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since we were in high
school."

    "Hell, me, too. Matter of fact, I'll take any one of
them brothers."
    "You got that right."
    Garcelle moved down the aisle to get into the
short line for the cashier. When she heard the
voices come up behind her, she gave in to temptation and glanced back. Pita and Rita, just like she'd
thought.
    Both were dressed in skintight leggings and tank
tops that revealed their curvy frames. It was quite
obvious they knew their assets and weren't afraid to
show them.
    "You know we ain't the only ones with our eyes
on him," Pita said.
    "Him moving back to his house is a sign and a
half that he's ready to stop mourning and ready to
start living, baby," Rita added.
    Garcelle sat the can on the chipped and scratched
wooden counter as she dug in her back pocket for
her money.
    "Are y'all talkin' 'bout Kade Strong?" Keisha, the
cashier, asked. Her shoulder-length hair was dyed
the shocking shade of royal blue.
    Garcelle's heart slammed against her chest like a
head-on collision. Kade. Visions of her crimson
dress swirling around her like a parasol flashed
before her, followed by an image of Kade moving
closer to the dance floor to watch her, with the
most intense eyes.
    "Sure are," Pita said in a drawn-out voice.
    Keisha paused for a second, with a faraway look in
her eyes. "I heard he's moving back into his house."
    "Sure is," Rita assured her. "But all these heifers
thinking 'bout plit-plotting might as well fall back,
'cause I got some tricks up my sleeve for that brotha."

    Pita sucked air between her teeth. "Well, chick,
you ain't the only one with some tricks ... or treats."
    The ladies all laughed together as Garcelle accepted her change and the brown paper bag holding her can of beans. She left them gossiping
animatedly as she stepped out of the store.
    Kade moved back in his house, she thought as she
dropped the bag into the basket attached to her
ten-speed bike. Good for him.
    Anyone who wasn't muy loco could see that Kade
was an attractive man. During their first meeting that
day at Kahron's house, Garcelle had found her pulse
racing-even as she put him in his place about insinuating that she was a lowly thief. Never had she
wanted to slap a man and kiss him all at once.
    While working for Kahron and spending time
around the family, she'd learned Kade's story, and
her heart ached for the man, who seemed lost and
withdrawn without his wife. The only time he seemed
to open up was around his family ... especially
Kadina. He was one man who loved and adored his
daughter. That was one thing that had softened her
heart toward the man, who could seem very cold and
distant.
    One thing the crazy women had said was true: his
decision to move back into his beautiful home was
a sign that he was prepared to move on ... the best
thing that he could do under the circumstances.
    Garcelle rode the bike down the long and bumpy
dirt road leading to the trailer park. She enjoyed
riding her bike as long as her destination wasn't too
far. Otherwise, she flew around town in her old Volkswagen Cabriolet.
    She was just turning into their front yard when a
black Chevy Caprice slowed to a halt beside her. The darkly tinted driver's side window went down,
but Garcelle didn't need to see the driver to know
it was her ex, Joaquin Consuelo.

    Garcelle gave him an eye roll and continued
riding on.
    His car continued to roll slowly beside her.
    She slammed on the brakes. "What do you want,
Joaquin?" she snapped as she put her feet on the
ground and balanced the bike between her legs.
    "You," he answered simply.
    Garcelle arched her eyebrows, with plenty of attitude, as she felt her anger rise. "When you had
me, you wanted other women, remember?" she
asked, her accent thickening with her irritation.
    "Garcelle, I never cheated on you," he said, placing the car in park.
    A year into their relationship, Joaquin, through
hard work, had saved up enough money to start his
own