Page 35 of Freak Show

CHAPTER 7

I’m blunt because God rolled me that way.

-Ari to Slone

SLONE

“Do you work out?” I asked.

She snorted. “Does this body look like it works out?”

She actually looked like she was blessed with the genetic lottery, and likely never had to lift a finger in her life.

She was cute.

I liked her a lot.

She was delightfully grumpy, but also one of those girls that was still rather interesting to be around.

“I’m not commenting on that,” I chuckled. “With Briley growing up and turning into someone that’s resembling a little woman these days, I’ve learned to be very careful with my words.”

She snickered as she said, “I don’t work out. No. I guess you could call being on your feet all day every day for five days straight as a workout, though. If you count that, then yes, I do work out. If you don’t, then no.”

I repositioned my ass in the seat.

That was one problem with being as big as I was.

I didn’t fit in a normal airlines seat.

Even these bigger ones in our private jet were still rather snug.

Poor Ari was having to lean slightly away from me to avoid touching me. Though she’d stopped doing that about thirty minutes ago. Now our arms were touching, and I liked the touch.

A little too much.

“Dad!”

I turned to find Briley in her seat, turned slightly toward me.

“What?” I asked.

“My tutor wants me to write about a few things,” she said.

I raised a brow at her. “What are those things?”

“Well, I was hoping you’d read the text out to me, then I’d write the answer down,” she said.

I pulled up the text thread between Briley, her private teacher, and myself.

In the thread was a list of writing prompts.

I read the first one aloud to her.

“You’re supposed to write about five things that you like. What about—what’s your favorite animal?” I asked.

She scrunched up her nose and then blurted, “For eating?”

I closed my eyes as a bubble of laughter started to form in my stomach.

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