Read Online MC: Brighton by L. Ann Marie - Free Book Online

eat.”
    “There is that,” she says, making me laugh again. I’m relieved she’s playful and not still scared.
    We make it through the fruit and vegetables and she stops. “I don’t know what you eat.”
    “Just get what you normally do and I’ll add what I normally get if it’s different.”
    She gets Fruit Loops and I grab Mini Wheats. She gets Oreos and I get crackers, wondering how the fuck she’s skinny eating like that. When we get to the meat I order the box I normally get with steak, hamburger, roast, and ribs and she gets two chicken breasts. In the frozen aisle she gets pizzas and burritos, sending a chill down my back. I go back and grab wraps, cheese, and beans and still make it before she’s out of the aisle. I get frozen vegetables then chips and salsa since we’re obviously having a Mexican night. She gets caramel covered popcorn, making me laugh through the next aisle. I pull over to the yogurt and look at her. She smiles, reaching for the kids yogurt with candy flavors. I get two packs of vanilla and she laughs. I go through the Bakery and get a loaf of sliced Italian bread and she comes back with candy and a peanut butter jelly mix. “How the fuck are you skinny?”
    “I eat right, exercise and get plenty of rest,” she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm and cracking me up. “It’s the water. I drink coffee and water.”
    “All right, water girl, let’s get the fuck out of here before your processed foods melt into plastic.” She doesn’t say anything, but she’s smiling. At the register she tries to separate the food. “Just leave it, I got this.” She opens her mouth and I give her a look that has her looking at the floor. Fuck. “We can go over what we pay at home when I can write it down so I don’t fuck anything up.” She looks up at me then gives me her smile. I pay and get us home, happy she’s talking. I remember Danny having a conversation about Kate still working and needing to feel like she’s helping pay her way. I guess all the women are like that. I leave some hamburger and the stuff for burritos out and help get everything else put up.
    “Thank you,” she says, looking shy.
    I look at her, thinking of how I’m going to say this, then how she’ll take it. “You don’t have to thank me for doing the same thing you are. I’m glad you help. I think I’m going to like doing things together, but I’m not going to thank you for everything we do. It’s like a partner, I don’t thank Sticks when we work together. We just do what’s needed to get the job done.”
    She watches me, then nods. Looking at the food I left out, she asks, “Are you hungry?”
    “I’m starving, the fruit didn’t cut it.” I start looking in the cabinets for a pan.
    “We have the Bakery stuff.”
    I’m not looking at her but answer, “Pastry isn’t going to fill me up. I need a fuckin meal in me today.”
    “What do I do?” she whispers, pulling my eyes from the onion I’m getting ready to cut over to her. She’s nervous.
    “Can you get the foil for the tortillas? I’m going to fry the hamburger and onion. You can stir it while I get the rest of the stuff ready.” She nods and starts moving.
    “Where did you learn to cook?” she asks as I’m getting the corn cooked.
    “I was assigned Jess for a while when I was Prospecting. It was during the time they opened the Diner, so I picked up quite a bit.” I find the colander and drop the meat and onions in. I make six burritos and set them on a plate. She gets the chips and salsa and we sit. “You don’t do wine with dinner?” I see only water on the table.
    She smiles. “Water or coffee.”
    I get up and grab a beer, then sit back down, wondering why she’s not eating. “Aren’t you hungry?” She nods but doesn’t pick up her burrito. She’s waiting for me? “You don’t need permission to eat. If you’re hungry, eat.” She looks down. Fuckin jerk made her wait to eat? I pick up my burrito and eat, too