Love Thy Neighbor (Friend-Zoned)(14)

She looks so damn cute.

She wears a scowl. Her body is stiff. She has her arms crossed over her chest and she’s wearing a huge pout.

I beep the horn and she jumps in fright. I can’t help but chuckle. Finally, she rolls her eyes, gives in and we’re off.

She doesn’t talk to me til we get to the grocery store, and even then she only asks, “Want to share a cart?” I nod.

She takes us straight to the fruit and vegetable section and puts random items in the cart: strawberries, half a cantaloupe, carrots, tomatoes, celery, apples and avocado. She looks over to me. “What produce do you need?”

I’m confused.

I need produce?

I’m pretty sure I’ve been living just fine without them. I take the cart and steer it into the meat section. I hear Nat mutter, “Okay, no fruit and veg. Check.”

Looking around the meat section, I see Nat pick up two types of ground beef. She looks back and forth between them for a whole minute. I take them both out of her hands, put one in the cart and put the other back on the shelf. She scowls at me but I’m ready for her. “What? It’s just beef!”

“It’s not just beef! One has five percent less fat! And lucky for you, that’s the one you put in the cart.”

I roll my eyes and mumble, “Whatever, lady.” I stock the cart with four different types of meat.

Okay, so I’m a typical bachelor.

I like meat. Nothing beats a good steak. I could eat steak every damn day. I think that’s what’s on tonight’s menu and I’m already looking forward to it.

We go aisle by aisle and the cart is filling up. I add the essentials; potato chips, chocolate, ketchup, peanut butter, jelly, chocolate sauce and full fat milk. Nat adds things I’ve never even heard of; quinoa, whole wheat crackers, hummus, udon noodles, two percent milk and vegeta. I’m just about to ask if she’s a health nut when she puts chocolate spread, three different types of ice cream and bacon into the cart.

That’s better.

God, I hate when women starve themselves. I like my women curvy. Ever since Nat, I’ve been avoiding curvy women and settling for slender instead. There’s no comparison so why even try.

We head down the pharmacy aisle and I stop right in front of the condoms. I look at Nat to find her looking right back at me.

It’s a stare off.

We stare at each other for almost a minute before I grab two boxes off the shelf. I put them in the cart. “One for you and one for me. You’ll probably need it with your new guy around.”

I’ve been trying to work him into a conversation somehow.

“Oh, I hadn’t even thought about that.” she replies quietly.

It sounds genuine. So I prod. “What? You mean to tell me you don’t sleep with who you please?”

She turns slightly and avoids my eyes when she responds, “Of course I do.”

False.

She’s lying.

I can read people well and I’d bet my life savings that Nat doesn’t sleep around which makes me wonder why she let me pull her into the conference room that night.

That makes me happy. Even though I have no right to feel happy about that.

“So, when are you seeing the angry man again?”

She immediately jumps to his defense. “He’s not an angry man! He just thought you were coming on to me, and his name is Cole, by the way. I’m going out with him tomorrow night.”

I can understand that. If someone came between me and my woman… I mean, if I was with Nat and some guy came on to her in front of me, I’d want to break his skull. But something about him isn’t right. I’ll have to use my resources and look into him.

Looking at the shelves, I tell her, “You need to get me a last name, pretty girl. Something about that boy ain’t right. Too jittery.”

She frowns, but I see her eyes blankly focus on the shelves, which makes me believe she thinks the same thing I do. She concedes on a nod. “Okay. Any more weird stuff, and I’ll let you check him out. And I’ll be honest with you about it. But if I see he’s just a normal guy, you will butt out.” She holds out her hand and I take it in mine. We shake then continue shopping.

From this one experience, I can tell I’ll be happy to shop with her again. I like the way she walks around the cart, brushing past me. She talks to herself too, and I feel my body relax and my mind calm. I could listen to her talk all day. Half an hour later and we’re done, checked out and in my car driving home.

We both take bags full of groceries up to our apartments, and just as I’m about to say goodbye, Nat stops suddenly and blurts out, “Do you want to watch TV with me tonight?”

She wants to spend more time with me?

We’ve spent all morning together, and I’m actually really pleased she isn’t sick of me yet.

“Um- Ah- Uh, yeah. I guess. I mean, it’ll have to be here though. I don’t own a TV,” I stammer.

She gasps loudly and puts a hand to her chest. She whispers loudly, “You don’t own a TV?”

I would expect this reaction if I told her I had a bionic heart.

I smirk. “Nope. No, I don’t.”

She puts a hand on my arm and whispers again, “What is wrong with you?”

I lean my head back and burst out laughing.

Nat’s face softens, her lips tilt at the corner and she speaks full of awe, “Wow.”