Page 57 of Facing the Line

The all-organic produce is displayed in rainbow rows, tempting and beautiful. The bins of overflowing fruit and veggies remind me of Saturday mornings spent perusing a farmers’ market—not like that’s something I do. But the store has done a good job of channeling that vibe if even I’m feeling it.

Hadley grabs a cart and wanders into the produce section, then turns to me, looking lost. She trails her fingers over a display of deep red tomatoes. A harried woman brushes past her, glaring.

“Okay, first lesson.” I grab her hand and bring her fingers to my lips, giving them a quick kiss. I shouldn’t, but I can’t resist her soft skin. “Don’t touch stuff you aren’t going to buy. You wash it when you get home, yeah, but the other people will appreciate it.”

“Oh.” She lets me keep hold of her hand as her cheeks turn pink. “I can do that.”

“Second lesson.” I glance around us. “We’re going for a simple stir fry. You can toss in anything you want. My mom usually does mushrooms, bell peppers, and squash. How do you feel about that?”

Hadley glances left, then right, like the people milling around us are going to judge her. “I’m not sure I know how to pick a squash out of a lineup.”

I smile, hoping to reassure. Wrapping my arm around her, I bring her and the cart in front of a display. “There’s all different kinds. Zucchini and this yellow one are good.”

I hold it up to demonstrate, and she shrugs and puts it in a produce bag. “Okay.”

“You a fan of mushrooms?” I ask, and she nods.

Dodging other patrons, we make our way around the bins of vegetables, until we reach the stacks of onions. She scrunches her nose and shakes her head. “No onions. I hate them.”

“So does my sister. We can adapt.”

Some of the tension goes out of her posture at that, and she takes a deep breath. “Thanks for your help. Is it okay if I get some other groceries while we’re here?”

I nod, following her around as she loads the cart with organic apples, cherries, and pre-cut cantaloupe, watermelon, and pineapple.

I do a quick scan of prices. “It would be cheaper to buy the actual fruit and cut it ourselves at home.”

She shrugs. “But why, when I can just buy it?”

I heft a watermelon and rap my knuckles on it, listening for a good hollow sound. She raises a brow at me like I’ve lost it, but I grin. “We can do it together. It will be fun.”

“Why are you knocking on it?”

“That’s how you check to see if it’s ripe.”

“He’s right, you know.” A tall, bald man adjusts his glasses and shrugs at Hadley. “It’s a thing.”

As the stranger walks away to find the perfect cucumber, Hadley giggles. “This is the most educational trip to the store I’ve ever had.”

After selecting a cantaloupe and a pineapple, we wander back to the deli. Hadley buys some lunch meat from the counter, along with some expensive wedges of cheese.

“What else do we need for stir fry?” she asks, pushing the cart towards the non-perishables.

“Another bag of rice, and some ingredients for our sauce.” I shove my hands in my pockets as she goes up and down each aisle, tossing crackers, mac and cheese, and noodles in with our produce.

As we walk past the chips, she stands on her tiptoes to get the last can of Pringles on the top shelf. Hadley’s a tall girl, but she can’t reach.

“Allow me.” Stepping close, my fingers close around the container. I can smell her sweet perfume. My brain short-circuits and our rain-soaked kiss flashes before my eyes. What would have happened if Caleb hadn’t interrupted?

As she turns to face me, her eyes widen, and her throat tightens in a swallow. “Thanks.”

Her voice is husky, like how she sounds when she first wakes in the morning. I want to run my fingers through her hair. I want to cup her jaw and tilt her lips to mine. I want to lose myself in her.

“Um.” My brain forgets how to form words.

Hadley gazes at me, then grabs a fistful of my shirt. Her mouth is a hair's breadth away when we’re jostled from behind. I bump into her, almost losing my balance, and have to latch onto the shelf to keep from falling or taking her with me.

“Sorry!” A woman calls over her shoulder, jogging down the aisle after a laughing toddler. He drops fruit snacks like a trail of breadcrumbs, and in a few steps, his mom catches him and scoops him into her arms.

---