If there’s a dick measuring contest in the frozen foods section, Gavin is winning, while Will is shriveling up due to cold temperatures.
“Is there a problem here?” Gavin says, raising his bruised eyebrow at Will, his arm sliding down my back and holding my waist.
“Think about it Kate, I’m serious.”
“Are you threatening her?” Gavin says, placing me behind his large back. I have to tilt to the left to see Will’s pissed off expression and it’s very much worth a million dollars.
“Mind your own fucking business. What, is she doing all that freaky shit she’s into so you’re her lap dog now?” Will says and I nearly hold in a squeak as a seventy year old woman walks by looking absolutely astonished. Of course he had to throw that dig in there, like our sexual chemistry is the reason we got divorced and not his infidelity.
“I don’t know. Are you her prick of an ex-husband who’s acting like a fucking man child in the middle of Trader Joe’s?” Gavin asks.
Oh god, am I going to witness a full on brawl in a grocery store because of my poor taste in men?
Will is fisting his cart so hard his knuckles are white. He looks like he’s going to say something but instead curses under his breath, pushing his cart dramatically in the opposite direction, baby food jars clink against each other. I take a deep breath as he walks away, and Gavin turns to face me.
“Are you stalking me too?” I ask, and he shakes his head.
“Are you okay? How many times has he shown up somewhere you were?” he asks, looking genuinely concerned for me.
Fuck these men and them sweet talking me into forgiveness.
“It’s the third time he’s shown up the same place I have been in the last few months.”
“Is he blocked on your phone?” Gavin asks and I shake my head. “Can I see it?”
I’m not sure why I hand him my phone, but I do, and he looks through a bunch of apps.
“You’re not sharing your location with anyone. I’m not a tech wiz, but you don’t seem to have any weird apps on here. I think you should still go to your provider’s store to make sure he hasn’t installed something on your phone. I’m not telling you what to do, but would you consider a restraining order?”
“Maybe,” I whisper, not knowing how I feel about things going that far. I should just sell the damn shares, give in and get it over with.
“I put in my number. Just in case you have any issues,” he says it so easily as he glances around the store. “How much more shopping do you need to do?”
“I just need to grab some cheese and cereal,” I say, because I’m so dumbfounded. He popped out of nowhere, stood up for me, and most importantly he made Will back off.
“Let’s go get the rest of your stuff.”
“Oh, you don’t have to come with me,” I wave him off and he gives me a look that says it doesn’t matter what I want as he holds the cart with one hand, not caring when people are clearly giving him dirty looks that he’s in the way.
“So…what brings you to Trader Joe’s?” I say, because what else do I say? He has a basket in his hand, but the only thing in it is a container of blueberries and two pre-made salads.
“It’s my turn to do the shopping. Ben and I are a little helpless with food.”
“Same,” I say with a shrug.
“Ben told me he came over and explained mostly everything.”
I glance up at him as he looks down at me with eyes that are more green than blue today. Why do they have to be so pretty? And kind, and fuck, am I about to forgive them? Yeah, I am.
Maybe it makes me weak, or maybe their transgressions are really worth forgiving for both my peace of mind and for saving the remainder of my summer.
“He did.”
“I told him not to, that you shouldn’t forgive us, but everything he said is true. That night we met at the marina, I had no other intention but to make you feel good and for me to take something I wanted. I’d thought about you since that night, and I would’ve recognized you if it really was me at Avalon. Ben started this mess, but I didn’t stop it when I could’ve, and I’m sorry about that.”
He leans down, so his lips are nearly pressed against my ear. “But it’s hard to be that sorry when you were so fucking good that night. I am sorry for lying though, that we hurt you.”
My lips part as I grab the cheese I want and I don’t break eye contact with him.
