“No. We can’t have pizza. How about I make chicken and corn for us?”
I get the same look. Disgust. “I don’t like corn. It’s too crunchy.”
“Grilled cheese?”
Another shake of her head. “You burned it last time.”
“That was one time,” I scoff. “You like grilled cheese.”
“Do we have ketchup in case you burn it?”
“Yes. We have ketchup.”
“Fine. But can I have chips with it too?”
“Sure. Let’s get more bread.”
Steering the cart, we leave the pasta aisle and head to the bread and come to a dead stop.
Kade.
Shit. There he is, standing at the end of the aisle. Unassuming in a white T-shirt, jeans, and a pair of cowboy boots. I know Pinecrest is a small town, but why do I keep running into him?
He spots us, and before he can turn and run, Poppy pipes up. “Can I go say hi to him, Mom?”
What am I supposed to say to her? He’s a stranger? She can’t talk to him because I don’t know what to say to him?
I give a small nod and she goes running up to him.
“Hi, Kade.”
He kneels down to her level. “Hi, Poppy. What are you up to?”
“Shopping with Mom.”
“Oh, yeah? Getting anything good?”
“They don’t have the macaroni I like.”
“That’s too bad.”
“Mom is going to make us grilled cheese.”
“Do you like it with ketchup?” he asks. “I like it with ketchup, but people think that’s gross.”
“I love it with ketchup!” Poppy beams at him. “Especially when Mom burns it.”
“Hey! I burned it once.”
“It was yucky,” Poppy whispers out of the corner of her mouth.
Kade’s eyes flit between the two of us, like he’s studying us.
“Ketchup always helps,” he finally says, steeling his face before standing. He nods in my direction. “Presley.”
“Kade.”
My voice is soft, still not sure how to interact with him.
