AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She needed to get out of here. Whipping her cart around, she nearly rammed into a floor display of Huggies. A sob caught in her throat. A year ago, the sight of diapers would’ve made her hyperventilate.
It was so upsetting, she wanted to scream. But the center of the grocery story was so not the place for a panic attack. Thinking to buy what she’d collected so far and get home, she started for the checkout lane and really did bump into another shopper.
"Sorry," she said breathlessly and glanced up long enough to notice it was the same guy she’d collided with before. "Again," she added on a belated note and tried to steer around him.
Instead of appearing irritated by her, he grinned. "We really gotta stop meeting like this."
She offered him a vague smile. When she realized she couldn’t squeeze past him, she stepped aside to let him go first. If he didn’t move soon, she was going to have a full-blown breakdown right here in the baby aisle of the IGA.
The man moved out of her way. "Go ahead," he offered. "Ladies first."
"Thanks," she said, hurrying forward.
"My name’s Gary, by the way. Gary Davis."
"Oh." She jerked around, surprised he’d followed her and even more surprised he thought they were still talking. "Hi," she offered. "I’m Mia." And I really need to get out of here.
He held out a long, tanned arm. "Nice to meet you."
Great. Not only did the guy have to remind her she was healing by checking her out, but he had to go and flirt with her too.
Tall and wide, he was a nice-looking gentlemen, with a wide forehead that made him look extra male and dark, brown eyes set deep in his eyes to give him a shadowed look. So very unlike Drew. He’d be just the type to help her get over Drew … if she hadn’t already decided she was never going on another date for the rest of her life.
Grinning, Gary picked up her hand before she could decide whether she wanted to shake with him or not. He slowly pumped their palms up and down. "Come here often?" he asked. Amusement twinkled in his eyes as if he’d just told a joke.
She didn’t catch it. "Ah … Every time I need groceries," she answered.
Laughing, he finally let go of her. "Would it be tacky if I asked you to go out for a drink sometime?"
Mia froze.
"Are you ready to try the next step?" she could hear Dr. Higgins’ voice echo though her. As much as she didn’t want to be ready to move on, she knew she’d already started making that step.
It had begun.
Gary waited patiently. "What do you say?" he coaxed softly.
It wasn’t like this would be her first date since the tragedy anyway. She’d eaten pizza with Drew. He’d insisted on paying and they’d kissed afterward. That was a fairly date-worthy description. She’d taken the first step toward acceptance. Every other date now should be a hundred times easier. There was no way she would go out with Drew Harper again either, so …
She needed to do this. If she was going to make it through the rest of her life, she needed to move on, no matter how much it hurt.
"Sure," she said and sent him a wavering smile. "I’d like that."
His eyes lit with surprise. "Really? I mean, yeah. Okay. That’s cool. When’s a good time for you?"
She shrugged. "Oh … any time." Probably as soon as they could manage would be best so she didn’t have time to chicken out. "What do you prefer?"
He sent her a shrug. "This Friday? Club 808?"
Nodding, she repeated, "Friday it is."
"Great. Where do you live? I’ll pick you up."
"Where do I—" Growing abruptly anxious, she shook her head. "How about I just meet you there. Six sound okay?"
Okay, maybe she wasn’t as ready as she thought she was.
•
