Chapter 3
“How’s your first week on the new job been?”
Adam looked up from his phone as he was walking from his reserved parking spot to the main entrance of the district’s administration building. After running into Janae at the high school, and now that Michael was standing to the side of the doors, it almost felt like they were back in school again.
“It’s looking better if one of those coffees in your hand is for me.”
“Then I guess you’re in luck. Not only do I have coffee for you, but there’s a warm apple cinnamon muffin in the bag too.”
They made it into the building, both greeting staff and faculty as they headed toward Adam’s office. Once inside, Adam made quick work of closing the door and grabbing his coffee and muffin from his friend.
“So, to what do I owe this morning’s visit, Sheriff?”
Michael smiled at him with something akin to pride in his eyes.
“I know you’ve technically been on the job for a couple of weeks now, but I wanted to drop in and celebrate the fact that you’re home.”
Michael’s sincerity touched something inside Adam, making warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with the temperature of the coffee or muffin.
Michael and their best friend Derrick meant the world to him. Even when he was away in New York, they never lost contact and always managed to play significant roles in one another’s lives.
“Thanks, man, that means a lot to me.” He took a sip of his coffee, letting the light and sweet brew settle on his tongue.
“How’s the new job going?” Michael waved his hand around the spacious office. “Considering you walked in here late, I’d say it’s good.”
“I wasn’t late. I was at the high school dropping in on the principal.”
“Everything all right on that front?” Michael paused and took a generous sip of his coffee. “Or did you have to start cracking the whip already?”
Adam laughed out loud at that one. “Cracking the whip on Diane Keller? She’s been a rule follower since we were in kindergarten.
If there’s one person I don’t have to worry about slacking off or doing something that’s gonna land me in front of the school board, it’s her.
The only issue that arose is, she said the PTA was making some rumblings about the budget cuts I’ll be implementing soon.
I would’ve been here earlier, but I ran into Janae on my way in. ”
“Janae Sanders?”
“Do we know any other?”
“How’d that go?” Michael’s question caught him off guard. Adam wanted to think it went well, but having been away so long, not having any idea who Janae was now, he couldn’t gauge whether she’d just politely entertained him or if she felt the same spark of attraction he did.
“It was all right.” He tried to make his answer as nonchalant as possible, deciding to use that to segue away from the topic of one “fine as hell” Dr. Janae Sanders.
Michael caught on and dropped the subject. “So, you good here? You’re liking it?”
Adam shrugged. “I wasn’t sure what coming home more than two decades later would be like. But knowing you and D are in my corner makes it less daunting. I’m slowly getting my sea legs, so to speak.”
“You’re our brother from another mother. No way we wouldn’t have your back when you came home. Speaking of, you need any help next weekend with set up for the reunion?”
The reunion. Adam hadn’t let himself think about the event other than the administrative side of it. Next weekend, he and a good portion of his former high school classmates would gather to celebrate twenty-five years since their graduation.
He hoped that, along with Michael and Derrick, and his other friends Cree and Vanessa, that number might include Janae too.
“Vanessa and I took off for that entire weekend, so we’re at your disposal.”
Adam waved a dismissive hand. “Nah, the alumni association has got everything pretty much covered. Just bring your lady and enjoy yourself.”
Adam took a strategic bite of his muffin before continuing, giving himself something to do so he wouldn’t seem so eager.
“Speaking of ladies, you know if Janae plans to attend?”
Weren’t you supposed to be steering clear of the topic of Janae?
Michael chuckled, raising a suspicious brow in response to Adam’s question.
“Subtle, Adam. Real subtle.”
Adam simply shrugged, giving up the pretense. “Well, is she?”
“I don’t know. Vanessa hasn’t mentioned it. I assume you’d’ve gotten her number by now. If you want to know, you could just call Janae and ask her yourself. You could even invite her to be your date.”
Adam shook his head. “Janae and I weren’t really connected in school. I don’t want to push too far too fast with her. She’s got a career and a kid, I can’t just jump to the conclusion that she has room for anything else.”
It was true. Adam didn’t assume that just because he was available and interested in companionship that Janae was too. “Not to mention, she didn’t exactly seem all that enthused to see me when we ran into each other at Vanessa’s office.”
Michael shook his head, taking a sip of his coffee as if it would help him say the words he seemed to be chewing on.
“You pulled this same shit when we were in high school, always using me as a go-between for you and Janae. I’m not playing that game this time around. We’re not kids anymore, Adam. If you’re interested in the woman, let her know. She’s a straight shooter; she won’t play games with you.”
“You speak like you’ve got some insider knowledge where Janae is concerned. How can you be sure she’d even entertain me?”
Michael stared at him for a long moment before he spoke his next words.
“Considering I dated the woman for a brief time, I’d say I have a pretty good handle on Janae Sanders.”
Adam sat up straight, locking eyes with his friend, attempting to see if Michael was toying with him or not. The man’s eyes were level with Adam’s, and he didn’t so much as blink as he spoke.
“When the hell did you date Janae?”
“Why does it matter? It was a long time ago and only lasted a short while. We realized quickly that we really shouldn’t be anything more than friends.”
