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I go to the bathroom before I leave and decide how nice a hot bath would be followed by a glass of wine on the terrace. Then I realize that I need to go grocery shopping. Fuck, I’m in no mood.
On the train, I make a list of items in my head as the shoulders of other riders bump into me with the movement of the train. I want to get in, grab the essentials and get out of there quickly. The sooner I get home to start my weekend, the better.
I’m looking forward to spending some alone time with Noah. I want to discuss his daughter a little more extensively.
The grocery store is three blocks from my apartment. I’m standing in front of the apple display deciding which ones to get when someone whispers in my ear.
“Your ass looks divine in that dress.”
I turn to see JC behind me with a massive grin on his face. I want to slap it off.
“Stop looking at my ass.”
“It’s hard not to when it’s so enticing.”
“Try. What are you doing here?”
“Same as you, shopping. Since you won’t go out to burgers with me, I need to get some food for my apartment.”
I check out the small shopping cart he’s wheeling around. Cheetos, rolls, cold cuts, beer, red licorice, bananas, hummus, onion dip, and a stick of salami. How the fuck does he maintain that beautiful body when he eats all this stuff?
“Is this the bachelor basket? I still see you haven’t lost your penchant for licorice.”
“It’s my favorite, and I am considering myself a bachelor. I spoke to my lawyer this morning and he’s drawing up divorce papers.”
“How do you feel about it?”
“It’s so freeing. I can breathe again. I’m waiting for the fallout, though. I’m sure old Jonathan the third will be calling to bitch me out. Tell me I’m making a huge mistake. For him it’s a mistake but the merger is finished so I’m not quite sure what his problem will be. I’m through making myself unhappy to make him happy.”
I nod. “I told you that. You can’t live your life for him. You have a good job, and you don’t rely on him to take care of you so why worry about him?”
“Seriously, I still care what he thinks. Can you believe that? I can’t shake that shit from when I was a kid looking for his approval.”
“It’s time you let it go.”
He reaches up and strokes my jawline with his thumb. I resist the urge to close my eyes as a memory of him doing this emerges from the past.
“You always have my back.”
Anxious to escape what I feel is becoming an awkward moment; I tell him I have to finish shopping. Never mind the fact that his touch has caused my stomach to have butterflies. He can still excite me. JC says goodbye, and I’m not shocked that his hand brushes my ass as he walks by me.
Chapter 16
I complete the shopping in less than a half-hour, weaving around dawdling shoppers. The cashier line is another story. All the check-outs are busy, and I page through a tabloid as I wait. By the time I reach the gum-snapping blue-haired girl at the counter, I’m exhausted. I want to go home already.
As if waiting for me, JC meets me in front of the store. He’s just checked out too and he has a couple of cloth bags in his hand. I forgot to take mine and the plastic on the four bags is making my palms sweat. Juggling them with my briefcase is no easy feat, they’re heavy.
“Give them here.”
I look up, and JC is holding out his hand. He’s switched the cloth bags to his right hand is offering his left. I’m grateful and hand him two of the four bags.
“Give them all to me. You look exhausted.”
“No,” I protest, but he puts his hand on the remaining two bag’s handles and I give them over to him. We live a few blocks apart and he can drop me off then head to his apartment building.
“I didn’t mean to offend you this morning,” I blurt out.
“Lexi, it’s to be expected. When will you realize some of the things I say I do for shock value?”
