Chapter 1
“Excuse me.” Janae watched Vanessa shake her head as Janae and Cree stepped into Vanessa’s new accounting firm. It was a small storefront with a large window that folks on the street could look into and find a warm and friendly accountant ready to help them with their financial planning. But warm and friendly wasn’t exactly the vibe Janae was feeling in this room right now.
Sure, Vanessa was all smiles, but the large Korean American man holding her wore a scowl that was equal parts frustration and annoyance. Michael’s expression might as well have been a neon sign flashing, I’M TRYING TO GET NAUGHTY WITH MY GIRLFRIEND. DO NOT DISTURB.
Well, too bad for him. Although Michael was a childhood friend she’d always had a soft spot for, and she was genuinely happy that he and her girl Vanessa had found each other, there was no way Janae and Cree were going to miss seeing Vanessa in her element. The final touches that would distinguish Vanessa’s ownership from the previous owners was now complete. After everything she’d been through in the last two years to piece her life back together on her own terms, Michael would just have to deal with this cockblock for a few moments while Cree and Janae celebrated the third member of the Savvy, Sexy, and Single Club.
Their club started two years ago when all three women snuck out of a divorce support group in favor of working out their problems over cocktails at the bar across the street. Their experiences as divorcées created an unbreakable bond and a promise that they would find their way to new paths after divorce. This accounting firm was Vanessa’s path, and Janae and Cree couldn’t be happier to witness it.
“I thought this was a reputable place of business.” Janae stepped into the wide room with light gray leather cushioned office chairs lined up against the front window. Her eyes fell on Vanessa and Michael again and she noticed while her girlfriend was laughing, Michael’s annoyance tweaked up a smidge more as the lines of his brow furrowed. Of course Janae ignored him. They were here for her girl, so Michael being annoyed really didn’t faze her one bit.
Janae turned to the side as Cree stepped in the door behind her with a goofy smile on her face. Seeing Vanessa and Michael hugged up brightened the woman’s already sunny disposition.
Cree loudly cleared her throat for dramatic effect. “Looks like the only business going on ’round here is funny business. Maybe we should leave you two alone so you can pick up where you left off.”
“That’s a perfect idea,” Michael replied. “We’d see you out, but we’re busy.”
Vanessa laughed, sidestepping his attempts to pull her back into his arms.
“Pay him no attention. What do you two need?”
Janae waved a dismissive hand at Michael before turning to Vanessa. “Nothing, we just wanted to wish you good luck before you got swamped with work.”
Vanessa opened her arms wide, bringing them in for one of their joint hugs. “Aww, the two of you are so sweet. What would I do without you?”
“Me,” Michael mumbled, running a hand through his ink black, short-cropped hair. “You’d do me.”
Vanessa laughed at Michael, but Janae could tell there were some low-key serious undertones in his flip comment. Unfortunately for him, Janae found his disgruntled rumblings cute. Just another sign that he adored one of her two best friends. Vanessa deserved that. They all did. But if only one of them could have this kind of joy, Janae was thrilled it could be her friend.
It certainly had never been her. Considering the drama her ex-husband put her through, there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Janae would make herself vulnerable enough to have that type of love.
Never again.
A cold chill spilled down her spine at the thought of the toxic marriage she’d escaped. Her ex-husband’s actions led to a bitter divorce that left her broken and skeptical of anything having to do with romantic love. Fortunately, despite Vanessa and Michael’s PDA, today wasn’t about that kind of love. It was about sisterhood and the love that flowed so easily among the three of them.
“We love you, girl.” Janae’s heart swelled at the joy she witnessed on her friend’s face. “Of course we’d be here.” Vanessa beamed at Janae’s proclamation. Michael was attempting to be polite while still giving them the death glare that said “Get out now or I’m not responsible for my actions.”
“Well, since it seems we’re leaving you in good hands”—Cree looked over her shoulders to glance at Michael—“we’ll let you get to it. Whatever it is.”
They turned toward the door when Janae stopped abruptly. The door opened slowly, revealing a familiar tall man with a butterscotch complexion and locs hanging freely around his broad shoulders.
Adam Henderson.
Former small-town sports hero who went on and did his town proud by becoming an NCAA champion before he went on to the NBA.
His distinctly good looks meant it was hard to not notice how attractive he was. And boy did Janae notice. Her blood rushed through her body, heart beating quickly, mouth dry, making her want to run her tongue across her cherry-glossed lips for relief.
You’d bett’not.
Her mental reprimand was the only thing that kept her from doing it. Because there was one other thing Adam Henderson had been … her secret childhood crush. And it would not do for her to fall victim to his sexy smiling lips and tempting skin when she knew Adam had barely noticed her when they were growing up.
A bit dramatic, don’t you think, Janae?
She definitely was. In a town as small as Monroe Hills, it was impossible not to know everyone, especially when they were in most of your classes from pre-K to high school. To pretend that Adam didn’t know who she was was a stretch, even for her.
“Adam,” Michael’s voice interrupted her thoughts, breaking the connection between Adam and Janae. “’S’up? Everything all right?”
“Morning, everyone.” Adam may have included the rest of them in that greeting, but it was obvious the only person he truly noticed in that room was Janae. He couldn’t stop staring at her, which meant she had to keep looking at him. Not that it was a hardship. The man’s long legs and broad, muscular build made the experience more than bearable if she were honest.
“You need something?” Michael asked, and Adam blinked, finally bringing his attention to Michael.
“Oh, I just picked up those two tickets for the reunion you asked me to get when I was near the school.”
Michael went to pull out his wallet, but Adam waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t insult me like that. You’re my boy; we look out for each other.”
Michael accepted the tickets Adam held out to him and pushed them quickly into his pocket.
“Did you get one for yourself?” Michael asked.
“Sure did,” Adam affirmed.
“You’re coming all the way from New York for our high school reunion?” Janae’s question seemed louder in the silent room, making her the subject of everyone’s attention.
“I don’t live in New York anymore,” Adam answered. “I moved back to Monroe Hills at the end of the summer.”
Janae turned to Michael, her eyes narrowed slits. If dirty looks could kill, Michael would’ve been in trouble.
“And you didn’t see fit to tell anyone, Michael?”
Michael shrugged before responding to Janae’s question. “Excuse me, but I’ve kinda been dealing with family drama. I didn’t have time to run down the movements of a grown man for you, Janae.”
“Derrick is going,” Cree added. “You know those three are joined at the hip. If Derrick and Michael are going, it’s a safe bet Adam would be there too.”
“Don’t blame Mike,” Adam directed his response to Janae. Those light whiskey brown eyes connected with hers and it was as if no one else was in the room. “I’ve been so busy getting settled, I haven’t had time to do much more than get in on a couple of pickup games with Mike and Derrick. I’m glad I got the chance to run into you.”
His eyes scanned Janae’s form up, down, and then up again, and Janae was shaken to her core. She knew that look, that barely restrained hunger that looked like it would snap loose at any moment. And it was directed at her.
Being desired wasn’t anything new to Janae. Contrary to popular belief, big girls are getting it too in these streets. But again, Adam Henderson had never paid much attention to her. Why the hell else would he be looking at her like she was the last slice of sweet potato pie on the Thanksgiving dinner table?
Copyright © 2025 by Laquette R. Holmes