A Marriage Between Friends by Melinda Curtis Read Free Book Online Page B

breakfast even if I have to drive into town to buy her kibble.”
    Then at Edda Mae. “No, I am not a pretty boy. I’ve been in my share of fights and served in the war. I’ve got scars. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to have a shower and a shave, but…”
    And here he turned to Jill. “No, I will not be leaving when I’m done eating bacon and eggs. We have issues that need to be discussed—including, but not limited to, the state of our marriage and your objections to my casino.”
    This was it. He was going to end their farcical union right here in front of Edda Mae and Teddy. Jill held her breath.
    But Vince didn’t ask for a divorce. He shook his head and turned away.
    Filling her lungs with air, Jill slouched against the counter, knowing she shouldn’t be so relieved. She needed to pull on her big-girl panties and tell Vince she wanted a divorce, rather than wait until he brought it up.
    Vince spun back around. “And I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t talk about me as if I wasn’t here, especially before I’ve had my first cup of coffee.” Chin up, Vince dared any of them to challenge him.
    Jill knew she should. At the very least she had to make it clear that he wasn’t spending the night on her couch again. Vince had the power to shred the safety net she’d created. He’d already started. But words eluded her.
    “Looney Moony.” Teddy giggled, pleased with his rhyme.

CHAPTER FIVE
    E DDA M AE REMEMBERED she’d left Moonbeam’s kibble in the Shady Oak kitchen when she was filling the shelves last week. Vince offered to go downstairs and retrieve it—being more curious than he wanted to admit about this luxury retreat of Jill’s—but apparently he needed a key and someone who knew the security code. Since Edda Mae was cooking Jill suggested Teddy take him. She didn’t seem to want to be alone with Vince or divulge the code.
    “Why do elephants paint their toenails red?” Teddy asked, skipping down the stairs ahead of Vince.
    “I don’t know,” Vince said absently, still trying to figure out Jill’s state of mind.
    “So they can hide in a strawberry patch.” Teddy swung around the bottom stair, grinning at Vince. “Get it? Their toenails are big and round and red like strawberries.”
    Vince groaned. He’d forgotten how truly bad a young boy’s jokes could be. But he couldn’t resist trying one of his own. After all, telling bad jokes was part of being a kid. “Have you ever seen an elephant’s toenails?”
    Teddy shook his head.
    “Those would be some mammoth strawberries.”
    A small crease appeared between Teddy’s eyebrows.
    With a put-upon sigh, Vince rolled his eyes. “Get it? Mammoth? Elephant?”
    “Oh.” Teddy giggled. “Why do elephants hide in strawberry patches?”
    After considering for a moment, Vince gave up. “I don’t know.”
    Teddy’s lower lip thrust out in disappointment. “Take a guess. Mom hardly ever guesses.”
    If that wasn’t a challenge, Vince didn’t know what was. “Because they eat straw?”
    “No-o. So they can jump out and stomp on people.” Teddy waited for Vince to laugh before he rounded a corner. He stopped in front of an unimposing door, flipped up the lid of a plastic box installed on the wall and keyed in a series of numbers. “Why do elephants stomp on people?”
    “To make people whine…wine?” It was a stretch, but Teddy wanted him to guess.
    “No! That’s why they play squash.” Teddy plodded around, his right arm curling as if it were an elephant’s trunk while he made mmfffttt noises. Then he grinned up at Vince expectantly.
    “Ha, ha. Your friends must think you’re a laugh a minute.”
    Teddy’s smile crumpled. “My skunk jokes are better.”
    “I can’t wait, but—” Vince held up a hand before Teddy could launch into his stinky repertoire “—let’s find the dog food first. I can hear that looney beast complaining from here.”
    Tilting his head, Teddy paused and then chuckled as he searched