Adam leaned back in his chair, scrutinizing his friend. If Michael thought he was leaving this room without giving Adam the details he wanted, his friend wasn’t as good of an investigator as his badge suggested.
“Spill it. When did this go on, and how did I not know about it? Derrick couldn’t have known anything about it, because you know his big mouth can’t hold water.”
Michael donned a knowing smile. Their mutual friend wasn’t the person you told your secrets to. He wasn’t intentionally a blabbermouth. Derrick just wore his honesty on his sleeve. It was instinctual for him to tell the truth.
“No, Derrick didn’t know. We weren’t necessarily public about it.
You left town to attend that summer immersion program for NYU a few days after graduation.
For the last marking period of high school, you and Janae were tutoring me to get me through calculus so I could graduate.
We sort of developed a closeness then. I took a bit of a liking to her.
She was smart and pretty, and had this huge personality that filled up a room.
But she’d always kept to herself and didn’t date much, so I wasn’t sure if the interest was mutual. ”
“Obviously you got over that, though?”
Michael’s smug smile irritated Adam, and he couldn’t really say why. It wasn’t as if he had any sort of claim on Janae then or now. Not to mention, he didn’t want anything serious to distract him from his work. So why was there this ugly thing forming in his gut that felt slightly like betrayal?
“I used to catch you watching her when you thought no one was looking. That’s why I asked you point-blank if you were interested in her. You told me no.”
Something flashed in Adam’s mind at Michael’s statement.
Adam and Michael were practicing drills on the court when Michael brought up the topic.
Adam had been ready to answer Mike’s question with a resounding “Hell yeah” when Adam saw his father walking onto the court.
With one glance, Adam allowed the yes that was burning on the tip of his tongue to dissolve into nothingness, knowing it was better to never reach for his desires than to allow his father and the man’s insistence on Adam’s total focus on the future to steal Adam’s dreams away.
“Fine.” Adam cleared his throat, trying to shrink the ball of regret sitting at the base of his airway. “I’ll grant you that. But I didn’t know you were asking because you were interested. When did you push up?”
“After graduation, I asked to take her out as a thank-you for tutoring me.” Michael crossed his ankle over his knee, as if he were getting comfortable to tell an old favorite story.
“To be fair, she didn’t realize I was interested in her romantically. But by the end of that date, I made sure she did. I kissed her, and we were inseparable for the rest of the summer.”
Adam’s curiosity was definitely getting the better of him as Michael spoke.
They were grown men. Neither of them had ever made a habit of discussing women as though they were conquests.
But Adam’s need to know what went on wouldn’t be denied, even when he recognized he had no right to expect answers to these personal questions.
“Did you sleep with her?”
The words were out of Adam’s mouth before he could stop them, and by the stern look on Michael’s face, he could tell his friend wasn’t necessarily pleased.
“We both know that’s none of your business.
I’m not gonna disrespect Janae or the time we spent together by providing you with all the gory details.
” He tilted his head as he carefully scrutinized Adam, making him feel even worse for crossing this imaginary line.
He just couldn’t help himself. He needed to know.
“I’m gonna do you a solid and tell you this. Janae and I dated, and we did what many romantically involved eighteen-year-olds do, with the exception of sex.”
Relief bled through Adam, and he released an exhausted sigh in response to Michael’s confession. “It wasn’t for my lack of interest or trying for that matter. If she would’ve allowed me, I definitely would’ve taken it to the next level. But she wouldn’t.”
“Why not?” Again, Adam knew he had no right to ask the question, but he couldn’t stop himself. He needed to know.
“Because as much as I was into her, she wasn’t into me enough to sleep with me.”
Adam closed his eyes, trying to fight the wide grin that wanted to spread across his face. Why it made him happy that Janae hadn’t wanted that from Michael, he wasn’t sure. But he couldn’t deny the lightness in his chest at Michael’s revelation.
“Does Vanessa know y’all were a thing?”
“She does. Trust me, my woman has no doubts that she’s the only person I want.
Janae really is a good friend and nothing more.
Although, when I came back to town when my folks died, I won’t lie and say I didn’t think about rekindling whatever we had.
But she was married at the time, so it was a nonstarter. ”
Adam leaned against the back of his chair, thinking about what his next move should be, if there was going to be a next move at all.
“Here’s my advice to you, friend. Janae is an amazing woman who any man would be lucky to have.
She’s a wonderful human being, she’s gorgeous, a loyal friend, and a phenomenal mother, and if you screw over anyone she loves, she’ll gut you like a fish.
If you aren’t ready to handle all of that, don’t interfere in her life.
But if you’re serious, if you really think you can bring something positive her way, shoot your shot.
Because if there’s one thing I know, it’s this: A woman as fine, smart, and compassionate as Janae won’t be available for long. ”
Michael stood up, lifted his chin to his friend in farewell and headed out of Adam’s office, leaving Adam to come to one powerful conclusion.
Fate had given him a second chance to man up and explore his interest in Janae. This time around, he wouldn’t let silly immaturity or his father stop him.