Page 82 of Guarding My Love

Frustrating when she couldn’t admit that she knew that about him.

“Good,” he said.

They walked in and each got a cart. She didn’t expect him to say they should do it together so both split up.

There was freedom in the fact he didn’t keep her by his side.

When she was checking out, he turned the corner and got in line right behind her.

“I’m faster than you,” she said.

“I couldn’t find what I was looking for,” he said.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“Ribs,” he said. “I’m dying for them and was going to see if you wanted them tonight or tomorrow, but as I said, I couldn’t find them.”

“Then you shouldn’t have said you wanted to see if I’d want them. Now I’m thinking of them,” she said, grinning.

“I can call and see if there are some in the back,” the cashier said. “Could be it wasn’t stocked.”

“I already asked,” he said. “Not a big deal.”

“There is another store on the way home,” Charlotte said. “I can run in quick. Now I want them.”

“And you want me to give you what you want?” he asked.

“It would be nice,” she said, winking. She paid for her groceries and if the cashier found the situation odd, neither of them let on.

It’s not as if they lived together and it wasn’t something she was even thinking of.

She liked her independence and her small home.

A place that she could call her own.

She knew for a fact that Foster needed his space too. That he wanted her to stay two nights in a row was new for them, but it wasn’t that big of a deal either.

With their groceries loaded, they stopped at the second store. She ran in quickly, found the ribs, paid and came out holding the bag up in triumph.

He was laughing when she climbed in. “You found some.”

“They are frozen though.”

“That’s fine. We can make them tomorrow,” he said. “It will be better if I put a dry rub on them and let it sit overnight.”

“I had no idea you liked to grill so much,” she said. “I do like to eat so it’s working out for both of us.”

“My mother thought I should have gone for culinary at one point,” he said. “I like to help out in the kitchen.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Because then it wouldn’t have been helping the family,” he said.

She frowned. “Have you always put everyone else first in your life?”

He laughed at her. “Considering I struggle to be around my family for more than a few hours, I don’t think anyone would say I put them first.”

“I think you make a bigger deal than it is,” she said. “You were fine last night.”

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