Completely Captivated

by A. D. Justice

  “Perfect. Let’s make a plan to keep her your wife for as long as possible, then. I want you to be prepared, though. When the judge denies this request, he will advise her she can file for a divorce, and her lawyer will strongly suggest she does it immediately. It’ll still take six months before the divorce is final, though.”

  “So, I have six months to win her back or lose her forever.”

  * * *

  Jared

  I’d waited long enough. Today was the day. In a few short hours, her annulment would be granted, and we could finally be together. After all the years I’ve denied how much I wanted her, it was time I corrected that error.

  I’d been sitting outside her café for the last twenty minutes, waiting for the early morning rush to clear out to give us more privacy and time to talk.

  It was now or never.

  “Christa, can you take a break? I need to speak with you.”

  “Sure, Jared. Coffee?”

  “How can I turn down your delicious coffee?”

  She made two cups and joined me at the table farthest away from the few patrons left.

  “What’s up?”

  “This may come as a shock, and it’s probably the absolute worst time to share this with you, but I have to.”

  “We’re friends, Jared. You can talk to me about anything at any time. I’m not the only one who needs to bend someone’s ear.”

  It was insane, what I was about to say. Yet I was determined to blurt it out anyway.

  “I love you, Christa. I am so very in love with you and have been for so many years. I’ve never told you because I knew you’d wait for me, and I never wanted you to put your life on hold while I was off living mine. Now that I’m back, I want us to be more than friends.”

  I expected her to be speechless.

  I didn’t expect the expression of dismay that subsequently shrouded her face.

  “Jared, I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say you love me too.”

  “I do love you.” She hesitated. That was never a good sign. “I love you as a friend, Jared. I’m not sure I’m capable of more.”

  “I’ll wait for you to be ready. You’ve had a lot happen in a short time. I knew this was bad timing, but waiting and losing you forever to someone else is a worse alternative.”

  “Someone else?” she scoffed. “I can’t even move past the man I’m married to, much less on to someone else.”

  “You’re still in love with him? After everything he’s done to you?”

  She looked away. Not to avoid me, but deep in thought, reliving a memory.

  “He wants me to give our marriage a chance.”

  “Have you been talking to him, Christa?” I thought my heart would burst through my throat. We were hours away from the annulment hearing, and I was only then learning they’d been conversing. No lawyer in his right mind would’ve taken her case knowing that. My win/loss ratio would take a substantial hit before I was even established.

  “I haven’t talked to him in a couple of weeks, but he texts me every day and sends me love letters.”

  “What happened two weeks ago?”

  Her face flamed red, and that time she purposely avoided my gaze. This couldn’t be good. I dropped my face into my hands and released a frustrated groan.

  “Tell me you didn’t, Christa.”

  She shrugged, still avoiding eye contact, and wrung her hands. “Allie took me out to Entranced and plied me full of alcohol. I had a weak moment and called him. He showed up at my apartment and…”

  “And?” I demanded. I was her lawyer; I needed details. We were about to go to court.

  “We slept together, then my temper got the best of me, and I made him leave.”

  “Christa, as your lawyer, I have to say your annulment will most definitely be denied. He’s fighting it, and now he’ll have a damn good case to prevent the court from ruling in your favor. It’s rare enough as it is, but you’ve reconciled, for all intents and purposes. Changing your mind now discredits your unsound mind claim. We’ve already lost the case before we even stepped foot in the courthouse.”

  “I’m sorry, Jared. I didn’t even think about how it would affect your career. Obviously, I didn’t think about how it would affect anything. I’ll understand if you want to drop my case.”

  “I can’t just drop your case, Christa. It requires filing a motion with the court and getting approval.”

  “I see. Well, then, you’re fired. You can bill me for your time up until now.”

  “Christa. You know what they say about someone who represents herself.”

  “She has a fool for a client. I think I’ve already proven that more than once. I’m not taking you down with me.”

  “You’ll still push for the annulment?”

  “I have to. We made a huge mistake getting married so soon after meeting.”

  * * *

  Sitting in the courtroom, watching Christa take the chair normally reserved for first counsel, unnerved me. I should have been beside her. Even though she didn’t return my declaration of love, I was positive we still had a shot.

  We all rose when the judge entered and took his seat. When we sat, I noticed her hands shaking before she clasped them in front of her. The judge looked at her and cast a hard glare.

  “You fired your lawyer before your hearing today?”

  “Yes, Your Honor.”

  “Care to explain why?”

  “A disagreement on how to proceed with my request.”

  He quirked one eyebrow slightly, but enough to get his point across. He didn’t approve of her representing herself either.

  “You realize your husband is here with his attorney, and you have no legal counsel to guide you.” He didn’t ask a question—he made a very firm statement.

  “Yes, Your Honor. I do realize that.”

  “Let’s get started, then. Mrs. Rivers, please explain to the court why you think an annulment is warranted.”

  Regardless of how intimidated she was, Christa kept her head held high and her shoulders back as she stated her case. She started with the Monday morning after the wedding, the presentation of a divorce settlement, and Aaron’s subsequent concussion and loss of memory diagnosis. The judge looked more convinced than I thought he would. But it wasn’t over yet.

  “Mr. Rivers, I understand your client contests the request to annul the marriage based on unsound mind at the time of their vows.”

  Lance Rivers stood to address the court. “That’s correct, Your Honor. We have evidence to prove he was of sound mind and body during the vows. His medical issues came into being after the ceremony and consummation of their union.”

  Lance submitted a DVD for evidence, and the bailiff played it for all to see. There, on the screen in front of me, was the love of my life marrying another man. The love brimming in her eyes when she looked at him tore at my heart. The video left no doubt of Aaron’s state of mind—he loved and cherished her, with or without the vows.

