For fourteen years, popular cosmetologist and dermatologist Sage White has been living in South Korea, where he learned all the best techniques in skin care. When he returns to his hometown of Miami, Florida, the last person he plans to see is his high school classmate Roman Hill, one of Sage’s childhood friends and his first male lover. The last time he saw Roman was at their high school graduation, and Sage still carries emotional scars from what happened between them that day.
Roman has one regret in is life -- he never took the chance to really get to know Sage. Now thirty-two, he opened his sports medicine clinic and is about to attend his fourteenth year class reunion. There he runs into Sage, who has aged well, like fine wine and cheese. Roman wonders if Sage remembers their one time together. Will there be a repeat performance?
“Aren’t you going to speak?” Roman Hill said to Sage as he and the student council officers served food on the second day of their class reunion.
Sage lifted his gaze and his heart melted. Fourteen years later he was still infatuated with the guy who used to tease him unmercifully as a child and call him girly. “Hello Roman. It’s nice to see you again.”
“Hey, what about me?” Harrison Brown asked him.
“Hey, Harrison,” George said before Sage could respond. “Do you want to try my sausage?”
Sage tried to keep a straight face, but ended up smiling, while a green-eyed demon raked his gaze over him. Everyone was wearing swimming trunks or shorts, except Roman who wore athletic pants and a tank top. Sage didn’t know if he was trying to hide the scar on his leg or he just wasn’t comfortable in shorts.
“Are you the same Sage White, Dermatologist who is opening an office in the new medical center building near the hospital?”
Sage raised an eyebrow. “Yes, how did you know that?”
“I saw your name on a door as I walked by.”
“Do you own the facility?” Sage asked, trying not to get swept away.
“No, I’m a sports medicine doctor?”
“You’re a doctor?” Sage asked, as if George hadn’t filled him in on everything.
“Yes, didn’t I mention that in my speech last night?”
Sage shrugged. “Sorry, I didn’t hear your speech, because I was too busy practicing mine. But congratulations on your induction into the Hall of Fame.”
“Thank you,” Roman said.
“I’ve always wanted my own office,” Sage said.
“I thought you were an English teacher?” Roman said.
“I thought you were a professional football player,” Sage said. “Apparently, things didn’t work out the way we expected.”
“I got hurt playing college football.”
“Sorry, I didn’t know. So, now you’re a sports doctor?”
Roman nodded. “I got my leg pretty banged up, so I decided to change majors in college and the rest is history. What’s your excuse?”
“I went over on a student visa to attend college to learn to be a dermatologist. To earn extra money I taught English not only elementary students but adult students as well.”
“Why didn’t you just go to school here to be a dermatologist?” Roman asked.
Sage gave him a side eye glance. “South Korea is leading the field in skin care and plastic surgery. I wanted to learn from their techniques.”
“I have an office in the medical center too,” Harrison said. “I’m a pediatrician.”
“What a small world,” Sage said.
“Come sit with us later when you get off break,” Harrison said. “We can tell you about the place.”
“Can I come too?” George asked.
“Are you opening an office in the medical center, Chef Wilson?” Harrison asked him.
“No, but I might come to Sage’s office for treatment one day,” George said.
“Okay, I guess you can come too,” Harrison said.
Sage smirked. There was no way Harrison could resist such an innocent smile.
Harrison and Roman continued down the line once they got sausages and hamburgers from him and George.
“He’s still so fine,” George said to him. “Are you going to join them later?”
“We’re going to join them,” Sage said.
“Those fine legs in those shorts,” George said.
Sage chuckled. The chef still had his eyes on the handsome pediatrician.
“You need to keep your dirty hands-off Roman Hill, Sage White. He’s not into lady boys.”
Sage gazed down into the brown eyes of Deloris Evans. The cheerleader bitch glared back at him.
“Girl, this isn’t high school. I could sue you for slander,” George said.
Time had not been kind to Deloris. The ex-head cheerleader had blotchy skin, bad hair, and seemed to have gained a considerable amount of weight. She had on a short set that showed off her thunder thighs. Unlike her, he would keep the thoughts in his head and not insult her. Deloris had fancied herself in love with Roman in school. The two of them never dated, as far as Roman knew. But she and the rest of the cheerleaders did not like the members of the student council, and they had gotten into several arguments over the years. “Did the two of you get married?” Sage asked.
Deloris looked at him like she wanted to strangle him. “No. If you would have stayed your ass in America, you would know this.”
Sage dropped burger on her plate and sent her to Harrison who put a sausage on it. He didn’t know who had pissed her off, but she lived in a fantasy world. Roman Hill wouldn’t give her the time of day even if she was the last woman on earth.
Deloris went on her way.
“I can’t believe she called us lady boys,” George said. “I’m not a boy.”
“Me either,” Sage agreed.
People Also Bought:
