Page 20 of Follow Me
Chapter Six
After Mal consulted with the dietician, Doug walked Mal out to his SUV and opened the passenger door for her. “What’s your preferred grocery store?”
“There’s a Publix not far from my house.”
“Sounds good.”
This would be the first time she’d been to a grocery store in over a year, and the first time she’d visited one without Kel since before losing the baby.
She stared at the papers in her hand, the meal plan. It wasn’t an unfamiliar diet regimen, because she’d been through this before.
Still, this time felt…different.
The last time, Kel had brought her home, settled her in, then went to the store for her and bought everything on the list and then some, and then had assumed full responsibility for cooking every meal for her and counting every calorie that went into her mouth.
Going far beyond the therapy plan put forth to involve him in her care and taking charge of every aspect of it.
This time,shewas in charge.
Completely.
Doug grabbed a grocery cart and followed her into the store, apparently not in a rush from his leisurely pace.
“I won’t get you in trouble by delaying you going home, will I?” she asked.
He smiled. “No. Sir knows I’ll be late, plus I texted him before we left the office.” His smile faded. “Stop, girl,” he quietly said.
Heat filled her face and she had to bite her lip not to lie and ask what he meant.
Sheknewwhat he meant.
And from the level, steady gaze he’d fixed on her, she knew he had her number.
“Sorry, Sir.”
He continued to study her for a moment. “You were worried about inconveniencing me, right?”
She nodded.
“I wouldn’t be here if that was the case. That’s why you’re to call or text us, day or night. Even if it’s in the middle of the night or in the middle of the day. That’s why we have a group text thread, so that we can see if someone’s responded to you, what’s been said, and we can give you the intensive help you need right at that moment while keeping you at home.”
“Ireallyappreciate this,” she said. “I don’t know if there’s anything I can do for you guys, but I like babysitting, if you ever need a night out.”
He patted her shoulder. “We might take you up on that, one day. For right now, I’d rather focus on you and making sure you’re on the right path.”
He let her lead the way through the store, not dictating what she should buy, apparently in no hurry as she took her time to study labels and compare options to get everything she needed for the next week.
She also picked up coffee, and then stopped at the dairy case and stared at the flavored creamers. During the worst of her struggles, she would stand there and practically drool over them before forcing herself to move on because she knew how many calories were in every tablespoon of the delicious nectar.
Or if she did use one in her morning coffee, she would spend an hour running to burn off the calories as punishment for drinking it.
Before she could second-guess herself, she grabbed a bottle of French vanilla-flavored creamer and tucked it into the cart.
Doug wore a little smile. “Feel better?”
“What do you mean?”
“Every time we’ve come close to this section, you were looking at it.”
