Page 10 of A Beary Nice View
“You’re very sweet,” he says eventually.
“You’re sweeter.”
“Okay, let’s not start a compliment pissing contest,” he says with a chuckle.
“We shouldn’t start because I know for a fact I would win.”
Dell pretends to be grumpy but I can tell he’s holding back a smile. I grab a reusable bag off the rack, placing it onto the checkout counter. Then I carefully put everything I’ve bought for Dell first. After that, I place my own reusable bag, then my groceries.
“Hi, can you please bag these separately. Thank you so much.”
The cashier checks everything out and the bag boy makes small talk as he works. I’ve always loved this place, not because they have the best prices but because the people are all super lovely. It’s family owned, and you can tell it’s not just another chain name store. They all greet me with smiling faces and make sure to bag my groceries well. It’s that small town feel despite living in a big city.
“Thank you so much,” I say once more, leaving each of them a five dollar bill. I know it’s old-fashioned of me, but I love being able to tip my service workers. It always makes the teenagers who work here light up like a firefly. “Have a great day.”
“You too!”
“That’s cute,” Dell says, bumping me with his elbow as I steer the cart to my truck.
“What’s cute?”
“The way you tipped them. I think if more people were like you, the world would be a better place.”
I shrug. “My first job was at a small ice cream shop and it always made my day when people left me tips. Customer service isnotfor the weak.”
“You got that right,” he says with an over the top shudder. “Everyone should have to work a retail job during their life. Maybe then we’d have a few less assholes to put up with.”
Dell helps me move all the groceries into the back of my truck before stealing the cart and putting it away in the corral. He runs with the cart before jumping on the front of it, riding it over. I like seeing this side of him, carefree and silly. I want to see every side of him. I want to know everything there is to know about him.
I’ve always trusted my instincts when it comes to people and everything inside of me, human side and bear side, are screaming at me that Dell is special. He smells so fucking good, the scent rearranging my insides to squeeze him into my heart.
I’m getting ahead of myself. I haven’t even known him for a full day and yet, here I am thinking that Dell is my mate. That’s ridiculous. This isn’t a movie and I’m far too old to be falling in love in a day.
Despite my inner chastizing, I can’t help what I feel and what I feel isverystrong for Dell. Love doesn’t have a time table. Love happens on its own schedule and it’s my job to either jump in and embrace it, or watch it pass me by. Like hell am I letting Dell pass by.
We get into my truck and drive back to my house. He helps me bring my groceries in. I put everything away as he works on getting his clothes out of the dryer. I’m struck with how domestic the entire thing is. Just two people doing chores in the same house. Why is this making my heart feel like it’s melting into a giant puddle of goo?
“Alright,” Dell says, walking back into the kitchen with his hamper of clean clothes. “I’m all set.” He bites his bottom lip, shifting from foot to foot. “Thank you for today, Alaric. I had a really lovely time with you and I hope you don’t mind me saying, but I would really like to spend more time with you in the future.”
My face splits into a grin so wide it makes my cheeks hurt. “There is nothing I would like more than that, Dell.”
“Good. Good, I’m really glad.” Dell hands me his phone and we quickly exchange numbers so we can stay in contact. Then he lifts his hamper up, starting to shuffle towards the door.
“Don’t forget your stuff,” I say, picking up the two bags of groceries I got for him.
“What? No, this isn’t for me.”
I smile. “I saw you eyeing this stuff up. It’s no problem, Dell.” Then I quickly add, “there’re no strings attached or anything like that. I just wanted to treat you, that’s all.”
Dell looks down at the bags then back up at me. “Are you sure?”
“I’m positive.”
“Okay,” he says slowly. “Thank you, Alaric.”
I’m a big enough man to admit that there’s a different name I’d much rather hear him call me. The idea of Dell, this strong and capable man, saying ‘thank you, Daddy’ to me makes me a little weak in the knees.
“You’re welcome, Dell.”
