said.
I looked at him, confused. “Seedy stuff?”
“Noah likes the bread with all those nuts and seeds in it…so gross.”
Laughing, I hip-bumped him.
In the paper goods aisle, I reached for my normal brand of toilet paper. “You guys seriously need to upgrade,” I said, tossing the pack into the cart.
“Raspberries or strawberries?” Noah asked in the produce area.
Naturally, Jonathan and I gave opposite answers.
As Noah and I loaded the groceries onto the belt at the checkout, Jay put a few candy bars in with the mix. Each time, Noah would put them back, and Jay’s attempts to sneak them in escalated.
“Why don’t you go check out a Redbox movie?”
“Nice try, Jonny.”
I turned away from them to laugh, catching the cashier’s eye. We smiled at each other as I slipped a Twix bar straight into her hand, circumventing the boys. The cashier handed it right back to me after she’d swiped it, and I hid it in my purse until I passed it off to Jonathan in the parking lot while Noah loaded up the bags.
We put the groceries away, and after a shower, I sat at the breakfast bar while Jay and Noah cooked together. They demanded I sit and just enjoy as they made dinner since I’d made breakfast. The smells were amazing as they chopped and sautéed, working synchronously to make lasagna. Garlic wafted through the room, and when the bread went into the oven as the lasagna rested on the trivet, I licked my lips.
“Can I at least make a salad?”
“No,” they said in unison.
“Besides,” Noah said, “you need room for movie snacks. No salad.”
“True,” I said. “Very true.”
When they brought the giant pan to the table and Jay sliced it up, my mouth watered. I was famished as he slid a thick slice onto my plate. Noah passed a basket with the bread in it, and I took the biggest piece I could find.
“You two are going to make me fat.”
“Nope,” Jay said, looking at his plate as he served himself. “We’ll find a way to work it all off.”
“An answer for everything,” I muttered, smiling down at my food. “What movie are we going to see, anyway?”
“Well, you might be the tie-breaker. Noah wants to go see a documentary, and I want to see an action movie. Which one, sweets: hot, sweaty men, or snoozefest?”
I really wanted to go see the new romantic comedy I’d seen a trailer for. I wondered what would happen if I threw a third movie into the mix.
“I’ll make you boys a deal,” I said. “We’ll go see hot, sweaty men tonight, then Noah’s documentary next week, and the movie I want to see the weekend after.”
“I like this compromise,” Noah said, looking at Jay.
“Works for me,” Jay agreed.
We dealt with the messy kitchen much as we had after breakfast then got into Noah’s car and drove to the theater. I had to laugh when we had a similar disagreement to the movie selection in the snack line.
“Gross, Noah. Raisinets? Seriously?” I made a gagging face and noises.
“Please,” he scoffed. “As if I can even respect you anymore now that I know you’re a popcorn girl.”
He bumped his hip into mine, and I fell against Jonathan.
“You’ll share a Cherry Coke with me, won’t you, Jay?” I turned my best puppy-dog eyes on him.
“Diet Coke?” he asked, sounding almost apologetic.
I stood my ground, giving him a look. “No fucking way, dude. Movies are popcorn and Cherry Coke only.”
“All right,” he sighed. “But this means I’m going to have to sweat extra tonight.”
“I’m pretty sure I can arrange that, handsome.” I winked.
“Oh sure, and you two expect me to be able to focus on a movie now?” Noah complained.
“Yes, old man, we do,” I said. “Now pay up, sugar daddy. We have a movie to get to.”
We’d agreed that we would take turns paying for the movies and snacks, as well as dinners out. It was an awkward solution at best, but with three strong-willed people, it worked and felt fair to each of us.
I looked at him, confused. “Seedy stuff?”
“Noah likes the bread with all those nuts and seeds in it…so gross.”
Laughing, I hip-bumped him.
In the paper goods aisle, I reached for my normal brand of toilet paper. “You guys seriously need to upgrade,” I said, tossing the pack into the cart.
“Raspberries or strawberries?” Noah asked in the produce area.
Naturally, Jonathan and I gave opposite answers.
As Noah and I loaded the groceries onto the belt at the checkout, Jay put a few candy bars in with the mix. Each time, Noah would put them back, and Jay’s attempts to sneak them in escalated.
“Why don’t you go check out a Redbox movie?”
“Nice try, Jonny.”
I turned away from them to laugh, catching the cashier’s eye. We smiled at each other as I slipped a Twix bar straight into her hand, circumventing the boys. The cashier handed it right back to me after she’d swiped it, and I hid it in my purse until I passed it off to Jonathan in the parking lot while Noah loaded up the bags.
We put the groceries away, and after a shower, I sat at the breakfast bar while Jay and Noah cooked together. They demanded I sit and just enjoy as they made dinner since I’d made breakfast. The smells were amazing as they chopped and sautéed, working synchronously to make lasagna. Garlic wafted through the room, and when the bread went into the oven as the lasagna rested on the trivet, I licked my lips.
“Can I at least make a salad?”
“No,” they said in unison.
“Besides,” Noah said, “you need room for movie snacks. No salad.”
“True,” I said. “Very true.”
When they brought the giant pan to the table and Jay sliced it up, my mouth watered. I was famished as he slid a thick slice onto my plate. Noah passed a basket with the bread in it, and I took the biggest piece I could find.
“You two are going to make me fat.”
“Nope,” Jay said, looking at his plate as he served himself. “We’ll find a way to work it all off.”
“An answer for everything,” I muttered, smiling down at my food. “What movie are we going to see, anyway?”
“Well, you might be the tie-breaker. Noah wants to go see a documentary, and I want to see an action movie. Which one, sweets: hot, sweaty men, or snoozefest?”
I really wanted to go see the new romantic comedy I’d seen a trailer for. I wondered what would happen if I threw a third movie into the mix.
“I’ll make you boys a deal,” I said. “We’ll go see hot, sweaty men tonight, then Noah’s documentary next week, and the movie I want to see the weekend after.”
“I like this compromise,” Noah said, looking at Jay.
“Works for me,” Jay agreed.
We dealt with the messy kitchen much as we had after breakfast then got into Noah’s car and drove to the theater. I had to laugh when we had a similar disagreement to the movie selection in the snack line.
“Gross, Noah. Raisinets? Seriously?” I made a gagging face and noises.
“Please,” he scoffed. “As if I can even respect you anymore now that I know you’re a popcorn girl.”
He bumped his hip into mine, and I fell against Jonathan.
“You’ll share a Cherry Coke with me, won’t you, Jay?” I turned my best puppy-dog eyes on him.
“Diet Coke?” he asked, sounding almost apologetic.
I stood my ground, giving him a look. “No fucking way, dude. Movies are popcorn and Cherry Coke only.”
“All right,” he sighed. “But this means I’m going to have to sweat extra tonight.”
“I’m pretty sure I can arrange that, handsome.” I winked.
“Oh sure, and you two expect me to be able to focus on a movie now?” Noah complained.
“Yes, old man, we do,” I said. “Now pay up, sugar daddy. We have a movie to get to.”
We’d agreed that we would take turns paying for the movies and snacks, as well as dinners out. It was an awkward solution at best, but with three strong-willed people, it worked and felt fair to each of us.
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