“I told you it would be fine.”
“I nearly had a heart attack.”
“No, you were nearly just yourself,” I retorted as I pushed our cart to the truck bed and started loading the groceries. “You needed a reminder of who you are. You were about to track down everything missing on that damn list and it would have taken all day, I promise you. But you would’ve done it.”
“Well”—she shrugged, trying to hold onto her anger even with me complimenting her—“Lorraine needs to deliver the best pies.” She grabbed the empty cart as I packed in the last bag. I watched her shove it into a row of others. When it didn’t immediately roll into the other cart, she shoved it harder.
I chuckled as she made her way back. “Sure you can handle the cart?”
“Oh, shut up.” She yanked open the truck door but, before she could hop in, I lifted her by the waist like the tiny little thing she was and set her inside.
I waited for a thank you, but she glared down at me from her seat.
“You’re welcome, Meek.”
“I can climb into a truck by myself.”
“Barely,” I muttered under my breath, but I made sure it was loud enough for her to hear and slammed the door before she could respond. Antagonizing her was becoming a habit of mine. I saw her confidence resurfacing, the fight in her returning. When her eyes sparkled with the drive to put me in my place, she didn’t hesitate. This was the friend I’d missed and the woman I wanted to have in my life forever.
When I jumped in the driver’s side and turned the ignition, she was ready. “I’m not that small, Jay. I’m probably stronger than half the women you’ve met.”
“Hmmm.” I thought about it for point two seconds. “Definitely not.”
“Are you kidding me?” She scrunched her nose in irritation.
“Meek, you haven’t worked out once since you’ve been here. I know you don’t own a gym membership. You’re a tiny little thing. You look good, you know it, and I promise you no guy is complaining. But”—I held my hand up—“you got good genes, not a good exercise drive.”
“You’re so rude. Of course I work out.”
I laughed. “Mikka, an exercise video here and there where they tell you to hold a plank for five seconds doesn’t count.”
Her lips thinned and her eye twitched. I knew that look; it was the one where she was going to prove me wrong. “Pull over.”
“You want to make out again?” I winked at her.
I turned the corner into the village and came to a stop sign.
She opened her door and jumped out. “I’ll bet you whatever you want that I can hold a plank for longer than you.”
“What the hell, woman?” I looked in my rearview mirror and saw none other than Brady in his pick up behind me. “People are waiting for me to drive!”
“Then, turn the corner and pull over.”
I didn’t have much of a choice. And of course, instead of my asshole of a friend driving away, he smiled like a damn kid in a candy store and pulled over right behind me.
“Mikka, this man bothering you?” he asked as he unfolded from his driver’s seat.
Fucking Brady.I wanted to punch him square in the face for even looking at her. He eyed her up and down again right in front of me.
He knew exactly what he was doing. He’d always been one to stir the pot in high school, and he had a thing for women who were taken.
Or near taken.
Damn, I need to make Mikka mine.
“Go home, Brady,” I growled.
Mikka smiled like she’d won the lottery. “Oh, no. We need a witness.” She walked up to Brady and said hi as he leaned in to hug her. The fucker smiled over her shoulder at me.