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“Maybe I could cook you dinner as a thank-you? I’m not a master chef, so don’t have high expectations, but I can hold my own enough for it to taste good.”
Carter chuckles. “I’d like that. Even if I don’t think it’s necessary.”
“Well, I do. How’s seven sound?”
“I’ll be there.”
I end the call after a quick goodbye and then start making a list of what I’ll need from the store. I have one meal I can make from scratch, lasagna. We did a team-building thing at the house where a local chef came in to teach us how to make a few different meals, including lasagna. I don’t know how much “team-building” happened, but I do know our meals improved two-fold after that day, which is probably why Tucker did it in the first place.
So, I make a huge pan when I’m feeling like a home-cooked meal. Otherwise, I grill or rip and dump whatever frozen food I have on hand.
Once I have a list made, I make a breakfast bland enough to not make me want to throw up and then string together enough brain cells to get my car back. This is a pain in the ass, and I want to punch my past self for being this stupid. Why did I drink that much? Especially in front of the guy I like. I am never this big of an idiot.
Thankfully, Brody is with it enough to pick me up, so by the time afternoon rolls around, he’s dropped me off at Donna’s.
I head straight to the grocery store from there, since I’m already out. It’s busy today. Everyone else must be using their Sunday afternoon to run errands.
As usual, I’m stopped by several people I know from town. I’ve lived here for almost six years now and have only just recently gotten used to people knowing who I am. And it’s not just them knowing my name. They know what I do, that my mom lives in Greensboro, and that I live in Quinn and Cooper’s rental. If there is a tidbit of information about me, they likely know about it. On the outside, it sounds invasive, but once I got to know the townspeople, I understood that their nosiness is how they show love.
Take Quinn and Cooper, for example. They just had a baby, and I know there hasn’t been a week since they came home from the hospital where someone hasn’t brought them a casserole dish. Or after Jane Dobson’s husband left her and their four kids without a single word, everyone pitched in to help line up babysitters and meals. They even gave her cash to get her through a few months of bills and helped her find a job. When I first took the job in Sonoma, I had no idea I’d be living in such a welcoming community, but every day since I moved here, I’ve been more grateful than the last.
“Samuel Shields, what are you doing out on a Sunday afternoon?” Alice Jackson’s southern lilt floats across the produce section toward me.
“Hey, Alice. Just trying to find some decent tomatoes. How are you?” I dig through the stack and land on one that will suffice.
“Just peachy, sweetheart. My grandbaby is healthy. Both my sons are in happy, committed relationships, and I am one happy momma.” She grins. The woman is beautiful for being close to sixty. Her brown hair has streaks of silver that act almost like highlights, and her soft face has only the laugh lines of a happy life.
“You deserve all the happiness.”
“You’re such a sweet talker.” She winks at me. “How’s that boyfriend of yours?”
“Oh, well. We broke up.” I grimace.
“I’m sorry, honey. To be honest, he wasn’t my favorite person, but I hate that you’re sad about it.”
I make a face at her. “You never met him.”
“Exactly! How good of a man can he be if you don’t wanna introduce me to him?” She huffs, making me laugh.
“You’re a handful, woman. Maybe one day I’ll get to introduce you to my forever guy.”
“Your lips to God’s ears, my dear boy. I’ve got to get going. Rob’s going to wonder if I got lost.” She squeezes my arm and leaves me with a giant smile on my face. As much as I love my mom, sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to grow up with Alice and Rob as my parents. I can’t imagine how different my life would have turned out if I’d had that kind of stability.
Shaking off that melancholy thought, I finish getting groceries and head home.
The wet rag swipes across my already clean counter. Carter should be here any minute, and let’s just say I haven’t been waiting all that patiently. The lasagna is in the oven, bubbling away. I’ve got a bottle of red wine open on the counter, and my nerves are about at a breaking point.
I’m pretending my nerves about seeing Carter are because I’m embarrassed about my behavior last night, but really, it’s the idea of being alone with him. Every other time we’ve hung out, it’s been with other people around us.
At least I don’t have to worry about making a fool of myself. I’ve already been a complete idiot, and he’s still willing to spend time with me.
A knock on my door brings a smile to my face. He’s here.
I rush to let him in, only to be stopped in my tracks by the gorgeous sight in front of me. With his dark hair swooped back off his forehead and a tight button-down shirt stretched across his chest, I’m having a hard time finding my voice. Add his sideways grin into the mix and I’m pretty sure my brain has melted.
“Hi.”
I blink at Carter. “You’re beautiful. I mean… Hi. Hello.” I drop my head to my chest with a sigh as I step back to let Carter into my house. How does he turn me inside out every time I’m near him? I can go from the self-assured, outgoing guy I am to a bumbling idiot the second I’m in his presence.
