Chapter 10
“Is that Adam?” Cree’s question instantly had Janae scanning the school gymnasium for Adam, just like she did when they were students here at Monroe Hills High.
A tall, broad man with skin the color of butterscotch and sandy brown locs stood a head above most folks in the gym. Even if he was closer to Janae’s five-feet-two-inch frame, she’d still spot the glorious figure he made in a crowded room.
“Is that him, Janae?” Cree’s question snapped her out of her daydream in time for her to compose herself.
“He looks kind of like him.” Janae stared straight ahead, her dismissive tone downplaying the excitement she felt ramping up with her increased heartbeat.
“It’s dark in here and there’s a lot of people milling around.
I’m not sure.” Both Vanessa and Cree stared at her, rolling their eyes, not believing her performance one bit.
Determined to keep her cool and not look like the thirsty heifer she was, she shrugged, as if Adam’s presence wasn’t the single most important thing for her in that moment.
Cree’s squinting glare and pursed lips were silently calling bullshit on Janae’s nonchalant answer.
“You know damn well that’s him. I’ve only seen him a few times since he got back. But damn if he doesn’t look better every single instance. Father Time sure has been good to him.”
“Is this one of those ‘he was a nerd in high school but transformed into a hottie as an adult’ things?” That question came from Vanessa. She was a new transplant to Monroe Hills so she had no idea that Adam at eighteen was just as fine as Adam at forty-three.
Cree interrupted Janae’s trip down memory lane with a sharp bark of laughter. “Vanessa, that man has been gorgeous since the day his mama birthed him. Look at him, Janae. He’s walking around looking like he’s trying to bring light-skinned brothas back.”
Janae huffed and rolled her eyes. “Can we stop with the colorism? It’s so unbecoming.”
“Girl, please.” Cree dismissed her comment, staring her straight in the face, daring her to try to deny what anyone with functional eyes could see.
“I don’t know why you acting like Shemar Moore ain’t been trying to hold the light-skinned contingent down for like thirty years now. That brother is probably tired and could use a little help. By the looks of it, Adam is a worthy successor.”
Vanessa shook her head. “Have you seen that man on S.W.A.T.? The bald head and the body he has now makes his character Malcolm from The Young and the Restless look like his awkward stage.”
Each woman nodded her head, including Janae. Even she had to admit that Vanessa was not lying. Shemar managed to look better with each passing year, and staring at Adam, she had to wonder if he’d drank from the same fountain of youth.
“Adam’s always been attractive, Vanessa. But I don’t know why Cree’s carrying on like he’s some kind of toffee-colored Adonis. Please, ain’t nobody studying him.”
As she said the words, she could see that meme with Kandi Burress yelling, “The Lies! The Lies!” flashing across her mind. Even from her side glance, she’d clocked his beautiful angles.
“Is that so?” Cree continued. She folded her arms before pulling her eyes from Janae’s face and placing them right back on Adam. “I don’t know why you’re playing, Janae. But that brotha is walking through these halls giving Gary Dourdan from Janet Jackson’s ‘Again’ video vibes.”
Lord, why does she have to be right?
Age had only perfected his sex appeal and if she didn’t get her friend to shut up real soon, Janae was certain she was going to embarrass herself by moaning her agreement like the teenager she used to be.
You’re a grown woman. Act like it.
“Cree, why are you behaving as if you’ve never seen an attractive man before. Especially since you’re in Derrick’s face all day every day.”
“Derrick is my bestie.” Cree cut her off quickly. A little too quickly as far as Janae was concerned. “Adam is a completely different story.” Cree shook her head. “Whew, chile, that man could definitely hit it.”
Rage welled up inside Janae’s chest, and she turned so quickly her braids whipped around, hitting Vanessa’s hand, making her nearly spill the drink she was holding.
“If you hit that”—she pointed an accusing finger at Cree—“I’ll hit you, and not in the pleasurable way you’re talking about, either.”
Cree’s red lips curved into a wide grin as amusement lit up her brown eyes. “But I thought you weren’t studying him, Janae? Why you mad?”
Busted.
By the way her friend stared at her with a raised eyebrow, daring her to answer the questions, Cree knew Janae was full of shit.
