Beautifully Broken by Shayne Donovan

have.” She requested and I nearly gagged at how pink Mason’s cheeks turned. “Mason. I’ll just catch you later.” I said waving my hand at him. He looked up, his eyes wide and confused. “Nothing for you tonight?” He questioned and I stilled biting my bottom lip. “No. Nothing. I’m finished with this stuff.” He nodded, his mouth hanging open just the slightest bit as I made my way out of the store. I needed to get away from temptation. Although leaving the store took me away from one temptation and thrust me right into the arms of another.
     
    Chapter Seven
                  I stared at the drain for over five minutes, still smelling the strong alcoholic odor and wondering if this was the right thing. I knew it was but was I strong enough not to walk back down the road to the store, beg Mason and just buy four more bottles. As I stood pondering my front door opened and Cole came in with his arms loaded with paper bags. “What the hell?” I asked surprised as he struggled to peek over the bags. I rushed over and took a few from his arms, not even bothering to argue that he just walked in. I’ve come to learn by living here it is customary for people to just walk into your home and there is no sense in fighting over it. “I didn’t know what you wanted for dinner and earlier I noticed that you didn’t really have anything other than whiskey, vodka, tequila and jack so…” He noticed the four empty bottles and his eyes turned to me, “Oh that, yeah…I poured them down the drain.” I said quietly as I avoided his gaze and began rummaging through the bags. He had bought everything you could think of, fruits, vegetables, cheeses, breads, meats and other foods and juices. “I didn’t know what you liked so I just grabbed a little bit of everything.” I looked up and studied him. Just when you thought you had him figured out he does something like this and turns everything topsy turvey. “Thank you. I can pay you back.” Before I could reach for my wallet he stopped me. “No. I don’t want you too. Consider this an apology for this morning.” I looked down not able to meet his gaze as I nodded. “Look Marley, I know you are running from your past. I know you have your secrets. I have some too and I should have been more understanding. I don’t like when people push for mine and I pushed for yours. I’m sorry.” I tried to smile and nodded. “Okay, thank you.” He bumped his shoulder against mine and reached for a bag. “So why don’t you have any food in your house? Do you eat out every night?” I felt the blush on my cheeks as I bit my lip, “I can’t cook.” I whispered. His eyes just about bulged out of his head. “What?! Seriously?” I laughed and nodded as I pulled out some cheese and eggs and stuffed them in the fridge. “I can’t even boil water without burning it. My mother wasn’t exactly Susie homemaker. She would usually bring home food from the place she worked and if there was enough for me after her and my father ate then I would eat. I usually smuggled food out of the school cafeteria and hid it under my bed for the nights that there wasn’t enough.” I froze suddenly aware that I had just opened up. I tried to contain the fear but the shaking of my hands gave it away. I waited for a moment wondering how he would respond, I never told anyone this much. I couldn’t move as I stayed perfectly still with my head still in a paper grocery bag and my other hand firmly on the countertop. “Well then, I’m just going to have to teach you aren’t I?” The relief I felt was immediate and I turned, giving Cole a thankful smile. He just winked and shot me those dagum dimples again.
                  We finished putting away the groceries and were standing at the counter with a plate of raw chicken, a plate of an assortment of veggies and bottles of seasoning spread out before us. “Okay, you ready?” he asked with a teasing smile. I eyed him