Chapter 14

The drive home from the office was therapeutic for Alex. Deep down she was really mad at Shelby's parents for what they did if that was their way of a farewell by sending their only child a text message. Switching through the radio channels until she got home, a smile crept on her face when she saw Ryan's car in the driveway. No matter where she went, whenever she got back home and saw Ryan's car at home her heart always skipped a beat. Made her feel a bit like a love sick teenager who saw their crush in the hallway of middle school.

When she entered Ryan was on the couch watching TV, as usual. "What you up to my dude?" She asked smiling while she walked over to take a seat next to him. He pulled her into a sideways hug kissing her on the forehead. "Not much. Just happy to have you all for myself since we haven't seen much of each other today." He answered. He really thought the two of them would see each other frequently since they worked at the same place, but at last that wasn't the case. They were lucky if they bumped into each other once during the day on their way to restroom or in the cafeteria buying coffee to get them through the rest of the day. "You act as if we haven't seen each other this morning when we left home." She replied snuggling into his shoulder. "That. Alex, was so long ago it was practically June!" He said trying to sound all shocked. "If exaggeration could kill hey…." She responded sitting up quickly, since she remembered she promised herself a few days ago they need to go grocery shopping.

And it was still relatively early 17:30PM. The grocery store shouldn't be as full as it would be in daytime, or that's what she's hoping. "Did you eat yet?" she prompted the question trying to hint that they need to go shopping but being very doubtful that he would catch it. "Uuuhhmmm no, mostly because I'm not hungry right now and because we don't really have anything to cook." he responded scratching the back of his neck. "Which is why we need to get going right now!" She got up standing in front of him waiting for him to follow, but he groaned in response. "Do I need to go with? You're going to walk through 25 aisles and only leave the store with 10 things." He moaned trying his best to get out of this situation. He really loved Alex and everything about her, but when it came to her and shopping, she just didn't know when to stop. You could do a full workout whenever she went to the mall, walking from one shop to the next and then she doesn't buy anything. Alex moved to the counter were she discarded her bag earlier. "No it's fine, Ryan you really don't have to come with if you don't want to. Just remember when I get hijacked or even worse kidnapped and they chop my body up into tiny little pieces, and call you to come identify my chopped up body, don't you dare cry…. I'll come haunt you every night you won't be able to get a full night's sleep after that." She concluded while grabbing her keys, standing in the doorway looking back to see if he showed any emotion and if her over exaggerated guilt trip worked. Ryan got up and walked towards the door. "If exaggeration could kill hey…" he answered as he swats her butt while taking the keys out of her hand walking towards the car. Alex stands there shaking her head smiling slyly to herself as she walks to get in the car.

The radio station was playing in the background but none of them paid any mind to what was playing. Alex was laying with her head against the window while looking at the flickering streetlights that was about to go on for the rest of the night. She sighed softly in contentment because for once on her life she was genuinely happy. She had an amazing boyfriend, the job she always wanted and a close circle of friends whom she can share anything with. This right here, she thought, this is life. She was startled out of her daydream when Ryan asked her a question that she didn't hear so she had to ask him to repeat it again. "Did you talk to Shelby today?" he asked not sure how she would respond to the question. "Yeah we talked about it for quite some time while having coffee in the cafeteria today." She answered turning in her seat to look at him. She loved the little frown that appeared on his forehead while he was concentrating on the road ahead. "Her parents had the nerve to do something like that. Like really it's their only child and she was so happy when they finally reconnected, just to leave her like that again. A text message, really?!" Alex asked the rhetorical question to Ryan as she shook his head. "That's really not how it's supposed to be. I mean, I know what it feels like to have a parent walk out on you, but having both do it is something I can't imagine." He said as they pulled into the parking lot. Ryan wasn't always on to talk about his past especially his father walking out n them, and Alex never wanted to ask him about it, not until he was ready.

The parking lot was relatively empty, but that was comprehensible since it was early evening, and it was the way Alex preferred it. As much as she loved shopping she hated long queues, and overfilled shops where people was in her personal space. As soon as they entered Ryan got the cart and Alex got out the list she made a few days ago. They started in the first aisle and worked their way down. Alex knew it was trouble having Ryan push the cart since he threw all kinds of weird tools into the cart. "Ryan Booth, I have a list and we're only buying what I wrote down." Alex answered as she took out the drill and a pack of screwdrivers and placed it back on the shelf. "You have a rusting toolbox at home and you I don't recall you ever fixing anything in the house." She answered his unasked question and maneuvered him to push the cart further down the aisle.

Alex purposefully avoided the luxury aisle and continued walking past it, but when she turned around to look for her blue eyed boyfriend he was nowhere in sight. He was roaming the luxury aisle which Alex so badly wanted to avoid and when she got to the cart Ryan already went bonkers by having the sweets and chips packets piled up. "You cannot say no to me now, we need this babe we really do." He pleaded like a little kid. "Fine, but not all of it. 4 packs of Doritos is too much take two out and replace them with Pringles instead." She busied herself taking it out and adding her selection of Pringles since she loved it. There was more things she wanted to take out but Ryan stopped her when she touched some of the chocolates. "If you take my Bar-One's out I'm taking all those weird facial products out that you think you need." Ryan threatened holding two bottles of BB cream and toner in his hand. "Fine" she sighed. "Remind me to never invite you to come grocery shopping with me again" she said as the approached the checkout point. "Hey, you invited me, remember?" He flashed a smile at her as she shook her head.

After they paid for their things Ryan pushed the cart through the now almost empty parking lot. Alex was standing on at the front with both of her legs on the railings while the wind swooshed past her as Ryan ran with the cart across the lot to the car. She was doing her own version of Titanic minus the sinking ship but adding a shopping cart. Their laughter echoed through the air as they got into the car and take the drive back home. Ready to call it a day.

Hey guys, thanks for the read once again Hope you enjoy. Lovies-S