Page 24 of Completely Captivated
“Afraid so, big brother.I’m on my way home.I’ve been at The Sweet Spot with Christa—”
Jared interrupted her before she could finish.“And?Did you find out anything?”She suddenly had his full attention.
“I did, Jared.She’s seeing this guy, Aaron, and he came in while I was there.They are crazy about each other.I saw them together.I think…I think you need to stay out of it, Jared.She’shappy,” Jen emphasized.
“Well…” He paused.“There’s no reason we can’t still be friends.Right?”Jared asked.
“Jared.”The warning in her tone was unmistakable.
“We’ve always been friends, Jen.We’re still friends now,” Jared rationalized.
He knew it was a stretch, but he wasn’t giving up on Christa completely.Staying in her life meant being there when the chips fell, helping pick them back up, and being the one she could depend on.He’d let her down too much while he was away at school, and he had too much to make up for to turn away now.
Another week passedby before Jared made his way back to The Sweet Spot and back to Christa.His new job was the definition of the tenth level of hell, and demanding didn’t begin to describe his caseload.He’d expected somewhat of a shitty caseload when he first started—that was just how it worked out for the new guy on the block.Starting out already late on several cases had severely hampered his plans to spend more time with Christa.That day, he left work on time and drove straight to see her.
Walking into the café in the late evening, Jared knew it wasn’t going to be the reunion he planned to have.His feet stopped in mid-stride when he saw her sitting in another man’s lap, leaning in close to him and sharing an intimate joke.Christa looked up when she heard the bell.
“Jared!”she exclaimed, but Jared noticed she didn’t move from the man’s embrace.“Come on in.I want you to meet someone.”
She sounded so happy and sincere, Jared didn’t have the heart to tell her he had no interest in meeting the man who was trying to take her away from him.Except, she wasn’t his.He’d left her behind more than seven years ago, and he had no claim to her then or now.His head knew that.His heart and his ego argued the point, though.
Jared crossed the café to join Aaron and Christa.As he watched them together, he felt like a third wheel, completely unwanted and out of place in their intimate setting.
“Jared, this is Aaron Rivers.Aaron, this is Jared Miller, Jen’s brother.Jared and his family were like my own family growing up.He’s practically my brother.”Christa finished the introductions with a beaming smile that tore Jared’s heart out.
A brother.
Aaron and Jared shook hands, each man silently sizing the other up, identifying the potential threat the other posed.Jared saw a flash of recognition in Aaron’s eyes, like he’d seen Jared before, but he quickly dismissed it.Knowing they’d never crossed paths, Jared thought no more of it and moved on to bigger issues.Like how to get Aaron out of Christa’s life.
“Good to meet you, man,” Aaron said with a smile, shaking Jared’s hand but still holding Christa with the other arm.
“Likewise,” Jared responded.
“Can I get you anything, Jared?Coffee?Sandwich?”Christa asked, ever the hospitable host.
“I don’t want to interrupt you two.I just wanted to stop by and see you.It’s been a long time.”Jared spoke directly to Christa, never moving his eyes to include Aaron in the conversation.
“It’s no problem.It’ll only take me a minute.Have a seat here with Aaron, and I’ll be right back.”Christa rose from Aaron’s lap and extended her hand to the other seat at the table.
She left the two men alone while she played hostess.Aaron and Jared sat in uncomfortable silence for a few moments before Aaron spoke.
“So, I met your sister, Jen.She’s very protective of Christa.”
“Yes, we all are, actually,” Jared replied, his threat lying just under the surface of his words.“My parents love Christa—my mom, especially.They’ve been close for a long time.”
“Yeah, Christa told me you two were friends, but you’ve been away at college for, what was it, a little over seven years, right?She said she didn’t see you much during that time.”Aaron indirectly challenged him in return.
The tightening of Jared’s jaw muscle was obvious, and Aaron knew he’d hit a nerve.Aaron kept his face neutral so as not to give away his satisfaction at putting Jared in his place.
Christa arrived with Jared’s dinner just in time to avoid a confrontation.Jared had to force it down, though, as he watched Christa take her seat back in Aaron’s lap.Her arm was around his neck, and both of Aaron’s arms were wrapped around her waist, claiming her as his own.Jared noted that Christa looked genuinely happy, just like Jen had described.He wasn’t happy about it, but he decided, for Christa’s sake, he wouldn’t cause any trouble between them.
When he finished eating and talking with Christa and Aaron, Jared got up to leave, and Christa walked him to the door.Aaron kept his seat but also kept a watchful eye on them—mainly on Jared.He hugged Christa and thanked her for the dinner.
“Don’t be a stranger, Jared.It’s good to have you home,” she said sincerely.
“You seem happier, Christa,” Jared replied, inclining his head toward Aaron.“Does he have anything to do with that?”
“He does, Jared.He’s been really good to me.We haven’t been seeing each other long, but it just feels…right,” she explained.The words crushed him inside, but outwardly, he somehow maintained his smile, for her sake.
