“I’m showing you how to lighten up. Now, get your ass in the cart.”

He stared at her trying to comprehend what she was saying.

“I’m not—”

“The store is empty. No one will see their city manager acting a fool. You can’t be worried about my opinion of you because I already think you’re a stuffed shirt with an attitude problem. And, I double dog dare you.”

Feeling like an idiot, Noah swung a leg into the cart. “Is this even going to hold me?” he muttered.

“Quit stalling.” Cat shoved the cookies and chips out of his way and crossed her arms over her chest.

He clamored the rest of the way in and sat, his knees hiked up to his chin. “Yay. This is so much fun I can barely contain myself,” he grumbled.

She grinned. “You look ridiculous.”

“I know I look ridiculous. I fail to see how this is teaching me anything valuable about lightening up.”

“Hang on to your frowny face,” Cat announced. She grabbed the cart handle and pushed off into a dead run.

Noah gripped the sides of the cart as they careened down the aisle. “Wheeeeeeee!” Cat hopped onto the bar that was meant to hold twelve-packs of soda and sent them sailing. The cart, its wheels squealing in protest under its load, lumbered to the side heading for an end cap display of salsas.

Noah was a split second away from jumping from the cart to save himself when Cat hopped off the back and dragged them to a stop. The front of the cart halted two inches from salsa destruction.

“You’re insane,” Noah growled.

“I had fun once. It was awful,” Cat mimicked.

“Can I get out now?”

“Nope! On to the beer and ice cream.” Cat took off at a jog again and Noah crashed back against the cart basket.

He felt her hop on behind him, heard her laugh as the cart wobbled its way across the back of the store. Noah twisted around to see her. She had her hands planted on the handle and was leaning forward, enjoying the apparent wind in her face. Cat made acting like an idiot look like a lot of fun.

She slowed them to a dignified crawl when the cooler section came into view.

“How come you can act like this without embarrassment, yet when someone congratulates you on your school, you look like you want the ground under you to open up?” Noah asked as they perused the ice cream selection.