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My snob suspicion resurfaced. "Are you saying I eat fake food?"
"What do you eat?"
"Pizza, cereal, tacos, ramen, leftover take out. That kind of thing," I said, purposefully playing into his expectations.
"That's why I'm taking you to the grocery store."
"I would have been happier staying home and watching Bridgerton."
"What the hell is a Bridgerton?"
"Only the best Netflix series ever."
"Right," he drawled, his voice filled with skepticism.
"It's really good. You should watch it."
"Maybe," he said, but his tone suggested it was the last thing he wanted to do.
I laughed and shook my head. "Okay, so we should probably plan out how we are going to do this whole dating business.”
"Like rules?" He looked at me like I was crazy, his brows pinched.
"Yeah, like who should drive, who pays, are we holding hands, are we kissing, do we talk about the other person? That sort of stuff."
"Oh, um, I didn't think about it. I'm just kind of following your lead. You seem like you have it all sorted out, snookums."
He cracked the cutest half smile no doubt thoroughly amused with himself.
"Fine, but if you set no ground rules, you're setting yourself up for my whims. So, beware."
He glanced at me, a hint of fear in his eyes. Good. Let him squirm. I'd show him the error of his ways.
We pulled into Stouffles Grocer and I waited for him as he pulled out his reusable bags and cooler bags. He had it all together. I followed him inside, trying to guess his movements before he acted. Like I thought, he went to the produce department first. As soon as we got inside, I fell into step beside him as he pushed the cart, my hand grazing his back as I pointed to the apples.
"How do you feel about these apples, snookums?"
Jake sighed heavily and rolled his eyes, and a mischievous grin spread across my face. "You're a brat," he said.
"Hey, this was your idea."
"I know, and I'm regretting it."
"I'm hurt, snookums. How will you make it up to me?"
"I'm going to buy you a giant bag of candy and hope that keeps you occupied."
"Make it a bag of peanut butter cups and you have a deal."
I picked out a few apples, and he laid them gently in the cart, and then moved onto other produce. I followed behind him, admiring his butt in his well-fitting jeans. Laney was right. He did have a fine one. I didn't know what it was about this guy that turned me into a giggling schoolgirl.
"Well, isn't this cozy," Valerie Reed purred with hollow sweetness, scarlet lips thinning as she saw me clinging to Jake's arm. "And they say workplace romances never work out..." Her sharp gaze raked over me before returning to Jake. "Although with certain unsavory rumors swirling, I'd heard you had your hands full enough without adding entangled trysts, Jake."
He tensed, leveling Valerie with an icy glare. "Yes, well, Molly and I preferred keeping things private until we were sure of our compatibility before disclosing. But I do appreciate discretion from faculty around baseless gossip as we adjust."
Valerie's passive smile faltered slightly. "Of course, Jake, I wouldn't dream of indulging idle chatter! It is quite serious though if the principal already needed to be informed?" She flashed her teeth now in a predatory grin. "Well, I'll let you lovebirds continue nest shopping! Ta-ta!"
As she sashayed off victoriously, I rubbed Jake's rigid back muscles, sensing his unease escalating. Small towns bred as much jealousy as cheer, it seemed.
