Chapter 1: Introduction
The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as I pushed my shopping cart through the aisles of Gelson's. The place was packed with the usual weekend crowd, a mix of health-conscious yuppies and harried families. I was on autopilot, grabbing items from my list without really seeing them. The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the air, making my stomach rumble.
I rounded the corner and nearly collided with a towering figure. I looked up to see a pair of familiar blue eyes framed by dark hair. The smirk on his face was just as familiar.
The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as I pushed my shopping cart through the aisles of Gelson's. The place was packed with the usual weekend crowd, a mix of health-conscious yuppies and harried families. I was on autopilot, grabbing items from my list without really seeing them. The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the air, making my stomach rumble.
I rounded the corner and nearly collided with a towering figure. I looked up to see a pair of familiar blue eyes framed by dark hair. The smirk on his face was just as familiar.
"Alli, right?" he asked, his voice a deep rumble. "Still hiding behind those oversized sunglasses?"
I adjusted my glasses self-consciously. "Billy, what are you doing here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. The last time I'd seen him was at our college graduation, five years ago. He'd been the star of the pre-med program, while I'd been the quiet girl in the back of lectures, scribbling notes.
He grinned, leaning against the cart as if he had all the time in the world.
"Shopping for dinner. You?"
I gestured to my cart, filled with enough food to feed a small army. "I like to cook."
"Always the prepared one," he said, his gaze flicking over me. "You look good, Alli. LA agrees with you."
I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks. "Thanks." I tugged at the hem of my shirt, suddenly aware of my small frame. "What are you doing in LA anyway? Last I heard, you were off to New York."
"Change of plans," he said, not offering more. "I'm at UCLA now.
Finishing up my residency." He shrugged, a casual move that sent his broad shoulders rolling. "You?"
"Just over at Cedars. Pediatrics," I smiled, proud of my own accomplishments.
"Pediatrics, huh? You always did have a soft spot for kids."
"And you always did have a knack for stating the obvious," I shot back, a smirk playing at the corners of my mouth.
He chuckled, a deep sound that seemed to echo around us. "Guess some things never change."
We stood there in the middle of the aisle, our carts blocking the way for other shoppers.
I could feel the tension between us, a palpable force that was both uncomfortable and exhilarating.
"You still cook?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"Of course.
"Nah, I burn water," he quipped, flashing me that cocky grin. "I'm more of a takeout kind of guy."
I raised an eyebrow. "Not very healthy, is it?"
"Neither is standing here talking when there are people waiting," he said, gesturing to the line of carts forming behind us.
I bit back a smile, stepping aside to let a harried-looking mom with two kids pass.