Page 10 of Once Upon A Second Chance

"Let me save you the concussion."

I step closer, reaching up easily to grab the granola she'd been eyeing. Our bodies brush—her back against my chest for one electrifying second. I catch a whiff of her shampoo. Rose. Sunshine.

She spins immediately, clutching the box to her chest like a shield.

"Thanks." Her cheeks are pink.

I gesture to my cart—frozen pizza, bourbon, a single sad banana—and now throw in a box of the same granola. "Gourmet chef, obviously."

She snorts. "Living your best life, I see."

"Bachelorhood is a culinary adventure."

"Mm. More like a cry for help."

I grin despite myself. "You offering to cook for me?"

Her eyes narrow playfully. "Not even if you were dying."

"Ouch."

We fall into step together, drifting toward the produce section.

It's easy, somehow. Trading jabs about hospital food versus grocery store despair.

She tells me about Mr. Higgins' latest dramatics ("He tried to bribe me with moonshine to clear him for golf"), and I complain about the clinic's ancient X-ray machine ("I'm pretty sure it predates penicillin").

For a moment, it's like no time has passed at all.

Then we reach for the same apple at the same time.

Her hand grazes mine. Neither of us pulls away immediately.

The air between uscrackles.

"Y'all back together?"

We spring apart like teenagers caught making out.

Mrs. Delaney stands there, grinning, Bijou's leash in one hand and a basket full of dog treats in the other.

Penny goes scarlet. "We were never— I mean, we're just—"

"Getting groceries," I finish smoothly.

Mrs. Delaney's eyes sparkle. "Mhmm."

Penny seizes her cart. "I should—check out. Right now."

She flees.

Mrs. Delaney watches her go, then turns to me. "You broke that girl's heart once."

I stiffen.

She pats my arm. "Don't do it again."

Then she walks off, Bijou trotting beside her, leaving me standing there with a bruised apple and the ghost of Penny's touch still burning on my skin.