Devoured Read Online Free PDF Page B

hair was closer to your color. At least she’s got the money to maintain it. You know how much it drives me crazy when people let their roots get out of control. I did overhear a couple of the older chorus members saying it was probably Ari’s way of keeping Kayla’s memory alive, but I never bought that. I just think something about her is off.”
    “Well, you probably won’t be too psyched to hear she wants to hang out with us this summer. She’s also planning on calling me tonight to find out what you’re singing for the audition.”
    “Oh, God. Don’t get involved with her, Meg, our lives have enough drama.”
    “It might be fun to see how the Mercedes crowd lives, and it’s not like I’ll be able to avoid her at the park.”
    “Whatever, just leave me out of the equation, okay?”
    We turn the corner onto my street and I see Mom’s car in the driveway. “Do you want to come in and see how the new routine went?”
    Nicki shakes her head as she parks in front of my house. “I should practice my song. Tell your new BFF I’m singing ‘Moments in the Woods.’”
    “Ari was surprised to hear you were actually practicing. She said you’re a shoo-in.”
    “Well, that was surprisingly nice of her to say, but with the new director you never know how it’ll go—I don’t want to get cocky.”
    “Hey, I’m bringing Ryan to visit my dad this afternoon.”
    She raises her eyebrows. “Really?”
    “I know we haven’t been going out that long, but Ryan asked about him—something Jason never did the entire six months we were together. Anyway, it’s Fergus’s therapy dog visit today at the nursing home, so I asked Ryan if he wanted to go. I made it sound like it was more about entertaining the residents—something he can get service hours for—and then I casually mentioned he could meet my dad too.” I smile. “He said he’d love to meet him.”
    “That’s cool,” Nicki says. “And God knows those little old ladies will love having Ryan there.”
    “That reminds me. Mr. Archulata keeps asking when you’re coming back.”
    Nicki snorts. “The guy who felt me up? He’s the reason I’m staying away!”
    I laugh. “Well, maybe he was looking for something a little more exciting than dragging his oxygen tank around.”
    She shakes her head. “I’ll come with you next month, but this time you can sit with him and listen to his endless war stories.”
    I open the car door. “It’s a deal! Good luck tomorrow, and thanks for the ride.”
    Nicki waves as she pulls away. I head up the front porch and hear Olivia Newton-John’s “Hopelessly Devoted to You” coming from the open basement window. Poor Fergus. If Mom’s putting him through his paces right after the competition, it means the new routine wasn’t as ready as she’d hoped.
    I grab a dog biscuit from the bowl on the kitchen counter and walk down the basement stairs. Mom’s still in costume, and she’s singing along to the CD. Fergus has his eyes glued to her, watching for hand commands. She turns to the slow beat of the song and twirls her finger in the air.
    “No, spin!” Mom yells as Fergus rolls on his back.
    “Fergie!” I call out. Fergus freezes for a second, and then hops up and runs over to me. I make a fist and he sits. “Say hello.”
    Fergus sneezes and then gives me a deep, gravelly Scooby-Doo “Rello.”
    I toss him the biscuit and turn to see Mom staring at me, hands on her hips, obviously pissed I’ve interrupted them.
    “Didn’t go well?” I ask.
    Mom shakes her head and turns off the CD. “Second place! I shouldn’t have tried something so new for the competition.”
    “Second place is still pretty good.”
    She looks at me like I’ve just said something completely scandalous. “Good? I haven’t had a second place showing in over a year! And the first-place winner came out of nowhere—some balding man with a horrific Brussels griffon dancing to ‘Love Shack,’ of all things. If he’s going to be a