Aww.“You’re a Scooby fan?”
He nods.“Yeah, it’s my mom’s favorite cartoon, so she introduced me to it.All of us, actually, but I’m the one who likes it the most.Finn never wanted to sit still long enough to watch, and Violet likes the anime-style cartoons.She’d probably like the current series.I like the classic ones.”
I ask the question that will make or break our relationship.“How do you feel about Scrappy?”
The curl of disgust that forms on his kissable lips tells me all I need to know.This is the man I want to marry and raise a family with.
“Scrappy sucks.”
I throw my arms around his neck and press a quick—too quick—kiss to his mouth.“Oliver King, you know exactly what to say to win my heart.”
He huffs out a laugh.“If I knew that was all it took, I would’ve done that a couple of years ago.”
He’s joking.I think.But his words still make me want to cry.What if he really did want me romantically and had said something before?We could be truly engaged now.Maybe even married.Talking about having babies.Shelby and I didn’t have cousins—our parents were only children.Mom’s from Ireland, so maybe we have distant relatives, but her parents died before she moved to the US and met our father.I’d love it if we had kids close in age so they could grow up together.
“Do you have a lot of cousins?”I ask Ollie as the machine cuts his key.
He scratches his beard.“A fair amount.Lily and her sister Poppy are the ones we’re closest to because our mothers are sisters and our fathers are brothers.”
“Wait.Brothers married sisters?Seriously?”
He’s so cute when his brow furrows.And the way it clears when he makes the connection.“Oh, yeah.Like us.Brothers marrying sisters.I guess it’s family tradition now.”He gently bumps my shoulder with his biceps.
That he says it so matter-of-factly, like of course it’s going to happen, brings a rush of tears to my eyes.Shelby and I don’t have any traditions from our family.That this could be our first would be wonderful.
I don’t want to cry in the middle of the supermarket, so I hand Ollie his key and push the cart into the main part of the store and start shopping.
“Text me if there’s anything you want me to have on hand when you get home,” I say over my shoulder as I grab a jug of milk.
“I will,” Ollie says, scrunching his nose as I put my favorite frozen entrees into the cart.“You went to the best culinary school in the world and you’re buying this frozen stuff?You fed us at the cottage.Don’t you cook for yourself?”
Now it’s my turn to make a face.“I went to school for pastry and bread making, not cooking meat and stuff.And for me, it’s not worth all the work to prep, cook, and clean up.”
“If I sign us up for a meal prep service where they deliver everything and we only have to heat it up, would you eat it?”He reads the ingredients on the red box of my favorite frozen macaroni and cheese and puts it back in the cart.“They have a lot of these meals, but fresher and more nutritious.I have a meal plan I follow to make sure I’m well-fueled for how active I am.We could cook together, or I could cook if you want.I’ll be doing it for myself anyway.”
I shrug.“Send me a link so I can see what they have.No promises.”
He runs his hand down my back, causing a shiver I’ll let him think is from being in the frozen foods aisle.“I’ll ask around the team and see who they use locally and send you links.”He gives my waist a light squeeze before removing his hand.“I’m not trying to change anything about you, Phoebe.You’re perfect how you are.Only trying to figure out ways to make living together easier.”
“I know, Ollie.Can I be honest with you?”
His eyes sharpen as they meet mine.
“Always, Phoebe.You can tell me anything.”
“Talking about what I eat makes me really defensive.I know I’m fat.”
“Don’t say that!You’re beautiful,” Ollie insists.
I giggle.“I didn’t say I was ugly, only that I’m fat.Or plus size.Or…”
“Deliciously curvy,” he growls in my ear, wrapping his arms around my waist.“I’ve gotten to cuddle you the past couple of nights, I’m kind of an expert.”
He presses a kiss on my cheek, causing my knees to weaken.Thank goodness I can hold onto the cart to keep me upright.
We finish our shopping and load our groceries into the car.
“Do you want to drive?”Ollie asks as he shuts the back hatch.“Make sure your wrist is okay enough for it before I go.”
