Read Choked (Devoured #3) for Free Online Page B

might as well tell
you so you don’t have to hear it from him, okay? Madeline is going to leave
your dad when she finds out about this. That’s about the only thing I’m sure of
right now. Fortunately, that’s enough for me, because he’ll be all alone and
missing his wife and baby and then –voila- the understudies appear.”
    Julianna slipped the parcel in her bag at the end of
the bed.
    “And your father, if I know him like I think I know
him, will do the only logical thing he can do. Love us instead and forget about
them.”
    She lifted her bag on the bed and rooted around
until she found her keys. Then she slipped her shoes on and her bag over her
shoulder and left to run her errand.

Kirk
     
     
    Kirk scooped a second helping of mashed potatoes
from the stove top onto his plate and looked over his shoulder.
    “Sure you don’t want anymore?” he asked.
    Madeline laid her silverware across her plate. “I’m
sure, honey, thanks.”
    “Are you sure you’re eating enough?” He took his
seat again at the head of the table. “You’re supposed to be eating for two,
remember?”
    Madeline rolled her eyes. “As if I could forget.”
    “Seriously, though.”
    “Kirk, don’t worry about it.” Madeline rested her
elbows on the table. “No one cares more about this baby than I do. I would do
anything to make sure it’s healthy.”
    “Oh I see what you’re doing now,” Kirk said. “You’re
just saving room for ice cream.”
    Madeline smirked. “I might force myself, yes.”
    Kirk nodded.
    “But I’m really only supposed to be eating a few
hundred extra calories a day. That’s nothing.” Madeline’s hands swiveled gracefully
on her small wrists as she talked. “You could inhale that on accident.”
    “I thought it would be more.”
    “Me too, but that explains why so many women go
overboard and then can’t lose their baby weight. Cause it’s not baby weight;
it’s just a bunch of weight they put on when they happened to be pregnant.”
    “Good to know.”
    “Oh shush. You started it.” She leaned back in her
seat. “And you know you wouldn’t love me anymore if I got all big and fat.”
    Like your mom God forbid, Kirk thought. “Of course I would! There would be more of you to love!” He
reached over and pinched her lightly on the arm.
    “You’d like that, would you? If I couldn’t get my
cheerleading uniform over my thighs anymore?”
    “I’m glad you mentioned that. It has been too long
since you put that on.”
    “I’ll put it on when you put on your wrestling
uniform.”
    Kirk shook his head with his mouth full. “Not the
same.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because the wrestling uniform is just a little too
sexy.”
    “You mean now that you fill it out so well?”
Madeline brushed her blond hair with her fingers.
    “All I’m saying is that I don’t think it leaves much
to the imagination.”
    “And my cheerleading uniform does?”
    “Oh yeah.”
    Madeline’s cheeks went rosy.
    Kirk’s legs were full of energy just from thinking
about her in the uniform, and he wanted to stomp his feet under the table, but
instead he took a deep breath. “How was work? Are things picking up at the shop
at all?”
    “Not much. My mom’s convinced it’s the recession.
She said people used to be more embarrassed about their old stuff and tried
harder to keep up with the neighbors.”
    “Then who bought the second hand stuff?”
    Madeline shrugged. “I don’t know. Students. People
like us, I guess. Young families trying to save money for diapers.” She
squeezed Kirk’s hand where it lay on the table. “Anyway, now people have
started using stuff to within an inch of its life and by the time they bring it
to us it’s practically unusable.”
    “Are your folks making ends meet okay?”
    Madeline tilted her head at him. “You worried
they’ll have to move in with us?”
    “I never worry about that.”
    Madeline rolled her eyes and stood up. She walked
over and spoke into the fridge.