Page 41 of Holding On

"Sure. Get whatever you want. I'll pay you when you get here."

"You don't have to pay me."

"You're my guest. I'm supposed to provide the food."

"Any requests?"

"I'd take some soda. And maybe some ice cream sandwiches? I've been craving ice cream sandwiches."

"I love ice cream sandwiches."

"Then get a couple boxes. We can each have our own."

"I don't need my own box. I'll only eat one."

"Get two anyway. That way we'll have plenty for next time you're here."

"Okay. I'll see you soon."

She just agreed to hang out with me again, not explicitly, but it was implied, which explains why I'm still smiling even after she hangs up.

In the afternoon, I don't drift off to sleep like I normally do because I'm actually looking forward to something for a change. Even though I just saw her, I can't wait to see her again.

She shows up a little before five, four grocery sacks in hand.

"How much did you buy?" I follow her to the kitchen. She's wearing a white tank top and red shorts. As she walks, I can't keep my eyes off that hot little ass of hers. She has a damn nice body.

"I bought more than just snacks. As long as I was at the store, I figured I'd buy some other stuff too." She pulls out a loaf of bread, some deli meat, a bag of apples. "I tried not to spend too much."

"Don't worry about it. It's my parents' money, not mine, and trust me, they have plenty."

"Since you never told me what to get, I had to guess."

"You didn't have to do my grocery shopping."

"I didn't have a choice. Your fridge looked lonely. It needed some food."

I chuckle. "You were worried about the mental state of my fridge?"

"And its efficiency. Cooling appliances like refrigerators and freezers are most efficient when they're full." She takes the ice cream sandwiches from the sack and puts them in the freezer, which was empty.

"I didn't know you were such a wealth of knowledge. What other facts do you have to share?"

"That's it for now. I share them only when relevant. Nobody likes a know-it-all."

She's cracking me up today. She was more serious last night. And really serious when I first met her. I like that she's loosening up around me. I'm loosening up around her too.

She unloads a bag of oranges and places them in the fridge.

"What's with all the healthy food?" I ask.

"You're an athlete. Don't athletes eat healthy?"

"Yeah, but we also eat junk food. And I'm not currently in training so I eat whatever I want."

"Eating well will help you heal. Oranges have vitamin C, which is good for rebuilding collagen."

"Another fact," I say. "And appropriately relevant to our discussion."

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