Ten in the morning. That’s what time I made it in to work—three hours late. So not like me.

I found every excuse to stay in bed a little while longer. I knew what the real deal was. I didn’t want to see Robert. All the teachers knew Carla and I were friends, so I did expect someone to ask about her. But I wasn’t prepared for what did happened. There were no sentiments of empathy for Carla. When I walked into the teacher’s lounge, curious eyes turned to me.

Throughout the day, people would stop and stare but not ask or say anything. It became high school all over again. Dreaded by that, I decided I also had enough. If Robert could assault Carla and try me, surely, he’d tried others. So why was he even allowed stay on staff?

I marched right to the principal’s office and demanded a meeting with Ralph McDonald. I didn’t know if he was taking up for Robert because of his male genitalia or if Robert had dirt on Principal McDonald. Either way, by the time I finished saying what I had to, which I had to admit included a sister girl neck roll and hand on hip, I was not taking any shit attitude.

I told Principal McDonald he either got rid of Robert, or Carla and I were putting in our resignations. For a second, I thought he would let me walk out the door without a care. But then he stopped me once I’d gotten to the exit.

“Ms. Summers, please don’t leave.”

He caught my attention so far. I turned back to him and fought crossing my arms and giving him an angry black woman stand.

“I can’t just let him go. An investigation is underway. Once it’s completed, at that time, I can make a decision. But I implore you and Ms. Summers to stay. If you need to take a little time off, I’d be happy to approve a paid vacation request.”

He smiled, but I didn’t trust him. I put in my request, which had taken all of ten minutes, and then I left.

What else was so not like me? Standing in the grocery store in the middle of the day. Inside my car, I’d written a list, but I couldn’t remember where I put it. My phone chimed as I pushed the cart through the vegetable aisle. Shoving my hand inside my purse, I rummaged around until I had what felt like my smartphone in my clutches. I pulled it out and checked the screen.

Hey, you.

Josiah. I tugged the corner of my lip with my teeth and hit reply.

Hey.

He response came quickly.

Are you busy?

For some reason, I was edgy. I glanced around the store then back to my screen.

Grocery shopping. How are you?

A minute passed.

I’ve been better. It seems I caught a cold. It’s been pretty mean. Wish I had someone to take care of me.

A sudden warmth passed through me. Then another text came through.

You’ve been on my mind lately, Santana.

I closed my eyes briefly and imagined his deep, smooth voice calling out my name. My cart bumped into a bin of open tomatoes, and they toppled to the floor in dramatic fashion one after the other.

“Shit.”

I dropped my cell in my handbag and went to retrieve the fallen fruit. I tried collecting them three at a time, but fumbled and lost them again.

“Don’t worry about it, ma’am, I’ll pick it up,” a friendly associate intervened.

“Thank you so much. I should’ve paid closer attention.”

The clerk looked at me. “It happens to us all sometimes. I’ll take care of it, you go right along and enjoy the rest of your shopping.”

I sighed. “Thank you.” I handed him the only two tomatoes I’d managed to retrieve.

 It had been a week since our return from Jamaica, and I hadn’t heard from Josiah at all. I assumed I probably wouldn’t hear from him again, and even though I put up a good front with Desiree the day before, the truth was, I had my fingers crossed. Being with Josiah for those two days was blissful. I imagined it’s what Desiree, Claudia, and Samiyah felt on a regular basis. Granted their bliss was on a whole other level, but still. I thought back to his brown sugar lips and smooth skin. At my cart, I reached to retrieve my cell and went back to the text he’d sent then hit reply.

  I’ve thought about you also, Josiah. If you’d like, I can bring you a few things that may help bust that cold.

I sucked my lips in and waited for a response as my eyes darted across the supermarket once again. After a few minutes, I pushed forward, deciding that I needed to get this over with. As I moseyed along the aisle, I grabbed items I’d run out of like milk, cheese, and eggs. It wasn’t until after I’d grabbed the package of noodles did I realize I picked a few things for some homemade chicken noodle soup. I like to think of myself as fearless. I couldn’t be shaken by much, and because of that, I led my life on the wild side sometimes. I guess that’s why I made the best damn investigative reporter. However, I had to admit when it came to Josiah, there was a bit of fear there. I tried to shake my crazy mood and forged on to the checkout line.

