Stocky & Sumptuous

Chapter 2-2

Late Thursday morning, Carrie showed up at the office with multiple bags, and Joel. She handed him off to me before she went in search of Drew. I didn’t think about how long she was gone as I cooed to Joel and told him stories.

“Do you want lunch?” Carrie asked when she came back up front.

“I have lunch. You guys go enjoy yourselves.”

She shook her head. “I brought lunch for everyone. I was only asking if you were hungry. We want you to join us. Plus, if I pay you in food and kisses from Joel, you won’t quit when I take a few extra minutes to give my husband some mid-day lovin’.”

“Ew. And your chances of me not quitting are even better when I don’t have to hear about it.”

Carrie tipped her head back and laughed, her long brown hair trembling. “I’ll try to remember that,” she teased. “Are you ready for lunch? I have to get this little monster down for a nap in an hour and a half.”

I stood with Joel and carried him to the break room behind Carrie. “You really didn’t have to bring me lunch.”

She waved her hand and said, “You know I love to cook. Drew always tells me I cook too much food, but I can’t help it. I just brought in our leftovers from dinner last night. I really did make too much.”

“Well, thank you for feeding me.”

“Any time,” she said with a grin.

“What does this little guy eat?”

“He’s finally starting to eat his veggies. For a while he would just throw them at me, but he’s enjoying them now. We’re having zucchini, squash, and sweet potatoes. I’m going to try some fruits in a few weeks. The last thing he needs is the same sweet tooth I have.”

“I’m guilty of that one, too,” Drew said, joining us and taking Joel from me with a grin. He kissed Joel’s belly and blew a raspberry on his neck, eliciting excited giggles from him. “But I think he’s going to have a sweet tooth no matter what because he’s so sweet.”

“Aw, you’re nauseating,” Carrie joked with him.

“That’s not what you were saying five minutes ago,” he argued with a wink.

I plugged my ears and said, “La la la la la.”

Carrie laughed and pulled my hands away. Then she told Drew, “Vicki threatened to quit if she has to hear about out workplace adventures. She was not happy when I told her about the night we met. She’ll probably never sit on the edge of your desk again.”

Drew flashed Carrie a saucy grin and said, “That’s my favorite spot in the office.”

“Gah!” I yelled. “Child in the room!”

They laughed. “Okay, okay. No more. What’s for lunch, babe?”

“Last night’s dinner,” she told him. “Baked chicken and roasted potatoes and carrots and green beans.”

“Jeez, you really do cook a lot.”

Carrie smiled. “I do. I love it. Help yourself.”

We sat and ate and talked. They caught me up on Joel’s progress on everything from weight to height to milestones. They shared that they were trying for another baby, but feel bad since Addi and Joey haven’t had any luck. I told them about my latest dates and how little luck I was having finding a guy who made me wish for a second date. We heard the door open and assumed it was Xander stopping by before his afternoon meetings, but then we heard his voice.