Page 33 of Second Chance for the Single Mom

The night I went over to his place. That was certainly one way to describe what had happened. “Right. Sorry. Didn’t mean to imply that you reallywerestalking me.”

He shrugged. “Nothing wrong with being paranoid. Now, it would be real stalker behavior if I said you live in a three bedroom, two bath house, with purple curtains in the windows.”

I snickered at him. “Actually, I live in the apartment above my sister’s garage.”

“Ah, damn,” Lucas smirked. “It would’ve been funny if I guessed that right.”

I fell in next to him as we walked toward the checkout lines. Searching for something to say to fill the awkward silence, I glanced at the basket in his hand. “Bell peppers? Onions? Dry pasta? Did you steal someone else’s basket, Lucas Hollister?”

“I meal prep all of my lunches,” he explained. “Saves a lot of money, and it’s healthier in the long run.”

“Look at you,” I said appraisingly. “The Lucas I used to know ate McDonald’s for almost every single meal.”

“Right?” he said with a proud smile. “I’m practically an adult, now!”

We laughed and got in line at the Express Checkout counter. He gestured for me to go first, so I started placing items on the conveyor belt.

“I like the new adult look, too,” I said, tugging on the sleeve of his polo. “Doesn’t it get dirty at your job, though?”

“What do you mean?”

I frowned. “Aren’t you a mechanic?”

He chuckled. “God, no. I work with cars, but not like that.”

Before I could ask him more about his job, the cashier loudly cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, but you have too many items. This is the ten-or-fewer line.”

“What? I only have…” I scanned the belt and winced. I had fifteen items. I’d mentally counted the five boxes of fruit snacks as a single item.

“Sorry,” I said, glancing behind Lucas at the other people in line. I was usually a stickler for rules like this, and felt embarrassed to be breaking them. Especially in front of Lucas.

Before I could collect my items and move to a different line, Lucas moved the plastic barrier that separated our purchases. “I only have five items. I’ll get these.”

“You don’t have to do that…” I began, but he only shook his head. The cashier was already scanning and bagging my other ten items, so I didn’t protest any further.

“Thanks,” I said sheepishly.

“You always hated relying on other people,” Lucas said with a knowing smile. “It’s kind of nice knowing some things haven’t changed.”

Still reeling with embarrassment, I paid for my groceries and hurried outside. I lingered by the door until Lucas emerged a few minutes later, holding out a bag.

“Your fruit snacks,” he said. “And I’m definitely not judging you for eating snacks meant for a child.”

I stuck out my tongue at him. “They’re for my son, Bran.”

Lucas blinked. “Ah, right.”

It was obvious that he had forgotten I even had a son.Hisson.

“I don’t have any cash on me, can I Venmo you?” I asked.

Lucas hesitated. An expression fell across his dark features, one I recognized from when we were teenagers. He always looked that way when he wanted to ask me something, but knew I might say no.

Then, with an ease and confidence that was totallyunlike the Lucas Hollister I remembered, he said, “Let me buy you lunch and we’ll call it even.”

The invitation caught me off guard. For a few seconds, I didn’t know what to say. Was he asking me out?

“I’m the one who owes you money,” I said. “It doesn’t make sense foryouto buymelunch.”

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