“I didn’t realize you were a nutritionist on the side.”
“Do you know how to cook. I mean, besides making a salad?”
“Of course.” I cross my arms, trying not to be offended by something he couldn’t possibly know. Especially since cooking hasn’t been a priority ever since I’ve been cooking for one.
“I wasn’t sure if you were just living off Dot’s pastries.”
I purse my lips. “Are you judging my sweet tooth?”
“No. Definitely not.” He hands me the bag, and I shift and slide the straps over my arm. “Thank you for the uncooked meal.”
“Will you promise to cook everything and eat it tonight?”
“I was planning on having a PB and J.”
His mouth is still pressed into a tight line. His eyes are searing into mine, like we’re talking about nuclear war, and my hand’s on the big, red, go button. “Please.”
“Everything?”I peek in the bag.
“You’ll have leftovers for tomorrow.”
“If you’re concerned I’m starving myself, I’m not. I’m this size because of my genetics. And because I danced professionally for years.”
“You danced… professionally?” His eyes shift to his cowboy boots, and he squints hard at them.
“Yes.” I leave it at that because it’s more information than I wanted to give him. Sure, he probably thinks I’m a stripper, by the way his eyes shot to his boots, but I’m okay with that.
“Promise you’ll cook it up and eat some.”
“I solemnly swear.”
He nods, his eyes on his boots as he walks toward his pickup.
When I open my eyes, a thin ray of morning sun is casting its light on Monster’s goopy nose, which is less than two inches from mine. His tail thumps hard on the bed when he realizes I’m awake.
“Good morning, bright eyes,” I mumble. “I’m getting up. But come here and snuggle a bit.” I pat the bed, and he jumps up and plops down next to me. I wrap my arms around his big, furry body.
“I’d take you to town with me this morning if I could. But it’s a long walk for you, and my guess is you can’t ride a bike. And you can’t fit in the basket.”
He rests his chin on my stomach and looks at me soulfully.
“I guess I could see if we can afford an old, used, halfway-broken-down golf cart.” I rub his soft ears. “What do you think?”
I slide out of bed, and Monster follows me to the kitchen. I count my cash, stashed away in the kitchen drawer, under the dishcloths. I peel enough money from the stack for pastries, a coffee, a shirt from the secondhand store, and some groceries.
“Look for that secret compartment while I’m gone,” I tell Monster. “I can stash my cash in it.” I scoop some food out and put his bowl down. He scoots it toward me with his nose. “I’ll pass. You eat it. I’ve got to try out my new wheels.” I lean down and give him a kiss on his goopy nose, then return to thebedroom and throw on my biking shorts and T-shirt. Before I go, I water the plants in the room then scoot them out of the way, in case Danni and Ned bring the porch furniture today while I’m gone.
“You can’t scare Danni and Ned if they visit,” I tell Monster. “They might stop by. Do you promise not to be a ferocious beast?”
Seventh Heaven is empty when I arrive. I sneak over to the maternity section and peek at what they have until a woman pushes a cart of hanging shirts down the aisle toward me. I quickly shift over to a clothes corral with women’s T-shirts.
“I just got some new sundresses in your size,” she calls out, nodding to another rack. “That cornflower blue sleeveless with the V-neck and short hemline would show off your gorgeous legs. I know you bike everywhere, but maybe someone might take you somewhere in their pickup truck.”
I wrap my arms around my chest, wanting to sink into the floor. “Are you talking about John Fox?”
“Could be.” She joins me, pulling the cornflower blue sundress off the rack and hanging it in front of me. “It’s also not tight in the midsection,” she says, her voice low, even though no one else is in the store. “I know your business is your business. But I saw you looking at maternity clothes, and that sundress might get you through another couple months.”
I press my fingers into my eyes.
