“Yeah, that’s a lie. My ass is expanding, thanks to my addiction to my own ice cream. You’d think I would be tired of it since I’ve been making vats of it for the last few weeks.”
“That baby is going to come out mint-flavored.”
“Better than vanilla.” That still sent me to the bathroom to hurl faster than any other flavor in my arsenal. However, there were far too many people who liked vanilla as a base for tons of different flavors so I still had to make it. However, my brother and Kinleigh got to test those.
I fussed with the buckle on my overalls, sliding it back up over my shoulder.
“Here.” Kinleigh stopped me. She fixed the strap, tightened it and twisted it so it wouldn’t fall down. “Girl, you are a mess. What is that under there?” She peeked into the open button along my side.
I slapped her hand away. “It’s one of my shirts.”
She snapped the mixed material. It had a little stretch to it so the shirt wouldn’t be shapeless. I’d ordered them when I still had a figure. “Polyester? Have I taught you nothing?”
“It’s easy to clean.”
She rolled her eyes. “We need to get you some new clothes.”
“Nothing fits. And everything feels weird. Oh, and pregnancy clothes suck.”
She frowned. “Hmm.”
“Hmm?”
She tapped her lip with one lilac-colored nail. “We’ll see.”
“Those cute clothes you have up there are not maternity wear.”
“We’ll see.” She curved her arm around my back to my hip.
I shook my head. I didn’t have it in me to ask what she meant. Besides, when she got that lost look in her eyes, there were measurements and ideas flinging around that I didn’t understand. Same as she didn’t understand my recipes.
We didn’t question it, things just were.
“It’s too hot for you to be out here all day. Promise me you’ll go into Brewed Awakening to cool off.”
“I promise.”
She halted outside Brewed Awakening. “I do have a truck to meet, but I need coffee.”
“Ugh. I hate you.”
“I don’t see why you don’t have a cup of coffee. Plenty of pregnant women don’t follow that rule.”
“Not this one.” My coffee addiction would not be the reason my child had some issue during delivery or during gestation, or a host of other horrifying things I’d read in the baby books.
“Suit yourself.” She smiled at me, then her gaze slid past me to my ice cream truck. “What the hell are you doing here?”
I closed my eyes. “No way.” He’d told me he was going to come back, but I didn’t really believe him. Part of me assumed he’d just disappear and send me checks monthly like a car payment.
She gripped my hand again. “Do you want me to get rid of him?”
“I just want to talk, fairy queen.” His voice slid down my spine like a caress.
I turned. “You don’t get to call me that anymore, Rory.”
He winced as if I’d taken aim at him. Again.
“Right. I’m sorry, Ivy Rose.”