Inside, the store was packed, andLet It Snowwas playing overhead. It smelled like cinnamon, peppermint, and freshly baked cookies. Woods pushed the cart with one hand and held onto me with the other, thick fingers wrapped around mine, thumb rubbing lazy circles across my knuckles.
“Let me check this list,” I said, unlocking my phone and opening the Notes app.
Woods leaned over, taking a peek, lips twitching. “You don’t know how to make no candied yams.”
I smirked. “Who don’t? Boy, please. I told you I can cook. Plus, I’m sure my dad’s bringing his ‘lady friend,’ and I wanna make sure I come correct.”
He chuckled, deep and knowing. “He gon’ be straight. Long as he come correct, I’ll match the energy.”
I raised a brow. “Hegotta come correct?”
“Yeah, he’s meetin’ me too.”
That made me laugh. “Well, that’s true.” We hit the produce section first. I handed him a bundle of collard greens, and he held it like it was disrespecting his masculinity.
“So you really got me out here pickin’ greens in public?”
I smiled. “You said you knew what you were doing.”
“I did. I didn’t say I was tryna help wit’ the labor.”
“You’ll survive,” I teased, dropping a pack of smoked turkey in the cart. “You act like you never helped cook before.”
He leaned closer, voice dropping. “I help wit’ the shit I wanna help wit’.”
“Oh yeah?” I looked up at him. “And what’s that exactly?”
“Anything that ends wit’ you moanin’,” he murmured.
My mouth fell open as I smacked his chest with a big ass yam. “Can you behave?!”
“Not really,” he smirked. “You knew that before you brought me up in this muthafucka.”
We went back and forth as we made our way towards the bakery section. I held up a pack of cinnamon rolls with the strawberry cream frosting I liked. He snatched them and tossed two in the cart.
“You eatin’ for two now. My baby gon’ want somethin’ sweet.” Hearing him say that so casually did something to me. It was like we were already a family, and my heart damn near flipped.
We were near the dairy aisle when an older woman paused beside us, smiling widely. “You two are such a beautiful couple,” she said with a hand over her chest. “Y’all look so happy. God bless you.”
Woods stood taller, proud. “‘Ppreciate you, ma’am.”
I blushed and nodded. “Thank you.”
As she walked off, Woods leaned down and kissed my lips. “She’s right, though. We do look good as fuck together.” I bit my lip and looked away, but the butterflies were flapping wildly.
From there, we hit up two more stores for my favorite brand, Egg Nog, and liquor. He made it very clear he would be missing our tequila nights for the next nine months, but it was cool. We were grabbing cups in the final aisle when I heard a voice that made my stomach clench.
“Damn. Two days in a row, huh?”
I turned slowly, already knowing it was Theo. He had a basket in one hand, the other shoved in his coat pocket like he was trying too hard to look unbothered.
I felt Woods’ energy shift beside me. The way he straightened his shoulders, the slight tilt of his head, the unbothered but alert posture. All of it let me know he peeped the switch-up in my body and clocked Theo on sight.
“Hey,” I said coolly, stepping slightly in front of Woods out of instinct. “Didn’t think I’d run into you again this soon.”
Theo’s eyes dragged over to Woods, then back to me. “Yeah… me either.” His tone wasn’t aggressive, but it was laced with regret. Woods didn’t say a word. He just stood there with that confident stance. Theo cleared his throat, trying to act casual. “So this is your…?”
“Her man,” Woods said, voice calm but clear.
