Back to Us: Episode 4 – Suit Up
DUANE
I stepped behind the register, passing Tasha, who was scrolling through her phone. Some bosses acted like hard-asses, making sure employees were working every second of their shift, but that wasn’t my style.
It was 2 p.m. on a quiet Thursday—the day after Valentine’s Day—so I wasn’t trippin’. Tasha was one of my best employees anyway, and if anyone deserved downtime, it was her.
I stopped at the computer at the end of the counter and logged into our system to check for online orders. During slow hours, I liked to make sure all our shipments were on schedule and confirm any special requests from our VIP clients. They were the backbone of The Sneaker Vault’s success, so keeping them happy was priority number one.
“Ayo, Aye!”
I looked up to see Ryder strolling into the store, dapping up Dre, our security guard, before exchanging a few laughs with Xav, one of my sales associates.
I grinned, shaking my head as I stepped out from behind the counter to meet him.
“Ryder, what’s good?”
His smile stretched wide—permanent ever since he made things official with Kelli, his best friend turned girlfriend.
We gave each other dap before pulling in for a quick hug.
“Man, I need to see if you got a specific pair of kicks in stock. If not, I need you to order them for me,” he said, patting my chest. “You got me?”
I smirked, motioning for him to follow me to the counter. “You know I got you. Come on.”
“Cool,” he said, trailing behind. He threw a wave to Tasha. “What’s up, Tasha?”
“Hey, Ryder!” she said, glancing up from her phone. “What you here to get?”
“Aw, I’m feeling a little nostalgic,” Ryder replied, flashing a grin. “I need the Nike Air Max 1 Anniversary Red.”
I let out a low whistle. “Oh, you in your classic era.”
“And I don’t wanna leave, baby,” Ryder said with a laugh. “Never.”
I chuckled as I grabbed my tablet to check our inventory. Ryder and I went way back, all the way to high school. Despite his crazy schedule—traveling, earning awards, and connecting with industry heavyweights—he always made time to stay in touch.
“Aight,” I said, scrolling through the system. “Checked my inventory just to be sure, but we don’t have them in stock. I’ll place a special order. What size are you again?”
“Thirteen,” he said. “You think that size works, or should I size up?”
“Nah, you’re good. Air Max’s run narrow, but since your feet are narrow too, true-to-size will fit you perfectly.”
Ryder nodded. “Aight, let’s do it.” He pulled his gold Amex from his back pocket. “Run it up.”
“Cool, let me hook you up with a discount—”
“D, don’t give me no damn discount, man,” Ryder interrupted, shaking his head. “Y’all always pulling this mess around here. I’m paying full price.”
I looked at him, deadpan. “Applied the discount.”
Ryder chuckled, shaking his head. “Y’all and these special treatment perks. Serenity with her free food, you with your discounts.”
“Aww,” I teased, walking his card over to Tasha. “He’s annoyed by the love. How cute.”
“Yeah, all right,” Ryder said, waving me off.
“Tasha, charge $110. Thanks.”
“No problem,” she replied.
“Speaking of Serenity,” Ryder said, leaning on the counter while I finalized his order. “How about that wedding announcement yesterday?”
A smile tugged at my lips. “Man, they’re wild. All that time with no date, and then boom—two months. But I can’t even lie, I’m excited for it.”
“Yeah, me too,” Ryder agreed. “But let me ask what I really wanna know.”
I glanced at him, catching the mischievous grin spreading across his face.
“How’d it feel seeing Diana again after all this time?”
My lips parted, but no words came out.
“All set,” Tasha said, handing Ryder his card.
“Thanks, Tash,” Ryder said, pocketing it before turning back to me expectantly. “Well?”
“It was…” I started, rubbing the back of my neck. “Shit, it was awkward, man. Like… so fucking awkward, Ryder.”
Ryder’s brows shot up, his expression laced with disbelief as he leaned in. “Wait, what? For real?”
I inhaled deeply and gestured for us to move away from the register, giving ourselves a little privacy.
Since last night, my interaction with Diana had been on a loop in my head. I couldn’t wait to open Sneaker Vault this morning just to keep busy and distract myself from replaying the whole thing.
“Awkward?” Ryder pressed once we were alone.
“Yeah, man,” I admitted. “But you know, it was good seeing her.” I smiled to myself. “Real good… for me, anyway. I don’t know if she felt the same. But she looked great.”
“Awkward though, bro?” Ryder repeated, his tone incredulous. “You sure? Y’all were practically inseparable back in the day.”
