“Howdy, ladies,” he stated without making eye contact. Just like that, he slipped inside the store before either could say a damn word.
“Oh my God, girl, he’s so sexy! I don’t know his name, but I sure as hell wish I did!” Lark grabbed her neck as if she were about to choke herself out. Wanting to die if she couldn’t get just one kiss.
“I didn’t realize it was him ’cause I never saw him actually pull up to the store before.”
“He has a lot of rides. So far, I’ve seen a red convertible, a black Dodge Ram, and this one.”
“You even know what he drives? Damn. You must be a stalker.” Iris laughed as the woman snuffed out her cigarette on the wall, then they made their way to the door to re-enter the place. “He dresses awfully nice. I’ve often wondered what he does for a livin’.”
Lark shrugged. “Who the hell knows? He probably ain’t even from here. At least, I’ve never seen him until a few months ago.”
“He comes in a lot, actually. Always real late…” Iris’ curiosity was now peaked. She did normally enjoy chomping on the eye candy, then out of sight, out of mind. But something about the way he pulled up, got out of that truck, and his deep rumbling voice as he greeted them made her heart beat a bit faster.I ain’t even into White guys like that… but I have to give credit where credit is due. God did the damn thang when he made that fellow. That man is gorgeous.
“I wonder where he went?” Lark looked around like some private investigator.
“Girl, you better stop.”
“What?” She giggled. “I’m done with Tom, and I’m not blind. I can look.”
“You got your own shit to square away. Don’t go counting your chickens before they’re hatched. If Tom’s crazy ass finds out you’re on the hunt, he’s liable to come up in here and act a fool. Don’t be bringing that type of trouble around here!” Lark burst out laughing, but Iris was serious. The woman’s boyfriend had arrived high in the sky, like heaven before, hollering and making a big scene, accusing Lark of sleeping with their boss at the time when they’d met on second shift years ago—an eighty-one-year-old man named Jerald, with glaucoma and three missing fingers on his right hand.
Lark tossed her a quick wave and disappeared down the canned fruits and vegetables aisle, probably headed to the restroom. Iris made her way back to her register on aisle 2, express lane, and turned on her light.
I need to do a bit of grocery shopping before I leave. We’re low on butter and ketchup. I’ll get Ayanna some fruit punch, too.
T.S.O.P.’s, ‘The Sound of Philadelphia’ started to play.
“Kroger is a disco now, huh? Where’s the time machine?” The husky, deep voice cut through her thoughts. The man placed a box of bandages, asparagus, red wine, aspirin, assorted colorful markers, hard candy, and drawing paper on the conveyer belt. Each time he came in here, his grocery haul had no rhyme or reason, each collection stranger than the last.
“The security guard keeps interrupting our music with his own.” She smiled as she began to ring up his things.
“Do you like it?”
She realized that was the first time the tall stranger had ever asked her a question.
“The music?” She shrugged. “Not really. I like oldies sometimes, though. I like a bit of everything, but some of the stuff he plays isn’t really my jam.”
The man nodded in understanding.
“I like a bit of everything, too.” He wedged his tattooed hand into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, then slipped his credit card through the scanner.
“What’s your name, if you don’t mind me asking?” His gaze zoomed in on her name tag, then came up to meet hers. “My friend is sweet on you, so I figure I could at least find out for her.” She placed his items in a plastic sack, one by one.
He put his wallet away, and it was then that she noticed the big ass bulge in the front of his jeans.Sweet Lord almighty…
“Jude.”
“Jude,” she repeated as she slipped the receipt in the bag.
“Is your friend the tall, pretty blonde that was wit’ you outside?” He smirked.
“Yeah. Her.”
“What if I wasn’t sweet on her though? What if I was sweet onyou?”
He wasn’t smiling. In fact, he looked so damn serious, her stomach flipped, shocked to hell. She turned around, looking about.
“You lost, beautiful? What you lookin’ ’round for?” He laughed as he gathered the two sacks in his grip. “You need to ask her permission to give me your number?”