Page 14 of A Lifetime in 30 Days
Jamaica was the jokester of their trio, but make no mistake, she would forget herself and put hands on a person if provoked. Which Caleb’s cousin knew not to really do, based off the way she quickly turned around and hurried herself to that car.
“I can’t believe it, though,” Ronni said. “If we’re too old for this mess, you know Gail’s simple ass is.”
“Well, I’m not,” Granny said, and then patted her bag. “I’ve got my gun right here for whenever somebody steps too far out of line.”
Vanna rolled her eyes.
“Really, Granny?” Ronni asked, her face scrunched up. “You carry a gun in the same bag as your dog? Frito acts like a whole grown person. It’s a wonder he never pulls the gun out and starts poppin’ people himself.”
Again, Jamaica laughed, but it was quickly cut off by a man who was approaching them.
A fine af man wearing dark sunglasses and a black suit that looked like it was designed, cut out, and sewed right back up especially for him. His bald head shone in the glaring sunlight as his long legs brought him closer. The silver-and-diamond watch at his wrist glittered, the sprinkle of gray in his full goatee popped, and when he was close enough, the warm summer breeze delivered a whiff of his amazing-smelling cologne.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” he said in a deep voice. “May I offer my condolences to you, Savannah?”
He hadn’t even paused, just stepped right up and offered her his hand. When she stared down at it, then back up to him, his medium-thick lips spread into a smile, and he lifted a hand to remove the sunglasses. “My fault. I thought you’d remember me,” he said.
And Vanna’s mouth fell open. “Aden?”
“Aha, you do remember me,” he said, and that smile turned into a full-fledged grin. One that she specifically recalled always making her insides flutter.
“Um, yeah, how could I forget you?” she asked, then cleared her throat. “I mean, it’s been a really long time.”
He nodded. “Yes, it has.” Then he sobered. “I was really sorry to hear about Caleb. I can’t believe it, actually.”
Caleb. Right. She was standing at her husband’s gravesite, recalling how much this other man had always turned her on. She could ask the Lord to forgive her, but until Aden Granger was out of her sight again, she was positive this reaction would remain the same.
“I can’t believe the two of you are gonna carry on a conversation while the rest of us stand here and wonder who this is,” Ronni said, her gaze steady on Aden.
Jamaica, on the other hand, had folded her arms across her chest and now looked Aden up and down. “Aden Granger. Finance major. Was on the basketball team but cared more about his grades than showing off on the court. Dated Yvette Gowans our sophomore and junior year. But since you were a year ahead of us, that was your junior and senior year.”
He looked shocked as he gazed at Jamaica. “Correct,” he said, then narrowed his eyes at her. “And you’re Jamaica Brown. You didn’t stay at the same dorm with Savannah, but you two were together all the time.” He returned his gaze to Vanna. “That is, until Caleb stole all her attention.”
“What?” she asked, but she was certain he didn’t know the origin of that question. At least, she prayed he didn’t. She wasn’t askingwhatin reference to Caleb taking her attention, but ratherwhatin the whole hell was happening, because the way he was looking at her was strange. Different. Tempting.
Not to drastically go off topic, because he had shown up at this funeral and offered his condolences just like many other guests haddone at some point today, but the way his gaze seemed to be boring into her was alarming. But not necessarily in a bad way—or at least, she didn’t think it was bad. It was like he was shooting those red Superman lasers from his eyes and peeling back every layer of her life until her soul was bared to him, or some other wild nonsense like that.
“Ah, c’mon, don’t act surprised,” Aden continued, oblivious to the confusion now searing through her. “Once you and Caleb hooked up, none of us really saw y’all. I mean, I saw him during frat stuff and in the two classes we had together during my senior year. But that was it.” He shrugged. “Y’all stayed cuddled up.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Jamaica said. “I had to wonder for a minute if I’d ever get my bestie back. But then he started acting like the fool he’d been born to be, so my world went back to normal.”
Vanna sighed. “Okay, y’all, let’s not speak ill of the dead. Especially while he’s still technically aboveground.”
They all glanced over at the coffin.
“Then we shouldn’t be standing here like we’re about to have a picnic with the sonofabitch,” Granny said, and started to walk toward the car.
When she saw the surprised looks on each of their faces, Vanna tried for a nonchalant tone: “That’s my grandmother.”
Aden glanced back at Granny, then returned his gaze to Vanna’s. “I can hear the resemblance.” He grinned.
And Vanna did the same. “Oh, shut up.”
“So, ah, I didn’t see any details about a repast on the program. Are you just heading home, or do you have some other private plans?” he asked.
“No, there’s no repast. This”—she gave a wave of her hand toward the casket—“is over.”In so many ways,she thought.
“Great,” he replied, then cleared his throat. “I mean, that’s fine. Can I buy you a cup of coffee?”
