Completely Captivated by A.D. Justice

Author:A.D. Justice [Justice, A.D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

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“You’ve barely left your apartment for the past week. Come to Mom and Dad’s with me tonight. The whole family will be there, Mom’s cooking, then we’ll watch a movie or something. You know Jessie and Josh will have you rolling in no time.” Jen tried patiently to coax Christa out of her bed. Allie had called Jen, concerned when Christa didn’t show up for work again.

“Jen, normally, I love your family. But the last thing I want is to be around a bunch of people. That’s why I haven’t been to the café—I can’t even think about pretending to like anyone right now. Especially happy people.”

“And maybe part of you wants to wait here to see if he comes back for you?”

Tears slid down her cheeks as Jen’s question hit its mark. “Maybe. But maybe I just want to lie here and die, alone and peacefully.”

“You know I can’t allow that. Don’t make me call in backup to get you out of the bed. Jared can be here in an instant if I need him.”

Christa groaned and threw her forearm over her eyes. “You know, I don’t even care if he sees me looking like an old hag. I’d tell him the same thing. I just want to be left alone.”

“I can understand that, but your solitude is reaching unhealthy levels. How long has it been since you showered? Because you stink. Bad.”

Despite her best efforts to refrain, Christa started to laugh along with Jen. “I hate you.”

“You love me, and you know it. Now get up, shower, and let’s go to my parents’ house for an evening of good, old-fashioned Miller torture tactics.”

“Fine. I’ll go with you for a little while. But I’m only agreeing because I know you’ll bring them all over here if I don’t.”

“That was going to be a surprise.”

“You’re the worst friend ever.” Christa tried to hide a small smile as she swung her legs over the side of the bed.

“And shave your legs. You just shredded your one-thousand-thread-count sheets with those barbs.” Jen heard Christa laugh out loud after she closed the bathroom door.

Christa smelled the aroma of the food cooking the moment she stepped inside Patti and Ethan’s house. She’d barely eaten in days and had passed the point of hunger pangs, and instead, fought the waves of nausea that made her stomach roil.

Ethan approached her first and hugged her, the same as always. “How’s my favorite daughter?”

“Thanks a lot, Dad,” Jen feigned offense.

“Uh-oh. I forgot you were here.” Ethan grabbed Jen and pulled her into his empty arm. “How’s my other favorite daughter?”

“Sure, now you remember me. Is dinner ready yet, Mom?” Jen smiled at her dad as she called out to Patti.

“Almost. You girls come set the table. The boys are on the deck making homemade ice cream.”

Jen and Christa joined Patti in the kitchen. “It takes all three of them to make ice cream?”

“We heard that.” Jared stood at the sliding glass door, the wicked smile across his handsome face silently threatening his little sister.

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