Read Online Chosen by Denise Grover Swank - Free Book Online Page A

liked Will, saw him as a father figure. God forbid. Whatever the reason, she knew she needed to respect his feelings.
    “I’m sorry, baby. I’ll try, okay?”
    Jake nodded his head but worry still etched his face. Emma stroked his soft cheek with her fingers. Why did he look worried? “What’s wrong, Jake? Do you see the Bad Men?”
    His tear-filled eyes held hers and he slowly shook his head no.
    Emma caressed his cheek one last time and turned around, the gnawing feeling in her gut returning with a vengeance. Something wasn’t right.
     

    Will wasn’t sure what to make of Emma and Jake’s exchange. Jake was obviously a sensitive kid. Against his better judgment, he was starting to like him, freak show and all. He’d make a better effort not to antagonize Emma, even if she made it hard to resist. He passed a road sign stating that Wichita was seventy-five miles ahead.
    “We should hit Wichita around rush hour time. We can stop for dinner right outside the city limits and try to miss some of the traffic.”
    “Sure.” Emma answered, looking out the window. She had clutched her stomach since Jake’s meltdown.
    “There’s a rest stop just up ahead. Why don’t we stop for a few minutes? Jake, you have to go to the bathroom?” Will called over his shoulder.
    “Yes.”
    Will glanced at Emma again. She bit her lower lip, lost in thought. “You okay?” he asked, softly.
    His tone must have surprised her. “Yeah, I’ll be fine,” she said, but the uncertainty in her eyes was clear. Will liked the feisty Emma better. While a feisty Emma was definitely more fun, it was also easier to dismiss. Something was wrong.
    He pulled off into a rest stop. A large building with restrooms on either side stood centered on the edge of the parking area. Vending machines lined the building and concrete picnic tables were scattered off the side. The parking lot held only a few cars this late in the afternoon. He pulled into a space in the middle of the lot, separated from the other cars. Emma got out, grabbing her purse. She held it close to her body as she helped Jake out of the backseat.
    “Afraid someone’s going to snatch your purse?”
    Emma’s expression was as puzzled as it was guilty. “No, don’t be an idiot.”
    Will got out of the truck and walked to the front, waiting for Emma and Jake. She was up to something. As he tried to decide how to handle the problem, Jake ran up and slipped his hand into Will’s. Will jerked in surprise, but Jake held on tight.
    “I want to go to the bathroom with Will.” Jake told Emma in a tone that left no room for rebuttal.
    “Jake, I don’t think it’s a good idea right now. Just come with me and you can go with Will next time.” Her usual anger was gone, replaced with an anxious tone.
    Will tensed.”Is everything okay?” He did a quick scan of the parking lot, but saw nothing unusual.
    “Something doesn’t feel right.” She clutched her stomach again while maintaining her death grip on her purse. “Jake, are you sure you don’t see the Bad Men?”
    Jake tightened his grip on Will’s hand. “No, Mommy. Everything is fine.”
    Will had a sinking feeling that Jake wasn’t being truthful. Looking around again, he put a hand on the small of Emma’s back and gently pushed her toward the restrooms. “Let’s just hurry up with our business and get out of here.” He checked over his shoulder as they walked across the parking lot. Both of them were acting weird, and if he didn’t have to pee so bad he’d skip the stop altogether.
    Jake’s hand still had a death grip on his when they got to the building. Emma reached out to Jake. “Come with me, Jake.”
    “I’m going with Will.”
    “Jake, please, we don’t have time for this,” she pleaded.
    Will saw fear in her eyes. “Emma, what’s going on?”
    “I don’t know. I just have this awful feeling that they’re following us. I’ve had it all afternoon, but Jake says he doesn’t see them and I don’t see