“Yeah, and then I messed that up with that whole situation when I started school down south,” I reminded him. “I underestimated just how much that changed things between us.”
“It’s still wild to me that y’all been back in the same city this long and just, just now ran into each other.”
“If you can call it running into each other,” I said with a shrug.
“I mean… there’s that part.”
I nodded. The thought of Diana had been pulling at my mind since we all said our goodbyes last night. Much like at Bellyful, our conversation had been stilted, guarded—nothing like how we used to be.
But damn, she still looked amazing. Even better than the last time I saw her, which I hadn’t thought was possible. And that smile? Still the same. It warmed my chest, made me feel like I could give her anything she asked for, even without her having to say a word.
“Well,” Ryder said, breaking my thoughts. “Maybe all this wedding stuff Serenity and Trey have planned will bring you two together again.”
“I doubt it.” I dragged a hand over my head. “And even if it does, and I get to see her again—on purpose this time—it’ll probably just be a polite ‘hi’ and ‘bye.’”
“Not you over here sounding like Mr. Negative.”
I scoffed a laugh. “More like Mr. Realistic.” Shaking my head, I added, “There’s never been a time I wished things ended differently more than last night. With everything else,” I said, balling my fist and tapping it into my palm, “I always figured things happened for a reason, so I didn’t sweat it. But Diana?” I sighed, my shoulders slumping. “Man, I wish we’d just broken up before we went off to school. Would’ve saved us both a lot of mess.”
Ryder studied me, his face softening.
I shook my head again and gave his chest a light push. “Man, whatever. You got me over here sounding like a sap. I don’t even like being in this regretful headspace. Get outta here with that.”
Ryder laughed, holding his hands up in mock surrender.
I playfully shoved him toward the front door. “Thanks for your business, but I’m kicking you out now. Go!”
“Aight, wait, wait, wait!” Ryder turned back, lowering his voice as he checked to make sure no one was paying us too much attention. “You ever thought about just hitting her up? You know, just to catch up?”
I snorted. “You think I haven’t tried? Serenity and Kelli won’t give me her number. Serenity said, ‘When you see Di, just get it from her.’ And Kelli?” I shook my head. “She at least asked Diana first, and Diana told her no.”
“Damn,” Ryder muttered.
“Exactly.” I shrugged. “If Diana didn’t want Kelli giving me her number, you really think she’d be cool with me getting it any other way?”
“Yeah.” Ryder nodded, understanding.
“I mean, it is what it is. She’s probably moved on, and I’m happy for her. Whatever she’s doing now, she needs to keep doing it, because it looks damn good on her.”
Ryder tilted his head, rubbing his hand over his braids. “Sometimes the past doesn’t mirror the future. Look at me and Kelli—we’ve been friends since we were kids, and I ain’t never seen her like I do now. And look where we at.”
I nodded, appreciating his optimism.
“Things change,” Ryder added. “Sometimes the past doesn’t matter as much as you think it does.”
I let out a short laugh. “I highly doubt that’s the case with me and Diana, but thanks for the pep talk.” I shifted the conversation. “I’ll follow up on your sneaker order, make sure it gets here on time for you to pick up.”
“Aight, cool.” Ryder held out his hand for a dap, which I returned, pulling him in for a quick hug.
“I appreciate you,” Ryder said.
“Same, bro.”
“We’ll talk,” he called over his shoulder as he left. “Later, fam.”
My employees echoed their goodbyes as he exited.
I wanted to believe Ryder’s words about the past not dictating the future. Hell, I might’ve believed him before last night. But after that awkward interaction with Diana? It was clear that what’s over is over.
Diana deserved better anyway. Probably into dudes who buttoned their polos all the way up and spent Sundays brunching before hitting the golf course. Guys nothing like me.
I chuckled at the thought, heading back to the register to dive into the day’s orders.
Still… it was good seeing her last night. For real.
***
I pulled open the glass door of the building that housed my condo.
“Duane Wayne,” my building’s doorman, Jamie, called from behind his welcome desk.
I chuckled. “How many times I gotta tell you to quit calling me that, Jamie?”
He tossed his head back in a hearty laugh. “How’s it going?”
“I woke up Black today, J, and I’m still Black at the end of a very long workday.” I grinned. “So, it’s going fantastic.”
Jamie laughed even harder.
