Chapter 21

Xander

As I waited for Cami in front of the store, I pondered our situation. I expected Cami to avoid me after our kiss. It was hard to think of it as a mistake, even though it probably was. I’d made her uncomfortable. At the same time, I hadn’t missed her reaction. I wasn’t clueless enough to think it meant she’d suddenly change her mind about dating me. Cami was still determined to avoid dating.

“Are you ready to shop?” she asked as she approached me with a bright smile.

Seeing her smile, I breathed a sigh of relief. “Sure am.” When she was beside me, I hugged her and leaned in to ask, “Am I still supposed to play the part of your boyfriend?”

Pulling back slightly, she opened her mouth to respond but closed it again.

“We should have had this talk before,” I said with a sigh.

Cami laced her fingers through mine and smiled. “Yes, we should have. For now, let’s shop. After that, we can go back to your place for waffles.”

“That sounds perfect,” I agreed.

We made our way into the store, and I tried to focus on all her instructions about what we needed, but it wasn’t easy. My mind was on her answer to my question. Since she’d held my hand as we walked into the store, I assumed we were still pretending to be a couple, but I wasn’t sure if that would continue.

“Are you listening to me?” Cami asked.

I shook my head and flashed her a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I let my mind wander. I thought we were only here for a few things. We’ve picked up a lot of stuff so far.”

She shrugged. “You said you want to learn to cook more than just waffles, so we should look at some other stuff. Every kitchen needs a mixer.”

“Why don’t I get one of these to mix up my waffles?” I asked as I looked at the row of mixers. It seemed easier than using a whisk.

“No, you need to use a whisk for waffles, but you might want to make cookies,” she pointed out.

“Are you going to teach me how to make cookies, too?”

“I could,” she agreed.

“Would you make cookies for me?” I asked.

She flashed me a teasing grin. “Do you deserve cookies?”

Leaning in closer, I dropped my voice. “What do I need to do to earn some cookies?”

Cami sucked in a sharp breath, but before she could respond, we were interrupted.

“Excuse me.”

I turned to find two guys, likely in their late teens, standing behind me.

When I flashed them a bright smile, one of them asked, “Can we get your autograph?”

“We’re huge Reckless Release fans,” the other added.

“Sure,” I replied. “What would you like me to sign?”

A few other customers approached us. Cami didn’t once roll her eyes or complain. She was amazing.

“Can we get a picture with you and your girlfriend?” a guy asked.

“Absolutely.” The word was out of my mouth before it occurred to me that Cami might not like the idea.

When I looked over at her, she smiled and moved to my side. I slipped an arm around her shoulders, and one of hers went around my waist.

“Are you getting ready to move into a new place together?” the guy taking the picture with us asked. “Is that why you’re shopping?”

“I’m helping Xander get a few things he’s missing at his place,” Cami replied.

“We just started dating,” I added. “Give me some time to convince her to move in with me.”

Several minutes later, we were back to shopping.

“I don’t need cutting boards to make waffles,” I insisted when we got to that section.

“True, but we already agreed that waffles would be your gateway recipe.”

Her response made me laugh. “So, you think I’ll start with waffles, and before long I’ll be making eggs benedict?”

“It’s possible,” she replied.

“I don’t need a cutting board for eggs benedict,” I argued.

“What about vegetables?” she asked.

“I get the ones that are already cut up,” I told her.

“Not all vegetables come that way,” she pointed out.

I shrugged. “The important ones do, but I’ll trust you on the cutting board.”

“Are you okay with me grabbing this much stuff?”

I almost laughed in response. “You’re just now asking me that question? The cart’s almost full.”

“Sorry.” She sounded more amused than apologetic. “I got a little carried away.”

I gestured to the cart. “All of this stuff is why people think we’re moving in together. We should probably check out now, unless you think I need anything else.” I’d been patient, but it was time for our talk.

“After this, we can pick up groceries,” she said with a bright smile.

“Let’s drop everything off at my place first,” I suggested.

“It’s getting late,” she argued. “There should be room for the groceries as long as we don’t buy too much.”

“Fine,” I reluctantly agreed. It seemed I’d have to wait a little longer to get Cami alone.