Haunting Magic (Ink Book 6) Read Free Page A

hard time accepting she has gained hardly any weight with the appetite she has.
    The girl can pack away the food.
    “How come you guys didn’t want to find out if it is a boy or a girl?”
    She licks her lips and starts on her French fries. “Well, Kidd is all for the unknown. He just wants a healthy baby.”
    “But you’re not.” Karsen has never been one to wait. I can imagine how much she is dying on the inside wondering if the child she is carrying is a boy or a girl.
    She shrugs. “That doesn’t matter when you’re in love my dear. And Kidd’s right. As long as the baby is healthy that’s all that matters.”
    I guess that’s the way we should take on life.
    I take a breath and force myself to forget and I try to focus on the meal I am having with my best friend.
    Her life is going so well, and on the outside so is mine. I have what I want—somewhat. My father can’t help me with home improvement. I don’t have him around anymore to give me words of advice. I miss the days I was angry with him for drinking too much. The little things seem so big now.
    Maybe I am miserable.
    I finish my tea and sigh.
    Karsen doesn’t realizes what’s going on inside my head. Usually we are in tune with one another. But she is so in tune with this baby on the way and her marriage she doesn’t know how I feel anymore.
    I don’t want to burden her with my issues right now, she’s pregnant.
    I will just wait until Slade comes home because when he is around I can handle things a little better.
    Karsen lights up at the sound of her phone beeping. She snags it off the table. “I love his face so much.” She turns the phone showing me a picture Kidd sent her of him practicing before the show.
    I smile, being the best friend. “I’m so happy for you two.”
    We finish our food and drive to the old hardware store so I can get paint.
    Karsen pushes the cart and I go down the first aisle trying to find whatever  I am looking for in this store. I’m just not sure what.
    “I’m having some wicked heartburn,” Karsen tells me, she picks up a can of spray paint. “This is a cute color.”
    “Too bad you don’t know what you’re having.” I move down the aisle. “But either way, you don’t paint a baby room with spray paint.”
    “I have a question for you,” she says, putting the paint back. “Would the baby be considered a witch?”
    I raise an eyebrow, surprised she is bringing this up. “It’s hard to say. It’s not like Kidd has practiced magic his whole life.”
    I round the corner finding acrylic paints and paintbrushes. I figure this will work for what I am looking to do so I toss various shades and brushes into the cart.
    “What if the baby is and I am like the third wheel?”
    “That’s not anything you need to worry about.”
    We head to the register.
    The cashier turns around and looks us over. “Did you find everything okay?”
    I nod, tossing the last of my supplies on the counter. “It seems so.”
    He rings up my things. “You into painting?”
    “Sort of a new hobby I stumbled upon,” I tell him. I notice the display of wine and I find it odd because it’s a hardware store. I pick one up staring at the fancy label. The Life.
    “My parents own a small winery and they make me stock the store. It’s not too bad.” He shrugs and scans my next item.
    “I’m always willing to try something new.” I put two on the counter.
    He nods as if he understands me. He can’t understand me he’s never met me. “Well, I hope the project turns out for you. I’m August.”
    “I’m Hope. And this is Karsen.” I introduce us both and hand over my credit card.
    “I know who you are. This entire town heard about the huge double wedding the two of you threw with your rock star husbands.”
    August swipes my card and hands it back without even looking at it. “Nice to meet you both.”
    My cheeks warm, he is treating us like celebrities and I hardly consider what I am of celebrity status.
    “If