The walk home from The Sneaker Vault was tiring, like always. I somehow managed to do more than I planned after closing the store—even when I swore to myself I’d take it easy. With college basketball championships around the corner, I’d been brainstorming promotions to celebrate. Watching college basketball was one of my favorite pastimes. I loved filling out brackets, making predictions, and seeing my store on theme with the season.
Even though I didn’t go to Langston University here in the city—choosing a Southern school instead—I rooted hard for The Blackbirds. They were gonna take the championship this year. I just knew it.
As luck would have it, Trey’s best friend Luke, who was The Blackbirds’ men’s basketball coach, guaranteed me seats for every conference game and the championship at the Garden if they made it.
And I told him it wasn’t an if. It was a when.
“I know that’s right,” Jamie said, holding out a fist for me to bump.
I obliged.
“Aye, something came in for you this afternoon.”
I wrinkled my brows. “For real? What?”
“This package.” Jamie ducked under his desk and reappeared with a matte black box.
I accepted the box, glancing at the tiny note on the surface. A smile tugged at my lips.
“Aight, thanks,” I said, nodding. “This is from Trey and Serenity over there at Bellyful.”
“Damn,” Jamie said, snapping his fingers and kissing his teeth. “That’s what I forgot to stop by and get tonight before they closed—those jerk tacos. Shoot.”
“Ouch, I feel your pain,” I said, shaking my head. “Having a taste for something but forgetting to get it? That’s the worst.”
“Man,” he exhaled, shaking his head too.
“There’s always tomorrow, though.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” He rubbed his belly. “I’m about to be at their door as soon as they open.”
I chuckled, tipping my chin in his direction as I walked off. “I’ll catch you tomorrow.”
“No doubt,” he replied. “Have a good night.”
I turned back to face him, still walking backward. “You have a better one.”
He laughed, shaking his head as he lowered his attention to his device.
All the way up to my condo, I peeked down at the package in my hands. The box was sleek and beautiful—all black and matte, with my name, Duane, embossed in glossy, raised lettering.
As soon as I stepped into my condo, I switched on the lights, watching as the space filled with an amber glow.
Shortly after moving back to Rose Hill nearly nine years ago, I snagged this spot. I loved the sleek, modern design of the building and the view—it was built high enough to see the whole city from my windows. That view had been a dream of mine since I was a teenager.
The location was a bonus, too. It was close to my favorite restaurants, including Bellyful, and plenty of hangout spots I used to frequent back in the day.
I placed Trey’s package on the kitchen island and made a beeline for my fridge.
I stopped to pull open one of the black cabinets for a glass, then thought better of it. Tonight, I needed the beer straight from the bottle.
I opened the stainless-steel fridge, grabbed a green bottle of Heineken, and reached for the magnetic bottle opener stuck to the fridge door. The soft hiss of the cap popping off brought a tiny flicker of joy after the long day.
That first swig was always the best—refreshing in a way nothing else could match. It was the one small treat I promised myself after a full day at work.
The day hadn’t been particularly busy at The Sneaker Vault, but after Ryder left, Diana was all I could think about.
Why had things been so awkward between us at Trey and Serenity’s wedding announcement party?
Was she still hung up on how we broke up?
I hoped not.
I sighed as I turned to Trey’s package again. Picking it up, I grabbed my beer and headed to the living room, dropping into my favorite chair.
My grandfather—may he rest—had a chair just like this back at my grandparents’ house in Brooklyn. He used to be ready to fight anyone who tried to sit in it.
As a kid, I never understood why it was such a big deal. But now, as I sank into the cushion, feeling the immediate comfort after a long day on my feet at The Sneaker Vault, it hit me.
“I feel you, Granddad,” I said with a chuckle to myself. “I wouldn’t want anyone in my damn chair either.”
I placed my beer on the side table and slid the box closer to me. Pulling at the tabs to open it, I chuckled at what was inside: a sleek metal flask, a pair of silver cufflinks engraved with my initials, and a handwritten note.
Duane,
You’ve been a solid friend to me, and I can’t imagine standing at the altar without you by my side. Serenity and I are finally making it official, and it would mean the world to me if you’d be one of my groomsmen.
This journey wouldn’t feel complete without you, bro. Get ready to suit up. It’s gonna be a celebration to remember.
Appreciate you, always.
Trey
I laughed, the smile on my face sticking around. “Aw, how sweet,” I muttered to myself, shaking my head as I leaned back in my chair.
