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And it doesn’t have to be about sex.
Honestly, it’d probably be smart if itwasn’tabout sex.
I don’t need to get attached to anyone anytime soon, and I have a hunch Kate doesn’t need to, either. Besides, she’s young. I should remember that. She also kind of hates me, but I have a feeling it’s a defense mechanism, and I don’t scare easily.
“Mack?” Blake calls out through my cell. “You still there?”
“I’ll, uh, I’ll talk to you guys later,” I tell her, dragging my attention from Kate and grabbing a gallon of milk from the opposite aisle. “Thanks again for the invite.”
“You still coming to Mom and Dad’s on Sunday?” Theo asks.
“Yeah, I’ll be there.”
“Good. We’ll see you later!”
The call ends, and I shove my phone into my pocket as I sneak another look at Kate. Her long, dark hair swishes from side to side while she peruses the premade cookie dough options next to the eggs.
I push my cart toward her, but she’s too distracted to notice me. “Hey, Porcupine,” I greet her.
Her head snaps in my direction as if I’ve scared her. She crosses her arms and frowns. “Porcupine?”
“‘Cause you’re prickly,” I remind her, pulling back a little bit when I notice the slight bags under her eyes. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” She untucks her hair from behind her ear, using it as a curtain to shield herself from me. “You always shop here?”
“Sometimes.” I push the cart a little closer to her and grab a carton of eggs next to the section she’s been studying, opening it and making sure none of the eggs are cracked. I close it and set the carton into my basket. “Changed your leggings, I see.”
She rolls her eyes but refuses to look at me and mutters, “Burned them is more like it.”
“What a shame,” I tease. “So…cookie dough, huh?”
She glances at me, then looks down at the Pillsbury section like it’s the most fascinating thing in the world. “Uh, yeah. Not as interesting as your gray joggers from the other day, but hey. We win some and lose some.”
I laugh, surprised by her bravado. I have a feeling she’s almost as shocked she mentioned my joggers as I am. A light blush spreads across her cheeks. But instead of poking the bear the way I desperately want, I point out, “Mama Taylor has a killer cookie recipe, but she refuses to share it with anyone.”
Her lips lift slightly as she turns back to me. “Sounds cutthroat.”
“When it comes to her baking, she is.”
“My mom always used the Nestle recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag.”
“Also a solid choice,” I tell her. “I’ve never had the pre-packaged stuff, though.”
She glances at the tubes of dough again and grabs the classic chocolate chip flavor. “It’s not homemade, but it’ll do in a pinch.”
“A pinch?” I cock my head. “Are you in a rush to catch up with everyone or something?”
“Huh?” A cute little wrinkle appears between her dark eyebrows. “Oh, you mean Ash and Blakely and the boys. No, I actually told them I had to study, so…” Her voice trails off, and she rocks back on her heels. “How did you know about it? SeaBird,” she clarifies, her eyes thinning with suspicion.
“Don’t worry, Kate, I’m not following you or anything. Theo invited me. Pretty sure Mama Taylor’s twisting his arm to make me feel included.”
Her mouth twitches, her stormy gaze sparking with amusement, but she hides it quickly. “So you’re telling me meddling parents never grow out of…meddling?”
“Not in the slightest. At least my mom hasn’t,” I clarify.
“I guess I won’t hold my breath for my parents, either.”
“Your parents are meddlers and worriers, huh?” I ask.
