“Most of it. I didn’t make the cheese.”
Kennedy laughed at the joke.
“You can, though; can’t you?”
“It’s notthathard, depending on what kind you want to make. It mostly just takes time. But are we really talking about making cheese right now?”
Kennedy laughed and thought that already this was the best first date she’d ever been on. River poured champagne for them, and it ran over the tops of the plastic flutes and into the grass.They laughed and toasted to their first official date. Then, they ate cheese and crackers, along with some jam that River had picked up, before they started on the pasta dishes that could be eaten cold.
“When did you have time to do all of this?” she asked as River packed up their entrée containers and pulled out yet more of them.
“I had Cal cover for me, and I was in my apartment for most of the afternoon.”
“You didn’t have to do all this, River.”
“I wanted to. Here. I made us dessert, but I also brought you this.” She held out a box that Kennedy recognized from the shop. “And this.”
River held out a clear plastic bag that was also from the shop, and inside the bag were pink and blue striped candies.
“Are these…”
“I controlled the sour this time, so you should be fine. Lemon lime.”
“You made these for me?”
“Actually, I made them for the shop, too. I called them a mystery flavor, and people have been buying them. I’m thinking of doing more of that. Maybe a yellow and green candy that’s strawberry or cherry-flavored or something, and then I can put them into a variety bag.”
“Thank you. And that’s amazing. What’s in here?” she asked and opened the box. “Fudge?”
“I make twelve kinds regularly, so I got you a small piece of each of them. That way, you can try them without having to come in.”
“River, thank you, but I like coming to the shop.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. You didn’t think so?”
“You ran out the first time.”
“Babe, I got recognized, and no one knew I wasn’t with Cam anymore. I didn’t want anyone to think I was cheating on her with you. Cameron could’ve handled it, and honestly, worse has been said about me recently, so I would’ve been fine, but I didn’t want anyone to think anything bad aboutyou.”
“I can handle it,” River said. “Whatever they throw at me, I don’t care. I have you. I have my shop. I’m good.”
“You haveme, huh?”
“You know what I mean,” River said. “I’m not trying to get ahead of myself here. I just meant that right now, you and I are doing this, and this is what I want, so I’m good. I don’t really care about what trolls on the internet think or say.”
“Well, I like your shop, River, so once a little more time has passed, I won’t mind being recognized there, but I’ll hang out in the back with you anytime you want if it means I get to spend time with you.”
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
“Going to the shop with you,” Kennedy replied.
“God, you’re clingy, aren’t you?” River joked and went to open another container.
Kennedy laughed, leaned over, and rested her head on River’s shoulder.
“Dessert. I hope I got it right. There was some interview that you gave once where they asked you a bunch of questions about things you like and other stuff.”
