Page 54 of Double Obsession

Marie chuckled. “You eat too, Jenna. I hear someone in this family loves scalloped potatoes.”

Potatoes covered in butter and cheese were her favorite, so Jenna enjoyed a humongous bite asshe studiedher oldest daughter.

Hopefully waking up in a pool of her own vomit twelve hours after drinking rum punch with the college kid working at the pizza shop had taught Kylie a lesson. She’d promised her parents she would never drink again.

Ethan pointed at Kylie. “What’s in your hair?”

Her brow furrowed and she patted her head. “I don’t know. What is it?”

“Ew. Gross. You have barf in your hair,” announced Ethan.

“Nah, uh.” Kylie fled the table to stare at her reflection in the oven. She fingered the crunchy strands. “Oh, my god!” She faced her gawking family. “Mom, I’ve washed it three times since Sunday.”

“I can help you with that,” Marie said. “Happened to me once in my younger days. You’ve got to chip it out.”

Kylie’s bottom lip stuck out so far she looked like a Damselfish on Botox.

Marie patted the table. “Come eat so you don’t have to take your aspirin on an empty stomach. After I do the dishes, I can help you with your hair and your algebra homework.” She again caught Ethan’s gaze. “Maybe Ethan can read a book to Lisa and earn an extra scoop of ice cream?”

No amount of sugar would convince Ethan to read to his baby sister, but Jenna had to give the woman kudos for effort.

Kylie’s shoulders slumped as she folded her long body back into her chair.

“Kylie has barf in her hair. Lots and lots of gooky barf,” Ethan taunted.

“Mom,” she screeched, red-faced.

“Every time you’re rude to one of your sisters, you lose a tablespoon of sprinkles,” Marie told Ethan.

He gagged down his peas.

“I thought you could read Lisa the book about the Monster who eats one hundred worms in one day.”

“Harry Eats One Hundred Squirmy Wormies?”

“Yes. That book is super gross-out.” Marie was a master at nonchalant child manipulation.

Ethan stood and let loose with the authority of an orator: “And for lunch, Harry ate a three-worm peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He tried to eat an apple and a worm wearing a hat, but he choked on the hat.”

Marie clapped. “Yes. You have it memorized. I bet you’re the smartest kid in your class.”

Beaming, he sat.

“How was your day, Jenna?” Marie asked. “Did you make your word count?”

She washed her food down with a sip of wine. “Is that rosemary on the chicken? It’s delicious.”

Marie grinned. “Glad you like my special rub. And the writing?”

“I finished!” Jenna made a fist of triumph. “Now, I’ll edit until Friday. It’s not really enough time to edit to perfection, but it will have to do. Normally I spend more time editing than I do writing. My agent loves this book. She—” The children wore glazed-over stares. Since she tended to ramble obsessively about her books, she cleared her throat and changed the topic. “Thank you. It’s been a huge help having you.”

Marie smiled and turned the conversation to Ethan’s recess.

Although the wine relaxed her, her unruly children were under control and eating a healthy meal, and she had a finished manuscript, Jenna’s heart hurt. The young man she’d spent the weekend with was under her skin, and she missed him so much she ached. She had tried to call him earlier that morning, but he hadn’t answered. She’d also called him that afternoon to no avail. And like a teenager with a crush, she’d tried again before dinner. Perhaps she was addicted to seeing him—she kept checking his Instafriend and FollowMe. Not only hadn’t he messaged her anywhere, but he also hadn’t made any new posts.

Jenna gasped as the unsettling anxiety resurfaced.

“Good job, everyone. Ice cream time,” Marie announced.