Jada felt a presence beside her and cracked an eye open, shifting to see into the dimness of what looked like a hospital room. The small move caused pain to shoot up her arm and she glanced down, spotting the gauze around her shoulder.

“Are you up, baby?” she heard a voice and saw Adam emerging from the shadows. For some reason, the sight of him brought tears to her eyes.

“Adam,” she croaked.

“It’s okay,” he said, drawing a chair close to her side and grasping her uninjured hand. “You’re okay.”

“I think I got shot.”

He chuckled and bent his head. The lamp on the nightstand picked up the hue of his blonde hair and caused it to burn like gold. She stared at his head until their gazes caught. Her chest stirred at the look he sent her and she realized that she was falling farther and farther for this man.

“The officers said they found you bleeding out on the sidewalk a block from your house. You were shot in the shoulder, but it didn’t nick anything important. The doctor says you should be fine.”

“I’m glad,” she said. “And I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too,” he smiled.

Jada closed her eyes. Right now, she wanted nothing more than for Adam to be closer to her. She peeked an eye open, calculating the distance between them. It was far too great. Gingerly lifting the sheet covering her legs, she patted the space beside her.

“What?” Adam popped up. “Do you need some water? A pillow? The remote?”

“Come here.”

Adam tilted his head, but a slow smile grew on his face. “That bed is too small for me.”

“I’ll make space.”

“Chelsea will be here any minute.”

“So why aren’t you hurrying?”

He stepped confidently forward and gripped the handrails on either side of her, lowering his face to hers. Despite the fact that she was shot and lying in the hospital, her breath hitched and she briefly wished he would kiss her.

“You sure are aggressive for someone who was just shot,” Adam said, jerking her thoughts back to reality.

Jada turned her face away. “You don’t want to? Fine…”

Adam grunted before she could finish the statement and gently helped her to adjust so that he could fit himself on the bed. His broad shoulders bucked against the rails and his feet hung off the cot, but Jada felt ten times safer with him there.

He lifted her head and tenderly set it on the back of his arm. Jada squirmed to get off.

“My head is heavy, Adam.”

“Relax,” he said, rolling closer to her so that she could see every brown fleck in his green eyes. More intimately, he whispered. “What were you doing putting yourself in danger? I nearly died getting here.”

“I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

He reached out and brushed a lock of her hair away from her face. She closed her eyes as his hand traced the curve of her cheek. Adam leaned over and kissed her forehead. Her heart sped up at the touch and gratefulness for life filled her.

“If you ever scare me like that again, I won’t let you off so easily,” he said.

She nuzzled her nose in his chest. “Noted.”

They remained that way for two beats, but their cozy cocoon was shattered when the door burst open and a small, enraged woman barged in.

“Jada Elizabeth Penner, if you die tonight it will be by my hands, not a gunshot!”

Adam turned red and Jada lifted her head so that he could slide his hand away. His escape was cut short when Chelsea came into view. Her plump lips hung wide open and her eyes doubled to twice their size when she saw Adam in her cot. Jada bit on her lip to hold back the laughter.

“You know what? Uh… I’ll just come back in a minute.”

“No,” Adam said, holding out a hand to her cousin as he swung his leg over the bed railing, “I was just… making sure the bed could hold her weight.”

Jada snickered and Adam narrowed his eyes at her.

“Really?” she mouthed to him.

He shrugged and she rolled her eyes.

“Okay, then,” Chelsea cleared her throat and stalked over to Jada’s side. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine. It doesn’t hurt when I keep still.”

Chelsea stomped her foot. “I told you to take the car. Why don’t you ever listen to me?”

“Wait a minute,” Adam said and came around to Chelsea’s side. “You went walking in your neighborhood after dark?”

“It was only a couple blocks.”

“Jada!” Adam thundered.

She moaned and held her arm. “Oh, it hurts so much.”

Immediately, Adam’s countenance changed. He bent over the bed to inspect her shoulder, three deep grooves in his forehead. “Are you okay? Do you want me to call for a doctor?”

Chelsea smacked her forehead, but Adam ignored her and focused on Jada. She felt a little spike of guilt for milking her wound to change the topic, but really… what else was a girl to do?

“I’ll call the doctor,” Adam said. “You wait right here.”

“She’s not going anywhere,” Chelsea replied. As soon as Adam left the room, Chelsea whirled on her. “Did you have to go and get shot for a pack of bread?”

“I’m sorry. Next time, I’ll take the car.”

“There probably won’t be a next time with Boyfriend of the Year out there.”

“He’s great, isn’t he,” Jada said. Softness stole into her eyes and a happy, contented look crossed her face. “I didn’t know I could feel this way about someone.”

“That’s called love,” Chelsea said a bit bitterly.

Jada pursed her lips. “Is everything alright?”

“I’m fine. Just… feeling a little regret.”

Before Jada could dig deeper, Adam returned with the doctor. The opportunity for a private inquiry faded away, but the issue refused to leave her alone. Something was up with her cousin and Jada wouldn’t stop until she got to the bottom of it.

“How’s the pain?” the doctor asked.

“It hurts, but I’ll live.”

“Alright,” he said. “I’ll up the pain killer dosage so you can get some rest.”

A nurse fiddled with the IV hanging next to her bed. Jada kept her eyes trained on Chelsea, determined to interrogate her for answers, but the world soon darkened around her and she fell asleep.

