Obsession Read Free Page A

on the kitchen counter. I wasn’t going to bring up the
bachelor/bachelorette party Nathan and I were planning.
    She giggled at my eagerness. “I’m
still impressed Nathan and Mitch are coming to Chicago that weekend
to get fitted.”
    I gritted my teeth at the
sound of his name. Mitch. How had I let him get to me today? Anger always
seemed to help control my unstable attraction toward him. “I’m so
glad I get to walk down the aisle with Nathan and not Mitch. He
keeps texting me, and the man is driving me bonkers.”
    “What’s he texting you?”
    “He’s the king of sexual innuendos and
cheesy pick-up lines, ugh, and he won’t take the hint,” I grumbled
as I plopped down on the couch, kicking off my heels.
    “Mitch is hilarious.” She laughed.
“You’ll have to show me them when we see each other.”
    I slammed my head against
the back of the couch. “He’s not hilarious . He’s annoying as shit and
behaves like a high schooler.”
    “Yes, but I think he’s grown up since
his dad died.”
    “Not that I’ve seen,” I
snorted.
    “Well, Tyler thinks the same as you,”
Becca sighed, “but Tyler doesn’t think highly of anyone
lately.”
    “Tyler needs to pull his head out of
his ass,” I said matter-of -factly.
    “I agree,” she groaned. “I miss you. I
can’t wait for Chicago.”
    My body sagged as a smile formed on my
mouth. I missed Becca too. We went to college together and shared
housing. I’d even followed her to Grand Rapids. Once the Conklin
empire took off in Miami, I planned to find my way back to Grand
Rapids. That city was good for me, and was far enough off the radar
that the writer of my cryptic letters didn’t know my address. “I
can’t wait either. I’ve got to get going, though, so- I’ll call you
tomorrow.”
     
     
     
    ***
     
    My lie to Mitch earlier about
organizing my closet had turned into a reality. My clothing was now
color coordinated and hung accordingly in the walk-in-closet, while
each pair of shoes followed neatly underneath. My bedding was in
order along with my desk and bookshelves. The kitchen was spotless,
but not because I’d cleaned it.
    Nathan was OCD about the condo being
meticulously neat all the time and insisted that it be cleaned
three days a week. I didn’t complain because he paid for the
services. The only stipulation I had was that the maid stayed out
of my room. Privacy was something I needed. I didn’t like people
being in my business, and if I wanted anyone to know about my life,
I’d tell them. I was trusting in my younger years, but my
interactions with the writer of the cryptic letter had changed
that. I’d been young, weak, and naïve, but now I was strong and
confident, my only resistance to succeed at life was from those
letters.
    Calling my mom ran through my mind,
but I didn’t have it in me. My relationship with my mother was
wonderful, but those black letters had an impact on my entire
family, not just me.
    Just as I was about to leave my phone
on the charger, it began to buzz. My mother must have sensed I
secretly wanted to talk to her.
    My guilt stricken finger swiped my
phone to answer. “Hi, Mom.”
    “Jamie! Mom won’t let me go on a
date!” It was my younger sister, Riley. She was fifteen years old
and overly dramatic. I loved her endlessly.
    “Riley, Mom and Dad didn’t let me go
on dates until I was sixteen. Besides, how can it be a date if
you’re not even old enough to drive?”
    “He’s old enough.”
    Now there was the problem. “How old?”
Silence passed through the phone. “That’s what I thought. Does mom
know you have her phone?”
    “She’s sitting across from me in the
living room.” Riley’s tone became whiny, causing me to roll my
eyes. I heard the twins arguing in the background with my brother
Trevor. The age differences were spaced far between all of us, and
I’d always wondered just how many of us were planned. I knew the
twins were a surprise because I was in my sophomore year of