Chapter 6
Like he did every quarter, Caden selected a grocery store to go to, to pay for everyone’s groceries.
That time, he picked Marion’s, which was like Rose Valley Hills version of Kroger.
After checking the time on his watch, Caden scanned the lanes to see what cashier he wanted to alert of his presence.
His eyes landed on a beauty with locs pulled up into a high bun.
Only seeing the side of her face, that was enough to make his heart slow down and dick harden.
Clearing his throat, he slowly made his way in her direction.
She was even more beautiful up front. Her short, slim, shapely frame was covered in peanut butter brown skin.
Glowing skin, free of imperfections, covered her beautiful face.
A small patch of freckles covered the tops of her cheeks and pointy nose.
Caden didn’t know if her pouty lips or dark, slanted eyes deserved more of his attention.
She casually squeezed the top of her bun, making him look over her black and honey gold locs.
“Damn,” he mumbled, convinced she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, and he’d seen and had a lot of them.
“Hi. Can I help you?” she asked with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Yes. My name is Caden Spencer. Can you get your manager for me? I’d like to purchase everyone’s groceries for the rest of the day.”
“Oh, wait. I heard of you.” She pepped up, clapping her hands twice with a wide, genuine smile. “You’ve done this before, right? I think the last time I wasn’t working.”
“Yeah, I think this is the third time I’ve done it here.”
“I admire that.”
And I admire you, he thought, fighting to keep the words in his mind.
“Let me go get my manager real quick.”
Caden watched as she pulled a walkie talkie from her waist and said a code that made all the rest of the cashiers stop what they were doing.
It only took a few minutes before she was returning with a round, short man with an afro. He wore a wide grin as he made his way toward Caden.
“Mr. Spencer, it’s good to see you again,” Shawn, the manager, spoke.
“You as well. Is now a good time?”
“For you? It’s always a perfect time. Let me make this announcement.”
“Actually, can you wait until I head to the back? I don’t want all eyes on me,” Caden requested.
“Absolutely. Dru can take you back to the break room if you’d like.”
His eyes shifted to the cashier, then lowered to her name tag.
Dru.
That was different.
“Sure, that’ll work.” Caden agreed, pulling his wallet out of his pocket as his eyes remained on her. “Do me a favor and have someone ring up all the flowers you have in the store. Send them home with Dru.”
“I . . . can definitely do that.” Shawn agreed, accepting the card.
Dru bashfully shook her head as her body practically melted. “As flattered as I am, my life is not set up to be dating right now, but thank you,” she said softly.
“That’s cool. You’re going to take the flowers though.”
“Don’t argue with Mr. Spencer, Dru,” Shawn said. “I’ll have the flowers rang up, and one of our trucks will follow you home with them tonight.”
“I won’t be going straight home. I have to work the bar, but they can drop them off.”
“Whatever works for the two of you,” Shawn said before heading to the nearest register.
Caden appreciated him waiting until he and Dru were walking down the aisle and near the break room before making the announcement that everyone’s groceries would be free, thanks to the donation of a customer.
Cheers erupted, and like always, it filled Caden with pride to be able to give back to his community.
There was no doubt in his mind people would tell their family and friends and share it on social media that groceries at Marion’s would be free for the rest of the day, and he was okay with that.
Even if they ran up a tab for the rest of the night, it wouldn’t put a dent in his bank account.
“Do you need anything while you wait?” Dru asked, using her card to unlock the door.
“Just you. Stay with me.”
The request surprised them both. Up until now, Caden hadn’t pursued a woman in over two years.
The closest he’d gotten was almost asking the woman at the prix fixe class out, but there was something about her that kept him from doing it immediately, and then he’d missed his chance.
Now, it felt like fate had been working on his behalf.
“Mr. Spencer, I—”
“Caden,” he corrected, extending his hand for her to shake.
Her eyes lowered to his hand briefly before Dru put hers inside. As soon as they connected, Caden pulled her close, closing the space between them. He saw the exact moment she inhaled and held her breath, and for some reason, that turned him on.
While Caden wouldn’t say he believed in love at first sight, this was the first time he’d ever locked eyes with a woman and felt in his heart and soul that she was his.
“Caden,” she repeated, making the two syllable name sound like a foreign language that only she had the knowledge to speak straight to his heart. “I should probably get back out there and help them.”
“If you insist.” Lifting her hand to his mouth, Caden kissed the back of it. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Dru.”
“Y-you as well,” she stuttered, pulling her hand from his and running her palms down her thighs, as if they were clammy. “Uh, this is a great thing you’re doing. I’m sure you’re a really nice man.”
Caden held back his amusement as he watched her quickly scurry out of the room. She could run now, but if he saw her outside of Marion’s, Dru would be his.