Might as well come clean.
She turned her back to the crowd and moved in front of Cree. If she had to admit the truth, she could at least hold on to some of her composure by not having to look at Adam’s deliciousness.
“All right,” she relented. “Adam’s fine as fuck and if any woman in this town is going to get a taste of the new, improved version of his sexy self, it’s gonna be me, so back off, Cree.”
The amusement dripped off Cree’s face and it was replaced with wide-eyed shock.
Janae knew her mouth was reckless sometimes, but she didn’t think anything she’d said should have elicited that response.
But then she felt electric warmth behind her that zipped across her skin, making her shiver.
Her stomach dropped and her pulse jumped as she looked from Cree to Vanessa, and then back again.
“Adam is standing right behind me, isn’t he?”
Her girls didn’t have a chance to answer before Janae heard the deep rumble of what was fast becoming a familiar tone.
“Yes,” Adam spoke, his voice sounding like aged bourbon poured over ice. “He is.”
Adam looked around the old gym and his shoulders shook slightly with laughter.
Twenty-five years, and the only thing that had changed about this space was the paint on the walls.
In their day, it was a jaundiced yellow that matched their team uniforms. Now it was a neutral white that didn’t do much to wow the eye, but at least it didn’t look infected.
The rickety wooden bleachers had been replaced by an almost identical copy.
Only one side were pulled out along one wall while the others remained locked away.
This left enough room for a refreshment table and a DJ on a portable stage.
Where the retracted bleachers were, a few round tables were placed with plastic black tablecloths and gold paper napkins, plastic cups, and plastic cutlery.
There were black and gold crepe paper streamers hanging from the rafters and a big gold sign with sparkly black letters that read “Welcome Back!” It was as cheap and tacky as décor could get.
It certainly wouldn’t be earning any awards or accolades.
Yet, as he looked out over the room to take in the scenery and the attendees dancing, or holding up a wall talking, he couldn’t help but let his excitement grow.
He was home, and the potential that brought caused hope to swell inside of him.
Sighting Janae from across the room, Adam wasted no time in walking toward her.
He’d meant it when he’d promised himself not to waste any more time ruminating over what-ifs.
He’d spent so much of his life doing just that as he sacrificed one thing after another to cater to his father’s dreams of getting Adam to the NBA.
It was funny how he’d spent so much of his teens playing ball on this court in this very gym. It should’ve brought back all types of nostalgic memories from his heyday as MVP. Instead, the only thing he could think of when he’d set foot on this wooden floor was the last time he was in this gym.
It was at their prom, and he’d been miserable because Janae had come with some science lab rat who Adam wanted to twist into a pretzel for dancing so close to Janae.
It was an irrational reaction considering Adam hadn’t asked Janae to be his date.
Irrational or not, he’d certainly learned his lesson and he’d used reverse psychology to get Janae here so he could widen the crack of the doorway she had between them.
A doorway that had been sealed shut twenty-some-odd years ago.
Janae was unfortunately the most important thing he’d sacrificed on the list of things Adam had let slip away for his basketball career.
Leaving this town without telling Janae how he felt about her came in a close second.
When his friends were going to the drive-in movie on Cedar Farms, Adam was working on layups or doing some sort of endurance training because according to his father, “Putting in the work now was the only thing that was going to separate you from everyone else when the scouts came looking.”
When his friends went to Shawnee to enjoy the first snow over winter break, Adam was working with a private basketball coach to get his hand and leg work together.
Michael and Derrick had come home with so many fun stories of kids being kids and doing stupid stuff that either got them in trouble or scared them away from trouble.
The only thing Adam could say was that he’d practiced.
There were so many moments like this in his life where he should’ve been making memories with his friends. Instead, the only thing he had was a lot of regret over everything he’d missed out on and being forced into a career he’d never wanted.
Not tonight, though. Tonight, he was going to have fun with his friends and make memories, and the start of that was standing right in front of him.
Janae and her friends were in what appeared to be a deep conversation.
Good manners would have him wait to the side so he wouldn’t interrupt them.
He let the idea cross his mind for a fraction of a moment and shook his head.
Nope, those three could see and talk to one another any time.
Tonight, not even good manners could keep him from his mission.