As much as Janessa despised Dvontè’s attitude, she still cared about him. “Has Geren talked to him at all?” she asked.
“Not to my knowledge,” Tempest replied somberly.
“Tempest, I hate the fact that their friendship is strained because of me.”
Tempest grabbed Janessa’s hand again and noticed it was trembling. The lady behind the counter immediately shot daggers at them again, but Tempest looked at her and shot them back this time, refusing to let go of Janessa’s hand because of the hang-ups of others. “None of this is your fault, Janessa. Geren doesn’t blame you, and I definitely don’t.”
Janessa pouted. “But they’ve been friends for so long.”
“Not everyone is meant to be in our lives for a lifetime. Geren and Dvontè started growing apart years before you and I even entered the picture. Geren and I discussed this in detail, and personally, I’m surprised their friendship lasted as long as it did. They’re like night and day.”
“Well, so are we,” Janessa said, thinking about all the times Tempest had warned her not to do something only to have her do it and regret it later.
“Not hardly,” Tempest said vehemently. “When it comes right down to it, you and I are a lot alike. And where there are differences, you and I can agree to disagree. There is no room for that in the situation between Geren and Dvontè.”
Janessa pushed her plate away. Her appetite was gone. “I’m just going to do the best I can, with or without Dvontè’s help. I’m just grateful for you and Geren. I still can’t believe you’re willing to do so much for me.”
“Well, I am. Which brings me to my next question. What about Lamaze? Are you planning to take classes?”
Janessa diverted her eyes to the table in shame. “How can I? I don’t have a partner.”
Tempest tightened her grasp on Janessa’s hand. “You do now!”
CHAPTER 28
home sweet home
“ready?” Geren asked, helping Tempest out of the passenger side of his car. He glanced around at the pedestrians walking past, who were giving them curious looks. Tempest had been bombarding him with questions ever since he showed up at her place, insisting she put on a blindfold and get in the car with him.
“Ready as I’ll ever be!” Tempest replied excitedly, messing with the knot on the back of the blindfold with the fingers of her left hand. “The suspense is killing me!”
“Well, we can’t have that,” Geren teased. He took a deep breath, feeling extre
mely excited himself, and removed her blindfold in one swift movement.
Tempest’s mouth flew open, and for a few seconds, Geren thought she might faint. Then a huge grin overtook her face.
“Geren, what are we doing here?”
He knew she’d already put two and two together but decided to play along. “Why do you think we’re here, sweetheart?”
“I haven’t a clue,” Tempest cooed, blushing uncontrollably. She stared at the three-story brownstone on P Street in Georgetown as if it were the first time she’d ever seen it. Her heart fluttered, her mind rapidly flashing through the happy memories of her youth when her grandparents were still alive.
“No clue, huh?” Geren prodded, still participating in the game.
Tempest lifted her chin to stare at him, gnawing gently on her bottom lip and hesitant to come right out with her assumption. “I see the For Sale sign has been taken down.”
Geren chuckled. “So it seems.”
“That must mean someone purchased it.”
Geren crossed his arms in front of his chest, cupping his elbows and trying to repress the laughter that was building up inside of him. “Yes, someone did.”
Tempest couldn’t hold back a second longer. She lightly pushed Geren in the chest as they both broke out in giggles. “Are you serious?”
He wrapped his arms around her waist, planting a gentle kiss on her trembling lips. “As serious as it gets.”
“You bought this house for me?” Tempest asked, still stunned beyond disbelief.