***

The next morning, Adam arrived at the Medical Center with a plastic bag hanging from one hand and a newspaper rolled up in the other. He’d been chased out of the hospital room by Chelsea last night. Jada’s cousin had insisted that he ‘get some sleep’.

Sleep, unfortunately, refused to come and he’d jumped out of bed at the crack of dawn to return to Jada’s hospital room.

“Good morning,” he said, knocking on the door. When no one answered, he stepped in anyway and found Chelsea curled up on the chair fast asleep. Quietly, Adams set the plastic bag bearing two plates of Belizean fried jacks, refried beans and cheese, on the desk.

The crinkle of the plastic woke Jada who smiled at him. His heart smiled in response and Adam finally realized why it felt like heartburn every time she looked at him. She had been burrowing her way into his soul from the first moment they met.

“How are you feeling?” he whispered.

“Good,” she said and glanced at Chelsea. “Is she sleeping?”

“Yes.”

A mischievous look appeared on Jada’s face and Adam shook his head. “I’m not getting in there with you again.”

“Why?” Jada moaned. “Your arm is so comfortable.”

He tapped her nose. “You trying to get me in trouble so early in the morning?”

“Definitely.”

Jada craned her neck to spy on the plastic bag. “What did you bring?”

“Vegetables,” he said. The look of disappointment in her eyes was so adorable it was all he could do to hold back his laughter. “I also bought fruits.”

“Okay,” Jada said politely. “Thank you.”

Adam took pity on her and revealed the food he’d bought from his favorite vender. She brightened immediately and accepted the plate with a heartfelt ‘thank you’.

“I bought one for Chelsea too.”

“I’m sure she’ll appreciate it,” Jada said and then she set the food down. “I’m worried about her.”

“Why?”

“Last night, I saw a bruise this big on her cheek—” Jada balled her hand into a fist. “I can’t put a finger on it, but something is wrong.”

“Let me know if there’s anything I can help with.”

Jada stiffened and Adam hoped she took his offer in the right light. He was well aware of how independent she was, but he couldn’t separate himself from his wealth or how happy it made him when he did things for her.

Thankfully, she accepted without a fuss. “Thank you.”

He nodded and brought the newspaper to her attention. Jada’s eyes bugged and he laughed, nearly giddy from her excitement.

“Tell me that isn’t what I think it is,” she said.

“I bought it fresh off the press.”

“Did you read it?”

“I thought I’d read it with you first.”

Jada covered her face. “I don’t know why I feel so embarrassed.”

Adam brought a chair close and flipped the newspaper open. Jada’s story was near the back of the issue and he flipped right to it. Just as he was about to read, she snatched the paper from his hands.

“I can’t.”

“Why?” he chuckled. “Let me read it.”

She lifted her hand out of his reach. “Adam, no.”

“Come on,” he insisted, trying to grab the newspaper without jostling her injured shoulder.

Adam was just about to grasp the edge of the issue when Jada turned her head and kissed his cheek. He froze, his arm still outstretched. When he turned his head to look at her, Jada stared straight up at the ceiling.

He narrowed his eyes, but forced himself to ignore her appeal and continued to stretch for the newspaper. Once again, she kissed his cheek. Unable to let the move pass, Adam grasped her cheek and planted a kiss there.

Jada smiled until her eyes became happy little slits, and he drew her near to kiss both of her eyes, enjoying the flutter of her lashes against his lips.

“Ugh!” They heard a groan. “Could you two just get a room!”

“Chelsea!” Jada’s hand fell. “You’re awake?”

“I was trying to fake-sleep for a little longer, but you two just can’t stop, can you?”

“Sorry.” Adam dipped his head, observing Chelsea through the corner of his eye. In the morning light, he noticed the bruise on her cheek and wondered briefly if Jada’s concern was warranted.

Chelsea was a naturally prickly character and he didn’t know her all that well, but the bruise on her face seemed rather nasty. Had someone hit her? The thought angered him. What was with these girls and getting themselves into trouble?

“Adam brought breakfast,” Jada said.

“Thanks.” Chelsea waved at him. “Don’t you have to work?”

“She’s right,” Jada said, looking at him with her big brown eyes. “Don’t worry about me and go do what you have to do.”

“I’ll be right here with her,” Chelsea said when he didn’t move.

Adam felt torn. He had a mountain of work at the office, but the thought of leaving Jada filled him with sadness. The fact that he even labored over the decision was unusual. Adam usually chose work over everything.

“Go,” Jada said. “I’ll be right here.”

Adam nodded.

“And don’t you dare read that newspaper,” Jada warned, pointing her finger at him.

“I make no promises.” He waved at Chelsea. “Take good care of my girl.”

Chelsea snorted and mumbled. “So cheesy.”

Ducking out of the hospital room, Adam made his way through the exits to his car and climbed in. Withholding a smile, he opened his glove compartment and pulled out the newspaper he’d bought that morning.

Sensing that Jada would be less than pleased to read her article in front of him, he’d bought an extra copy just in case. Opening the paper to the correct page, he read the story carefully.

The way Jada put words together was very reminiscent of her personality. She was to-the-point, but described things with a hint of sentimentality. She’d written of the families that protected each other despite the violence. One particular phrase stuck with him.

“This is why we refuse to bow to those who try to rule our streets with violence. Perfect love drives out fear and because of love, we will walk and live freely.”

Adam folded the newspaper and leaned against the headrests. He had found a truly incredible woman in Jada Penner.