yourself?”

Halle swiped away the familiar phrase with a flick of her wrist. “I did say that, and it’s true. Shania keeps asking about her biological father. Maybe if I get serious about someone and he eventually turns into a stepdad, then she’ll stop asking me about her biological father.”

Imani narrowed her eyes and leaned in. “About her biological...”

Halle held up a finger. “Not today. Maybe one day, but not today. Today I’m going to be excited about dinner with Gregory.” She glanced at her watch. “Crap, I really have to go. Are you leaving, too?” She pulled out some cash.

Imani looked like she wanted to push the topic of Shania’s dad, but instead she waved her hand. “Nope, I’m going to sit here and enjoy my food in peace, and put away your money. You paid last time. I’ve got today.”

Not one to argue when her friend offered to cover lunch, Halle put her money back. “Cool, but I’ve got next. Call me later? Y’all have to get me ready for my date with Gregory.”

Imani nodded. “You know it. Tell Shania I said good luck.”

“I will.” Halle got up and hurried out of the restaurant. She was on cloud nine. She was one step closer to getting back out there in the dating scene. Maybe if this worked out Shania and everyone else would finally stop pestering Halle for the truth about Shania’s biological father. Then she’d never have to admit she had no idea who he was.

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