Since I only had a few items, I took them through the self-checkout and pushed my cart back with the others. As I got in my car, a fast melody played, and I recognized it instantly as my default ringtone. I reached in my purse and accepted the call immediately.

“I would love for you to come by,” Josiah’s smooth voice said. “How soon can you get here?”

“I’m on my way home now. I’ll make some soup and bring it over.”

“Or you can just come now and make the soup over here,” he suggested. “I would’ve called sooner, but I was in the sauna.”

I swallowed thickly. “What’s your address?”

“Seven forty-one Park Place.”

“I’ll see you in about thirty minutes.”

“See you then,” he said.

I ended the call and tried to discern the ruckus my heartbeat was kicking up. Moments later, I’d realized I was still sitting in the parking lot of the grocery store with thoughts of wet heat glistening on Josiah from a hot sauna.

“Jesus,” I whispered then backed out of the lot and pulled onto the street. As I drove, my thoughts went back to Jamaica. After the wedding, Josiah and I had found our way back in Ocho Rios.

“What are we doing back here?” I asked.

“We didn’t get to do everything I had planned.”

“Planned?”

He smiled. “Yeah…”

I let him lead the way, and we ended up having the time of our lives. I’d never rode a tube down a waterfall before until that day. I squealed as the tube flew down the river, over a waterfall into a bank of water. It was like nothing I’d ever done. I felt like a kid in a candy store. Needless to say, we rode those tubs a couple of times before moving on to Dolphin Cove. The beautiful sea creatures loved to perform and were so friendly. Watching the fish play and sing was delightful in so many ways. It’s something you would truly have to experience. We practically spent the day sightseeing and carrying on as a couple would.

And I wondered why Josiah was doing all of this with me. But he quickly answered that question in conversation saying how he’d wanted to get back to those exact destinations since he’d visited when he was a kid. There was a brief disappointment that slid over me, but I was good being the friend he wanted to revisit with. I really liked Josiah, and I was hoping we could have a friendship that would last for all time. I cleared my throat and settled my thoughts on how great this new friendship was. But I didn’t ignore the inside voice that begged to differ. No matter how much I wanted to turn it off.

“Don’t even get yourself worked up, Santana. You’re not in this friendship for anything more than that.” As I talked to myself, I drove across town to Josiah’s condo following the GPS. “We will never be anything more than that. It’s just Desiree’s and Claudia’s weddings that have you thinking all swoonish. Get over it. Now is not the time to go off into la-la land thinking about what ifs. Stranger things have happened.”

I pulled in front of the high-rise and allowed the valet to park my vehicle. I continued to talk to myself as I sent a text to Josiah’s phone.

I’m downstairs. What’s your apartment number?

I hit the elevator button, and it dinged, allowing me entrance.

Seven forty-one.

“Duh,” I said to myself. He told me that on the phone. “If you get your head out of the clouds, maybe you could focus.” The compact car rose to the seventh floor without stopping and opened upon resting. “Besides,” I continued, “girl he is too young and probably still wet behind the ears. Look at him as an adolescent.” I hit his doorbell and exhaled, absentmindedly taking my fingers through my hair and rearranging my clothes.

The door swung open, and my eyes traveled over Josiah, shirtless with a towel barely hanging onto his chiseled waistline. His legs revealed thin hair that tapered off at his ankles. His pedicured feet were three times the size of mine, and his full body was drenched in steam. A splinter of heat drove through my body. If I were to stick to my guns and imagine him as an adolescent, I was officially a pervert. I took in a deep breath and smiled.

“I apologize for my nakedness,” his voice thundered. “After I hung up with you, I took a quick shower. Come on in.”

He opened the door wider, but my feet wouldn’t move. This was probably a mistake, but hey, I live my life on the edge. So, with a warning alarm officially triggered, I took a step inside.