Chapter 1

Jess closed the car door with a soft thud, the sound crisp in the stillness of the late autumn afternoon. The cool air swirled around her, tugging at the loose strands of her hair, and she took a moment to smooth them back into place. Through the window, she watched Benny struggle out of the driver’s seat, his movements heavy and deliberate. His suede coat hung open, framing the curve of his stomach as he stood and adjusted himself, pulling his coat closer around him against the cold, though the two sides were far from meeting. His sweater beneath was stretched taut across his middle, the fabric pulling in all the wrong places to leave no doubt about how much room he now took up. Jess had picked out the outfit herself, insisting it looked “sharp” when she handed it to him that morning. He hadn’t questioned her judgment, he rarely did, but she knew full well he was self-conscious about how tight it felt. That was the point.

A satisfied smile tugged at her lips as Benny shuffled to the back of the car to grab their duffle bag, his large belly leading him wherever he went. He hoisted the bag over his shoulder and turned toward her, his face already tinged pink from the short exertion.

Jess took in the sight of him for a moment longer before turning toward the house. At the beginning of their marriage, this moment would have made her stomach churn with nerves. Benny’s mother had always been a bit of a force, a woman who could voice her sharp and unsolicited opinions with just enough tact or concern to make them seem loving. Her outspoken critiques had always left Jess walking on eggshells. This time, however, was different. Now, Jess felt excited.

Benny was so much bigger now, significantly fatter than last year, to say the least. His body was soft and heavy in ways that she knew no one in his family would be able to ignore. Ever since she had discovered how much Benny loved to stuff himself deep down, it had been her mission to exploit it at every possible moment, some ways more obvious than others. But he never really complained, likely believing she was just entertaining his own desires. His weight gain had only sped up, his body ballooning out even more under her hand. Jess had done that. Every pound he’d put on was a testament to her influence, to the way she had guided him toward excess, capitalizing on every glimmer of enjoyment he felt when he ate too much. Even now, he didn’t truly understand how deeply she was involved in his gain. But Jess did, and Thanksgiving seemed like the perfect opportunity to show him off.

“This is gonna suck,” Benny muttered as he came up beside her, his voice low and laced with dread, breathing heavily. He shifted the bag on his shoulder, his free hand brushing against hers. Jess looked up at him, taking in the flush of his cheeks and the slight sheen of sweat on his brow. He wasn’t even through the door yet, and he already looked overwhelmed.

Jess smiled, slipping her hand under his elbow and giving it a light squeeze as they began the short walk up the driveway. He’d wanted to spend Thanksgiving alone this year, just the two of them. At first, she thought it was because he was afraid of how his family might react to his gain. But at times she liked to believe it was because he wanted the freedom to indulge without restraint, to let his appetite take center stage without judgment on what was both their favorite holiday.

“You’ll be fine,” she said, her tone breezy, reassuring. When they reached the door, Jess rang the bell, her finger pressing firmly into the button. Benny stood beside her, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as they waited. “Just think of all the pie you’ll have.”