She was the most pissed at me. She’d kick my shins when she found out Bill picked me up from the airport.
“I wouldn’t know,” he said.
I clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Mrs. Bill appreciates that about you anyway.”
He snorted. “Mrs. Bill’s name is Nadine.”
The SUV pulled up in front of my building. The wave of homesickness that slapped me in the face was a surprise. I’d been traveling the better part of my adult life, rarely taking the time to settle down. I didn’t remember the last time I’d felt truly homesick.
Seeing the stone face of the ten-story apartment building where I lived right next door to Adelaide Zala Goodman had done it. No question it was because she was contained within those walls.
Bill made sure there were no paps or fans lingering outside, then he let me out of the SUV. I crossed the sidewalk, the doorman holding the door open for me, and headed straight for the elevator. Someone would bring my bags up later. I didn’t have to worry about it. Baddie was my sole focus.
I bounced on my toes as the elevator rose. I’d been relatively patient up to this point, but these last ten stories felt like they were taking a lifetime.
Once I was at her door, I let loose, slamming my fist to the wood in the rhythm I’d been beating in the same spot for a year. I waited. And waited some more. Silence was my only answer.
Well, shit.
It was early still. Adelaide was a social girl. I imagined her dance card was filled today, but she wasn’t one to roll out of bed with the sunrise. I hit the door harder, certain she was sleeping.
She might be annoyed with me for waking her up, but I was banking on her forgiving me since I’d flown home early just for her. Baddie could be reasonable—especially if I made her coffee and ordered breakfast.
My stomach growled again. Damn, she needed to open this door so I could hug her and find something to eat before my stomach ate itself.
At the end of the hall, the elevator slid open. My focus stayed on Adelaide’s door and my constant knocking. She was going to bemadat me for making a ruckus this early in the morning. But I was mad at her for neglecting me while I was away.
“Baddie…come on, open up! You’re beautiful enough. You don’t need more sleep!”
I was hollering. Our neighbors would probably hate me, but fortunately for all of us, these walls were pretty soundproof…which made my yelling futile, but I was kind of losing my mind here. I was so close but still not with her.
“Adam?”
Jerking at the sound of that voice, I spun around. Adelaide was making her way down the hall, a stack of cardboard in her arms.
“You’re not sleeping.”No kidding, Sherlock. I was so flabbergasted at actually seeing her, I didn’t know what the hell to say. My heart kicked up its pace, worming its way into my throat.
“No, I’m not.” She came to a stop about two feet away from me. “What are you doing here?”
My surprise at her sudden appearance wore off enough to register she wasn’t smiling. She hadn’t dropped her mountain of cardboard to jump into my arms. My best friend wasn’t looking at me like I washerbest friend. No, this was something else.
This was the story behind the two months of neglect.
What the hell was going on?
“I’m here for you.” I rocked back on my heels, tipping my head toward her door. She might’ve been giving me the cold shoulder, but I couldn’t help the warmth spreading across my chest at the sight of her. “Happy birthday, Adelaide.”
She stared at me from her big, deep-hazel eyes for a long,long, drawn-out beat. Then, almost in slow motion, her upper lip curled. She only let it happen for a millisecond, but since I was studying her intently, I didn’t miss it.
“Thank you. I didn’t think you’d be back from tour yet.”
She made no move to come any closer. I got that she was probably shocked to find me here, outside her apartment at eight in the morning, but damn, I’d been expecting hugs and all I was getting was…well, nada.
I started for her, to relieve her of the boxes in her arms, but she stepped away, stopping me. Since when did she step away from me?
“Adelaide?”
She sighed, and it sounded like it weighed a hundred pounds. “Would you mind opening my door? It’s unlocked. I just need to put this stuff down.”