As I made to dash after him, the cashier stopped me, “Your receipt ma’am. I’m done packing your items, here you go.” she announced handing me the three heavy bags.
It took all the good-will in me not to flare up at her at that moment. Why would she accept someone else’s credit card to pay for my own items? I dragged my heavy bags towards the exit without saying another word to her, hurling the bags towards my red Chevrolet which was parked just outside the shop.
Before I knew what was happening, someone came from behind me and snatched two of the bags from me, relieving and annoying me at the same time.
I twirled to see who it was, and you already know who, yeah, Marcus Grant, the new knight in shining rudeness.
Thank goodness he hadn’t left already, I had to pay him back his money if that was the last thing on earth for me to do.
“Marcus, you don’t-”
“Where’s your car?” he totally cut me off, asking offhandedly. Well, I’m ready for you, Marcus.
“Why would you pay for my items? Do I look like I couldn’t? I mean I bought those things with my eyes wide open, so who the hell are you to come out of nowhere to pay for what I bought like we are some sort of acquaintance?” I snapped into his disarmingly handsome face with a smug look currently plastered there.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking straight.” he said with an apologetic look.
“Look, sorry won’t cut it, send me your account details right now, I have to pay back-”
“You can buy me a meal.” he cut me short again, grinning boldly. “If you want to get even so badly.”
What the hell is giving this guy so much guts today anyway? I wondered feeling more confused than angry.
I exhaled, trying to keep myself from saying something really nasty, something I was going to regret later. Whatever gave him the impression that I needed help?
“What do you want, appearing in front of me all of a sudden after almost fifteen years, Marcus Grant?” I asked between clenched teeth to avoid yelling at him in public.
“Let’s talk while we eat, Jody.” he replied, raising my grocery bag in his hands. “Where do I keep this?”
Talk while we eat? Now that’s funny. Whoever gave him the impression I’d be willing to eat and make little chitchats with him.
Suddenly, I realized we were standing in front of the shop like lost people.
No, maybe I was the lost one with the way he gazed at me with a confidence I couldn’t wrap my head around. I rolled my eyes, turned and continued walking to my car while he followed closely behind. I opened my back door and placed the bag on the passenger’s seat and he did the same.
Then he walked to where I stood with a calm expression, “What do you say? Are you buying or should I be on my way?”
This dude was beyond cocky, and every fiber in me wanted to tell him to go fck himself, but that would also mean owing him and I couldn’t imagine myself being indebted to anyone, worse still, to someone with a temerity like his.
“Alright, fine,” I glared at him to make him understand I really didn’t wish to, but had less choice.
I stretched my neck looking around and thankfully spotted a café nearby. “I’m sure they would have sandwich or burger in there,” I said to Marcus, pointing at the café across the street.
He followed the direction of my hands with his eyes and sighed. “I was hoping for something much more sophisticated but this one will do.” he nodded thoughtfully.
I sneered at him and started walking to the café. Hopefully this won’t take long, I still had few hours before going to Gracie’s place, but I doubt I would be able to fix my groceries before that all thanks to this gorgeous distraction walking behind me.
We walked into the café and took our seats close to the window. I ordered for two sandwiches and bottle of soda even before we had the chance to settle on our seats. I wanted this to be over and done with as soon as possible.
He simply chuckled at my urgency and stretched his long legs under the table, obviously not feeling an ounce of the impatience eating at me. He even had the guts to tell the person waiting on us to take his time.
Urgh.
“What do you want, Marcus?” I asked him, cutting to the chase. “Why do you appear all of a sudden and start acting like-”
“Like there’s something between us? Like we know each other?” he leaned forward, folded his arms across his chest gazing at me with a subtle grin.
Cocky asshole.
I swallowed, suddenly feeling too self-conscious under his scrutinizing stare. “Yes?”
“I saw you that day after so many years at Ms. Jones place,” he started, dropping his hands on the table. “And you’ve honestly tormented my thoughts ever since.”
“What?” I almost choked from shock, not expecting him to be so straight forward.
“I’m saying, Jody, that you have always been on my mind, and I really want to know why.” he uttered with so much seriousness, I fell totally speechless.
Thankfully, the waiter finally arrived with our orders and I busied myself with unwrapping my sandwich, hoping he would stop talking.
“Be my girlfriend for a month, Jody,” he said as soon as the waiter left, not even taking a second glance at the food placed in front of him.
“Be my girlfriend, I want to know what it is I’m feeling here.” he probed and my heart which had been beating at a normal pace for a long time started an irregular and frantic thump.