Page 12 of Always Right Here

Trying to move on, I shifted my new babies in my arms, gripping each pot with all the strength in my fingertips and leaned down. But before I could grab my last pick, it floated up and away, right in front of my eyes.

“Hey!” I shot forward, scrambling to keep the plants secure in my arms. “I was going to-”

I swallowed my words as I spun around and found Korie carefully placing the fiddle leaf on top of a flatbed cart with all of the window-fixing supplies. She reached for the rest of the plants, my arms sighing in thanks as I stood there completely mesmerized by her easy smile. Her presence eased my worries immediately. All the prickles and chills melted away.

“Any others you want to grab? We’ve got room.” She looked way too good with her forearms resting on the cart handle, her chiseled arms on full display in the afternoon light andher hat backwards with a light sheen of sweat over her brow.

“Uh, no. That’s okay.” I shook my head. “We should get going.”

“Aw, come on. You haven’t even looked at the succulents. We have all day.”

Without waiting for my response, she turned the giant cart around and headed for the succulent section. A smile stretched across my face as I followed her, my chest filling with excitement and something else that I couldn’t quite name.

We browsed over the shelves of succulents. I piled at least 10 onto the cart already full of plants.

“What about this one?” Korie held up a tiny pot to her face. “Kinda reminds me of you.”

I stepped forward to get a better look, wrinkling my nose.

“I remind you…of a bear paw?” I couldn’t mask the slight disappointment in my voice.

She scoffed, playfully rolling her eyes as she brought it closer to her face, pointing her finger over the individual, fuzzy leaves.

“It's small, soft and…” Her eyes flashed to me for a split second. “And really cute.”

My whole body floated into the air. I tried desperately for my brain to create words, but all I could do was stare at her, my lips parted in surprise as a million questions ran through my mind.

Cute? Like best friend’s little sister cute or I wanna make out with you cute?

I reached for the first plant I saw, trying to come up with a reply just as cute as hers, but my brain function was nonexistent. Instead, I placed it onto the cart with a small smile.

“Ready to go. I don’t think my little house could fit much more and still have enough room to host guests.”

As Korie nodded, her small smile falling just a bit, my heart sank. I most likely just ruined any chance I had at getting as close to her as I’d like. I followed just behind her, my feet slightly dragging in disappointment as I tried to convince myself I wasn’t the most useless lesbian on the planet.

We reached the checkout line and Korie busied herself looking at the little cooler of sodas while the cashier rang everything up. I tried to keep the dread from my face as the total slowly climbed up and way out of my budget.

“Thirsty?” Korie asked as she placed an energy drink on the checkout stand.

“No,” I sighed silently doing the math in my head on how much this shopping trip would set me back. I might have to cut back on food forthe housewarming party, but I was pretty sure I could swing it.

It felt like a punch in the gut when the cashier read off my total. My fingers ached as I reached into my purse, silently protesting the reckless amount of houseplants I was going to buy. But as I lifted my head to insert my debit card, Korie was already tapping her phone against the keypad.

“Wait! I-”

I tried to stop her, but Korie held her hand up as she shoved her phone back in her pocket and grabbed the receipt.

“It's okay,” she reassured me.

She pushed the cart forward with one hand and rested the other on the small of my back, my skin warming at the returned sensation. She led me out the door and back to the car.

“You really didn’t have to. I’llpay you back.”

“Riah, your parents paid me way too much to guard you. I didn’t want them to pay me at all. I wanted to do this. You are not paying me a dime.”

I squeezed my lips shut with a small nod. As much as my mind rejected it, my body was reacting to her gentle, confident, dominant nature.

“Now, go get in the car and I’ll load all this in the trunk.” She squinted as my lips parted to offer my help. “Right now, Riah.”