Chapter 5 A Supermarket Fiasco

The Whole Foods in Columbus Circle was buzzing with its usual Saturday morning crowd of yoga moms and finance bros. Hayley pushed a shopping cart through the produce section, carefully inspecting a head of organic kale. It felt normal. Domestic.

Kieran trailed behind her, a small, contented smile on his face. He picked up a small container of black truffles from a refrigerated display.

Hayley saw the price sticker-$280-and her stomach clenched. She gently took the container from his hand and placed it back on the shelf.

"Our deal doesn't include extravagances, Kieran," she said softly.

He just smiled. The moment she turned to examine avocados, he plucked the truffles from the shelf again and discreetly slipped them into the cart, hiding them under a bag of quinoa.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in. If it isn't the happy couple, slumming it with the common folk."

The voice was sharp and nasal, a sound that made Hayley's teeth ache. She stiffened, then slowly turned around.

Ginger Patton, Brad's younger sister, stood there with her arms crossed, a smug sneer on her face. Brad and Jenna flanked her, looking like a pair of bored, wealthy vultures.

Ginger's eyes raked over Kieran, from his simple leather shoes to his unremarkable jeans. "My god, Hayley. I didn't think you could trade down, but you've really outdone yourself. Where'd you find him, the Salvation Army?"

Kieran didn't react. He calmly picked up a shiny red apple from their cart and began polishing it on his sleeve.

Jenna put a hand to her chest in a gesture of mock concern. "You know, Hayley, the organic produce here is terribly overpriced. There's a discount grocer on Ninth Avenue that might be more... within your budget."

Hayley's hands tightened on the cart's handle, her knuckles turning white. She opened her mouth to retort, but Kieran spoke first.

His voice was mild, almost pleasant. "It's a shame when someone's perfume is so strong it overpowers the natural scent of the food, isn't it?"

Jenna's smile faltered. She unconsciously sniffed the air around her.

Brad scowled. "Watch your mouth."

Seeing her brother slighted, Ginger decided to escalate. With a vicious shove, she rammed her own, nearly empty cart into Hayley's.

The impact sent a carton of eggs flying. They splattered on the pristine floor. Hayley stumbled back, catching herself on a display of olive oil.

Ginger wasn't done. She lunged toward Hayley, her manicured nails outstretched, aiming for her face.

Kieran moved in a blur. He didn't touch Ginger. He simply stepped in front of Hayley.

Ginger, unable to stop her forward momentum, crashed into a towering pyramid of expensive red wine bottles.

The sound was catastrophic. A waterfall of shattering glass and dark red liquid cascaded down the display.

Ginger shrieked as the wine drenched her white designer jumpsuit. She slipped on the slick floor and landed hard in the middle of the expensive, sticky mess.

Brad and Jenna rushed to her side, their faces a mixture of shock and fury.

A store employee named Pat Mills came running over, his eyes wide with horror at the scene. "What happened here?"

"She pushed me!" Ginger shrieked from the floor, pointing a wine-stained finger at Hayley. "That bitch pushed me! She's going to pay for this!"

A crowd of shoppers began to gather, their phones already out, recording.

Hayley's face burned with humiliation and anger. "I didn't touch you!"

Kieran placed a calming hand on her arm. He looked around, his eyes scanning the aisle, and then he looked up. Directly at the small, black dome of a security camera mounted on the ceiling.

He turned to the store manager, his voice perfectly level. "Why don't we check the surveillance footage? I'm sure it will clear everything up."