Page 11 of Lakesides and Longing

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Blake grabbed a cart,and he and Paige perused the aisles. She snagged something from all the displays they passed and stopped at the berry table for raspberries and blueberries as well.

“Do you like smoothies?” he asked. There was no way in hades they’d be able to eat that much fruit before it went bad.

She shook her head. “But I love fruit salads. Oh look, I almost forgot the kiwis.”

She grabbed a couple of those.

“Are we eating dinner together and stuff?” he asked, the reality of their situation finally sinking in. He had to spend the entire summer with this woman who he barely knew.

“I think so. It’s easier to cook for two than one. Plus, groceries would be easier if we just got them together. You’re driving me around and staying at the house. The least I can do is feed you, so let me get the groceries.”

She was being more talkative than she had been before. He wondered what changed. Maybe she was just happy to be getting real food again for once.

“I can pay for my own food.”

“I know you can, but I’ll feel better if I feel like I’m helping out as well.”

He conceded. Lack of funds was not her problem.

He started grabbing various peppers and onions. “I’ll cook sometimes though.” He didn’t cook often, but he had a couple of specialties.

“What do you make?”

“Stir fry mostly. I could eat it every night with different meats and sauces.”

“Sounds good. But I’m not eating it every night.” She raised her eyebrows in a challenge.

They discussed a few other meals, and she laughed when he told her that he didn’t like potatoes.

“Everyone likes potatoes. Will you even eat French fries?”

“Nope. Not hash browns either.” Or tater tots or scalloped or mashed. He’d hated them from the time he was a child. There was no rational reason for it.

“You’re not human.” She huffed.

“Says the woman who has been eating only non-perishables for months.”

She snorted. “Truth. Oh, I want ice cream.”

She spun and froze. A couple of women were standing there. One smiled at Paige, but it was definitely forced. Here he was beginning to think that Paige was a recluse who knew no one, but these two had obviously crossed paths.

The other one, a short stocky woman with long dark hair, waved. “Paige, we haven’t seen you in forever. Where have you been?” Something about the way she behaved set Blake’s hair on end.

Paige seemed at a loss for words and Blake figured these women were frenemies at best.

“We just got back from Japan,” he said. He wasn’t sure if he was doing the right thing, but he didn’t think he had anything to lose. Debbie was always kind of a mean girl, and he hated it. She had many other redeeming qualities, but no one was perfect. Paige may be a little on the odd side, but he felt a strange need to protect her.

The tall woman narrowed her eyes. “And you are?”

“I’m Blake.” He didn’t offer any more of an explanation. He’d let them think what they wanted. “Paige, you were saying you wanted ice cream?”

She turned to him and nodded. He pushed the cart forward with one hand, placed the other on the small of her back, and led her away.

“You need to breathe,” he said. He’d never see her so wound up.

She let out the breath she’d been holding. “Thank you. I never know what to say to them. They’re sisters, and they’ve hated me since the moment I arrived in town. But they pretend we’re BFFs sometimes.”

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