Page 34 of Check Me Out

“He pushed her up against the display like they were twenty-somethings at a bar.” The divorced woman stood further down the aisle with her fists on her hips. “You’d think by their age they’d have learned some decorum.”

Dakota touched the old woman’s shoulder gingerly. “Are you okay, Miss Witherspoon?”

She grimaced. “I am mostly embarrassed. I did not mean to cause such a commotion.”

Dakota took her arm. “Don’t worry, I can clean this up. Let’s get you over to one of the benches to sit down. Your friend can keep you company.” Dakota momentarily let go of Miss Witherspoon’s arm, then helped her companion back into his motorized cart.

Other customers gathered around.

“Nothing to see here,” Seth called, doing his City Watch Investigator imitation. “Everyone is okay. Move along.”

He bent down and started picking up cans of tomatoes, making a path for Dakota to lead Miss Witherspoon and her friend through. Dakota shot him a dazzling smile that went right into Seth’s heart.

Seth corralled the cans from where they’d rolled under other displays, into the cash register area, and down aisles in every direction. Dakota joined him, and they started recreating the pyramid.

“She weighs maybe 80 pounds,” Seth whispered as he handed Dakota a can. “That must have been a powerful kiss.”

Seth couldn’t stop thinking about trying to kiss Dakota in the frozen food section. It had felt mutual but was it? And was Dakota thinking about it now?

6

Dakota

Their fingers brushed as Seth handed him a can, and Dakota shivered. His head was still reeling from that almost kiss. It was a good thing they’d been interrupted because otherwise they might still be there, kissing passionately next to the ice cream.

He glanced toward the register where Brooke was openly staring at them, a sly grin on her face. He felt exposed. He wanted to be alone with Seth to explore that surge of longing that had arced between them, but that was impossible. He thought about the bleak, industrial breakroom. It wasn’t a romantic location, but at least it was more private than this.

He cleared his throat. “I have a break coming up in a few minutes. As soon as we get this display back together, do you want to join me in back for a cup of coffee?”

Seth held his gaze for a long moment before replying. “Yes, please. It will go faster if I collect the cans and you stack them.”

Dakota nodded and tore his gaze away from Seth, only to focus on how gracefully Seth moved as he handled the cans. It took a force of will to stop staring and start stacking. Then, the thought of being alone with Seth made his hands fly. Within a few minutes, the tower was back in place.

He turned to Seth. “Give me a couple of minutes. I’ll meet you in the back of the store.” Dakota couldn’t help touching Seth’s shoulder as he left. Seth seemed so comfortable in himself. And steady. A guy could depend on someone like that.

Before he could get carried away, he strode to the bench where Miss Witherspoon sat with Gerald beside her in his chair. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Dakota asked her. He hadn’t seen any injuries, but with seniors their skin bruised easily. It would be a shame if she got hurt when all she wanted was some company.

“Do not worry about me. I shall recover from my embarrassment. Gerald has been kind enough to offer to find our basket and take me to his home for dinner and drinks.”

“Well, you kids have fun.” Dakota looked sternly at Gerald. “And have her home by ten, young man, you hear?”

Miss Witherspoon chuckled. “We are both in our golden years, and therefore, I assume we will go to bed early. With whom I sleep is another matter and not one with which you ought to concern yourself.”

Dakota smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Manager to register four,” crackled over the loudspeaker.

“Brooke. I’m right here,” Dakota said in exasperation as he crossed the five feet from the bench to the checkout counter.

She gave him a wide-eyed, innocent look. “I just wanted to tell you that your nerd is in aisle seven.”

“Maybe he’s buying food. Like the customer he is. Now I’m going on break, and if you use that thing while I’m in back, I swear I’ll smash it.”

She grinned. “You know it’s against company policy to take customers into employee-only areas.”

“So take it up with the manager.” As he walked away, Dakota heard her laughing. No doubt he would never hear the end of it from her, but spending time with Seth, figuring out why he was so drawn to him and maybe even finishing what they started in the frozen food section, would be worth the ribbing.

He found Seth standing in the middle of the cereal aisle with his hands stuffed in his pockets. “I didn’t know where to wait for you, but I thought since our star-crossed lovers almost got together again in the cereal aisle, this was as good a place as any.”

---