Trey and Serenity were finally tying the knot. I liked them—loved what they stood for. No drama, no mess, just building. Ever since they became a couple, it was all upward momentum for the both of them, romantically and financially.
I wanted that for myself one day.
“Just not today,” I muttered, taking another swig of my beer.
I’d had a handful of relationships—some serious, others casual—but none made it past a year. Either we lost interest, or a red flag popped up that I couldn’t ignore. After a while, I leaned into casual relationships, not wanting anything to interfere with my plans.
Beyond The Sneaker Vault, I’d developed a real interest in real estate. A few years back, I’d bought an abandoned building in my old Brooklyn neighborhood, Brownsville, during an auction. I fixed it up and rented the units out at affordable rates, partnering with a community organization called Buy The Block Back.
The founder, Jeremiah Rhames, was a former NYPD detective turned activist who spearheaded efforts to improve Brownsville and keep gentrification at bay. His organization focused on giving long-time residents the opportunity to reclaim ownership in their community. It was inspiring work.
My phone chimed in my pocket, pulling me from my thoughts.
Leaning back, I pulled it out and noticed it was a group text from Trey.
Trey: Yo, fellas! Just checking in. Did everyone get their packages? Hope y’all feeling those personalized touches because Serenity made me put in WORK to make them happen, ya hear?
A stream of replies came in from the guys:
Luke: I got it. I feel so special.
Trey: 😂 As you should.
Me: I’m with Luke. I feel so loved. Thanks, man.
Trey responded with another laughing emoji, then followed up with a new message:
Trey: Aight, cool. So everyone got it. Great. Now, onto business: Here’s the breakdown of who you’ll be paired with for the wedding party:
Luke & Serenity’s mother
Ryder & Kelli
Duane & Diana
Joshua & Melissa…
Pierce &…
I nearly spat out my beer.
I blinked, thinking maybe I misread it. But there it was:
Duane & Diana.
I hadn’t seen our names together like that in years. A mix of emotions rushed through me—excitement, shock, nerves.
Trey sent another message.
Trey: Serenity and I are SO excited about this crew. Heads-up: We’ll be spending a lot of time together for all the wedding festivities—except Serenity’s mama, who insists she’s too cool and too old to hang with us.
Luke: Tell her there’s no such thing.
Trey: 😂 Everyone else, get ready. It’s about to be a vibe. No excuses, aight? Let’s make this unforgettable!
I stared at the screen, my gaze lingering on the part that paired Diana’s name with mine.
Here I was, thinking I’d only see her at the wedding, and now Trey was saying we’d be spending a lot of time together.
What were the odds? We went all these years in Rose Hill without crossing paths, and now we’d be in each other’s orbit more than I ever anticipated.
For a split second, I considered texting Trey to ask if he could switch me with someone else—maybe Ryder or one of the other guys. But I stopped myself.
Trey’s note flashed in my mind: You’ve been a solid friend to me.
A solid friend wouldn’t back out just because of some awkward tension. Friendship wasn’t about avoiding discomfort; it was about showing up, even when things got tough.
Blowing out a deep breath, I nodded to myself. “It ain’t about you, Duane. It’s about Trey and Serenity. That’s it.”
Still, I couldn’t help but wonder how Diana felt about all this. “This should be interesting,” I muttered, draining the rest of my beer.
A New Episode Of Back To Us Will Be Sent And Posted Monday, December 16th!
Have you visited Rose Hill yet? Discover the story that started it all! In Love, I Trust is part of the Rose Hill series, capturing the journeys of characters falling in love in this charming New York town. Meet Serenity and Trey before they were a couple, trading witty banter in an online comment section 🤭.
Welcome to Rose Hill.
Have you ever experienced something so amazing that you convinced yourself it was too good to be true?
Serenity Payne continues to psych herself out with love. She’s consistently dress-rehearsed disappointment with her heart since she was thirteen. For years, Serenity has lived vicariously through other people’s love lives, and doing so has made her a pessimist.
But that outcome changes when she meets Trevon “Trey” Everest online.
Trey knows what he wants from love and is confident he’s ready to have and maintain the best of it with someone special. He’s traveled the world, has a fulfilling career, and has supportive friends and family. Now, he desires a genuine love of a lifetime that’s enduring and worth the effort of building something authentic… and he’s sure he’s found it in Serenity.
But, there’s a problem.
Serenity’s pessimism challenges Trey’s optimism in the worst way, and the solution to their problem will require Serenity to do the one thing she refuses to do with men… release control and trust.
