Page 61 of The Jackpot Screwer
“Ugh,” I groaned. “I see you’re still getting plenty.”
“Good morning to you too,” she chimed back, throwing herself onto my bed. “How come you’re so happy today?”
I pointed down at my bump which, while not huge, was not the flat stomach I was used to. “I can’t fit into any of my clothes. These are my fat jeans and the button still won’t fasten.”
“Yeah well,” Ellie muttered. “Your fat jeans are another woman’s skinnies.” She peered at my stomach and then nodded to my dresser. “Hair tie will do it. Loop it around the button through the hole then back around the button.”
I did as she suggested and let out a momentary sigh of relief, before realizing I had no clue what to wear on top. My boobs had gotten huge and nothing would stretch across them bar a few tanks and tees. Reading my mind Ellie pointed to the door.
“Shaw must have a shirt that will fit you. A nice plaid one over the top of your tank. Leave the shirt open. When you’ve done that, I’ll tie the laces on your sneakers for you.”
“I’m not that fat I can’t reach my feet,” I cried, not really sure I could.
“Whatever.” She reached for the magazine on my bed and started to flick through it. “Just hurry up, I need a breakfast burrito.”
“You could have had breakfast at home, you know.” I looked into the mirror to touch up my lip gloss and then fussed with my loose braid, positioning it over my shoulder.
“It’s tradition. Benny’s breakfast burrito, a weak cup of coffee and then straight on to the Ferris wheel. Hey, you going on that this year?”
“I still have five months to go, Ellie. I’m not likely to give birth up there if that’s what you’re worried about.”
She tapped at the screen of her phone and sighed. “I’m not, I just didn’t know if you were allowed to go on it, being pregnant. That’s Hunter.” She flashed me her phone screen. “He and Carter are at the field now, so hurry up.”
Rolling my eyes, I padded back to my closet and pulled out a red and navy plaid shirt, giving it a sneaky little sniff before pulling it on and rolling up the sleeves.
“So, you already had something to wear?” Ellie said as I snatched up my keys from my dresser.
I shook my head. “Nope. You gave me the idea and I just happen to have this in my closet.”
“Hmm,” she replied, eying me as she got up from my bed. “Looks expensive. Shaw must be making good money bussing tables at that fancy restaurant he works weekends.”
I didn’t reply but led her from my room. She didn’t need to know it was Carter’s and that it made me feel like I was in his arms; she’d only give me shit about it.
* * *
As we walked through the gates into the field, my joy was complete when the first person we bumped into was Talia Pitt. She was wearing the skimpiest summer dress and the most ridiculously high wedge heels for walking around a dry and rutted field.
“Shit, is she allowed out during sunlight?” Ellie hissed from the corner of her mouth. “Hey, Talia, great to see you.”
“I thought she was your friend?” I asked as Queen Bitch walked toward us, waving at Ellie.
“She was but Hunter told me they made out once when we were seventeen. It was a game of spin the bottle at Fiddler’s field after the fayre. He said she was a grade one clinger. Talia, honey, how’re you doing?”
“Ellie. Great to see you. I hear you finally snagged that cowboy every girl in town wants.”
Flicking her hair over her shoulder, Ellie tinkled out a laugh. “I sure did. He’s just.” She sighed and clutched her shirt over her heart. “Wonderful.”
Talia shivered and stretched her neck, obviously mortified at the thought of my friend boning Hunter. “Lovely,” she ground out and then turned to me. “And my haven’t you…” She looked down at my stomach and circled her finger in the air. “Blossomed. Quite the lump you have there.”
“Yes,” I replied through a gritted smile. “My bump is coming along nicely. Carter and I are so excited.”
“Really,” she exclaimed looking over her shoulder. “He didn’t mention it when I was just visiting with him, over at Benny’s stall.”
Ellie and I looked at each other and then turned to stare across the field to where there was already a line at Benny’s. Hunter and Carter were standing to one side talking to a group of four girls. I recognized one as Mindy Parkinson, an ex-hook up of Carter’s and when he leaned in to say something close to her ear, I felt the already irrational hormones invading my body, turn a fiery red.
“We should get over there,” Ellie replied, grabbing hold of my hand and tugging me. “The boys will be getting hungry.”
Not bothering to say goodbye to Talia I chased after my best friend. We’d almost reached them when Austen came running up to us.
