3. Eliza #2
Patting my arm, she widened her smile for a split second before going back to scanning the rest of the items while I fished my wallet out from my bag.
Okay, let me rephrase that last part: while I tried to fish out my wallet from my bag.
A large hand stopped me from fully doing so.
"Don't worry about it, I got it," Adam assured me warmly and confidently as he pulled my empty hand out of my bag.
I quickly denied him with a shake of my head and a light frown. "I can't trouble you like that, and besides, you already had to carve some time out of your day to watch Asher when you really didn't have to." I also didn't want a handout like this.
As if I already didn't feel bad about troubling him thus far. The last thing I needed was to feel indebted to him because he paid for my groceries. Looking at everything, it was a lot less than what I'd usually get on a typical trip, but still.
Or was that his angle? Warm his way in and keep me trapped with debt?
Before I could spiral down the well of doubt and smear his seemingly good image in my mind, his chuckle yanked me back to reality. "If it was a bother, then I wouldn't have done it," he remarked while tucking his wallet away.
“Huh,” was my stunned response, and I stood and watched Adam like a deer in the headlights as he loaded the bagged groceries into the cart, bid Mary goodbye, and put Asher back into the cart.
I obediently allowed him to take control of the cart with one hand and pull me out of the store with the other, our hands clasped together like it wasn’t a big deal, all with a single thought in my head.
What the hell just happened?
With how boggled my mind was, I barely managed to catch Adam's question. "Which car is yours?"
Of course, like a total idiot, I just stood there blinking at him in silence, making a fool of myself for a good solid minute before I managed to slap some sense into myself. "Uhh, it's the Rav4 over there," I answered in a slight daze, pointing over to the silver Toyota Rav4 a little way from us.
Casually, as if we'd been dating for a while, he slipped his arm around my waist and held me rather protectively as he made his way to my car with me and the cart in tow.
I felt kind of bad about tensing up at his touch, but after equating a man’s touch to nothing but pain for so long, my brain had become rewired. Now, men, in general, left a bad taste in my mouth and got the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.
As friendly as Adam was, I still couldn't settle my thumping heart that squeezed so slowly and painfully in anticipation of something bad coming.
Bile churned in my stomach in response to my body's stress levels ramping up.
Then, I was torn between wanting to shove his arm away and wanting to lean into him for safety and support.
No matter how damaged I'd become, there was always a small, hopeful part of me that yearned for the good in people—even if there wasn't any to be had.
I hated that part of myself.
If I had just…
"Eliza?" Adam's voice stopped my train of thought again before it could leave the station. "Open the trunk?"
Completely snapping out of it, I quickly fumbled for my keys and opened the trunk with an awkward chuckle. "Sorry, I uhh get lost in my head a lot." I hoped my half-assed apology would be enough to keep him from pushing.
I was prepared to throw excuses at him to stave him off, but he just let it go. "You probably have a lot going on handling Asher all by yourself and working, so I don't blame you."
My lips curled in a quick smile to show him some silent gratitude before I opened the trunk. "Have you lived in this town long?" All the friendly greetings he'd been receiving in the store hadn't gone unnoticed.
"About ten years, give or take," he answered without breaking a sweat or losing his rhythm while putting things into my trunk.
"What about you?" His eyes quickly looked at me for a few seconds before he had to give his attention back to the groceries. "I don't think I've seen you around until today."
Seeing him do everything while having Asher on his hip made me feel a little bad, but it also made me feel a little warm on the inside.
He was such a natural as if he'd been doing this forever.
I didn't let the feeling fester, though, dumping a bucket of water on the growing fire before it could blaze.
Taking a calming breath, I centered myself before replying, "Oh, I've only been here for about a year, and I kinda don't go out much.
" Reaching out, I pried Asher away from Adam to give him a rest from my clingy toddler.
"If I'm not at work, then I'm with Asher, either at home or at the park if the weather is pretty good, and I usually only go to the grocery store like once a week when I can. "
Honestly, with no set schedule, the chances of running into Adam were probably slim to none.
Even if I'd been living here long, it would've probably been impossible to cross paths with Adam.
Maybe I should take this as a sign, because coincidences didn't just happen for no reason.
However, I don't think I could make room for anyone else in my life right now.
Grinning at me, Adam quickly shut the trunk before reaching out and ruffling the top of Asher's head. "Well, better late than never, I say."
Then, awkwardness… I mean, obviously, this was where we said bye to each other and made promises to see each other later, but this felt weird. Of course, it could also be me being an awkward little duck and making a big deal out of nothing.
Luckily, a warm chuckle from Adam broke the icy tension—thank God. "Let's get Asher into his car seat." Lordy, that should not sound so natural, as if we were a family.
Humming in agreement, I made my way over to the door of the backseat with Adam, thanking him softly when he opened the door for me. I quickly, I buckled Asher in and stepped aside so he and Adam could wave goodbye. Then, I stepped back fully to let Adam shut the door.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I looked up at Adam with a lopsided smile. "Well, thank you again. You really didn't have to do any of that." This felt awkward, especially with the fact he'd paid for my groceries dangling in front of my mind. "Listen, about the groceries—"
As if he knew what I'd say, he held a hand out and shook his head. "Eliza, it's nothing to me. The cost, I mean, so don't try to insist on paying me back." He really didn't sound bothered by it one bit, which really threw me for a loop.
Then, his warm smile curled playfully as he leaned so that our faces were inches apart. "Well, actually, you could pay me back…" Damn, I knew there was a catch. "…by agreeing to a date with me when we can work something out."
Okay, never mind, maybe I was a little harsh on him.
Unable to help it, I cracked a small grin and giggled. "I mean, no promises since I'm a pretty busy person, but I'll try." If he was even serious about it.
Again, I was convinced he would delete my number or forget about me in the days to come. I'd probably just be 'that grocery store girl' to him sooner rather than later.
Straightening himself back up, he slowly reached out and took my hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb.
"Drive safe, and have a good night, Eliza.
" His body twitched toward me for a split second as if he wanted to lean in, but he was quick to recompose himself with a smile.
"I will talk to you later, promise." The depth of his stoney gray eyes made them shine in a way that made my doubts dissolve.