Turning Pages

Chapter Fifteen

Rob glanced around, and I knew he was looking for my parking spot. "Can I help carry-"  

"No," I interrupted a little too cheerfully. "I'm fine." Just then, one of my bags slipped, and I caught it by the handle. "I'm good." 

"Just-"  

"I said I'm fine." 

"I think she's fine, Rob." Callie tugged on his sleeve. I wasn't sure if she wanted to save me from further embarrassment, or if she wanted to keep him all to herself. Either way, her action had the desired effect. He lowered his arm and took a step back. 

The sack slipped again, and a hand came from behind me and caught it. "Here," a voice said, and I turned to look into Blake's eyes. 

"Blake." I tried not to let my surprise show. If angels walked the earth and masqueraded as men, he was my angel at that moment. I would now heartlessly use him to get out of trouble. "Hi, sweetie," I said. "Did you find the . . . jam?" 

"Jam?" He raised an eyebrow. 

I held my breath and sent him furious telepathic messages. He'd been reading my mind since we met-I hoped he hadn't lost that ability in some freak accident. "The jam you went back in the store to get, which is why I'm out here waiting for you?" 

"Oh, the jam." He nodded slowly. "That jam. You know, it's the oddest thing. They were out of the kind you wanted. But I found a few other things." He held up his own sack. "I'm sorry I kept you waiting. Here, let me take a couple of those bags." He lightened my load, and I turned to Rob and Callie. 

"Let me introduce you," I said. "Rob, Callie, this is Blake." 

"Nice to meet you, Blake," Rob said. 

Blake nodded, shooting a look at me that clearly said, You need help? I nodded. 

"Nice to meet you, Rob. I'd shake your hand, but mine are a bit full. I'm helping Addie make dinner tonight." He took a step closer to me, and I smiled at him. "Those kids get hungry pretty regularly, you know." 

Rob nodded, seeming to appreciate Blake's sage comment. "So, how did you and Addie meet?" 

"She works at the library I manage," Blake said. "I took one look at her and, well, you know Addie. She's irresistible." 

"Yes, yes, she is." Rob kept nodding, reminding me of a bobble head. He had the strangest expression on his face. 

Blake either didn't notice Rob's look, or he was enjoying the fact that he put it there. "So, we'd best get on our way."  

Rob stepped forward and took one of the bags from my arms. "Least I can do is help you carry your groceries," he said. "Where's your car, Addie?" 

"I drove over with Blake," I said, hiding a sigh of relief that I had averted disaster. Blake's smile froze, and I couldn't figure out what I'd done wrong. Then it dawned on me. Blake drove a motorcycle. A motorcycle that could never in a million years transport all these bags. I began to panic. 

"Where are you parked, Blake?" Rob asked. 

"Over here." We started to walk in the direction Blake indicated. My mind was racing furiously. I could pretend to have a panic attack. No good. Rob was in med school, or at least he used to be-I never did hear how that decision-making process had turned out-and he'd probably see right through it. Either that or he'd call the paramedics, and they'd see right through it, not to mention sending me a huge bill. I couldn't process. I couldn't think. It was all over. We were doomed. Maybe I really was having a panic attack. 

"Here we are." Blake stopped next to a gorgeous blue pickup truck. That thing looked fresh off the showroom floor and gleamed even more impressively than Callie's diamond. He set his bags in the back, then took mine. Rob put the one he carried in the back as well, then pushed his hands into his pockets.