  “As you can see from this video, and these wedding photographs taken immediately after the ceremony, my client was completely competent.”

  “At what point was his state of mind called into question?”

  “As Mrs. Rivers testified—” Lance looked over at Christa, but I didn’t see the cold, calculating man she described, “—when Mr. Rivers awoke Monday morning, his memories were temporarily compromised. After a thorough medical examination, we’ve determined he had a seizure due to post-traumatic brain injury. He’s fortunate to have only lost one week of memories. However, those memories are returning intermittently. We’re holding out hope they’ll eventually return completely.”

  “Mr. Rivers,” the judge addressed Aaron.

  “Yes, sir,” Aaron replied as he stood.

  “Do you remember your wedding yet?”

  “I remember parts of it. Christa walking down the aisle toward me and how I wanted her to hurry before she changed her mind and ran the other way. The reception hal
l where the other couples and their wedding parties waited for us, since we were the last ceremony of the day.”

  “You wanted her to hurry? Why is that?”

  “Because I love her more than my own life, Your Honor. Because I want to spend the rest of my life with her. Because everything in the world means nothing without her.”

  Aaron was brave, I had to give him that. Although he spoke to the judge, his eyes were locked on to Christa’s the entire time.

  “Based on the evidence provided today, I’m ruling against your request for an annulment, Mrs. Rivers. This marriage was entered into knowingly and willingly by both parties. There’s no evidence to substantiate Mr. Rivers was of unsound mind at any point before, during, or immediately after the ceremony. If you wish to pursue dissolving your marriage, you can file for a divorce and wait the required six months before it’s granted.”

  With the ruling I expected handed down, Christa stood as the judge left the courtroom. Then she turned to face Aaron—and froze. Watching her watching him was painful because I felt their connection from where I sat. He wasn’t giving up, he wasn’t giving in, and I was the odd man out.

  He was fighting to win her back, but not before I could win her over.

  Best Friend Love

  Christa

  * * *

  Divorce?

  “Allie, I know this sounds crazy. I can’t even explain my own thoughts and feelings. But I don’t want to file for a divorce.”

  “Then don’t. Stay with him.”

  “I mean, I don’t want to be twenty-two, married, and divorced. The whole point of the annulment was to wipe it away as if it never happened.”

  “If there has ever been a time I wanted to grab you and shake some sense into you, right now is that moment. It doesn’t matter if the judge calls you in the next thirty seconds and says he made a mistake and your marriage is annulled. You. Still. Married. Him.

  “It won’t wipe your feelings away. You won’t magically get a fresh start. Nothing will make you forget him or how much you miss him.”

  “What are you saying, Allie?” Her words cut me to the bone. She knew me too well.

  “Walking away won’t solve anything, Christa. You’re in love with your husband. And from the looks of all the Stargazer lilies in your apartment and in the shop, he’s in love with you too. He’s at least trying to win you back. He’s fighting for his marriage, no matter how some things look.”

  “What things?”

  “Your infatuation with Jared, and his with you, for starters.”

  “I’m not infatuated with him!”

  “Maybe not, but you don’t do much to discourage him. Yet Aaron still tries to show you he’s the better man. Remember Jared dropped you off and hit the club with his buddy. Don’t think for a second that man went home alone.”

  I loved my best friend. Sometimes I wished she wasn’t so blunt. Other times, like this, I was grateful she smacked me across the face with her words.

  “You believe Aaron?”

  “Absolutely. I’ve told you this. Jared already filed the divorce papers, didn’t he?”

  “He helped me with them. I couldn’t ask him to do it after the mess I made of the annulment hearing.”

  “Maybe I’m going out on a limb here, but I think you sabotaged it on purpose.”

  I refused to get into this discussion with Allie. Because I wasn’t convinced she wasn’t right. I was more confused then than I’d ever been in my life.

  “Do you know why you’ve mindfucked yourself so bad over this?”

  My eyes closed, and my hand gripped the oven door handle until my knuckles were white. It was almost time to remove the day’s bakery items, but all I could think about was what she’d say next. I knew what was coming.

  “Why?” I managed to squeak out.

  “Because that nutjob you called ‘Mom’ brainwashed you into thinking you don’t deserve better. She was a sorry piece of shit who should’ve been sent away for child abuse and neglect. You don’t have to think about her again.”

  “She knows.”

  “What?” Allie’s surprised expression reminded me of a cartoon character. If her tongue could roll out like a red carpet, the look would be complete.

  “She called last night. Out of the freaking blue. Someone found the request for annulment and starting prying into my life. The gossip news producer found my mother and questioned her about me before showing up at my apartment last night. That’s when precious mommy called—to ask for money.”

  “Did you tell her to go fuck herself?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “I’m proud of you. Now, let me read the latest letter from your husband.”

  I didn’t bother to hide them anymore. She found and read them anyway.

  * * *

  My love—

  I remember the sparkle in your brown eyes when you walked down to the aisle toward me. I’ve watched the DVD of our wedding so many times, it should be worn out by now.

  I remember when you first made an appearance in your wedding gown. Every other bride in the world paled in comparison to your beauty. I wanted you to hurry and say “I do” before you changed your mind. I wasn’t worthy of you then, and I’m not now. But there’s nothing I won’t do to become the man you’d be proud to call your husband.

  Day Thirty-Five: I love the sounds you make when I’m inside you.

  Forever yours,

  Aaron

  * * *

  “Christa, you bitch.”

  “I love you too, Allie.”

  “If you don’t call him and at least talk to him, I’m taking him away from you.”

  “The hell you are.” I rounded on her, my hands on my hips and my jaw set, ready to fight tooth and nail.

  I was met by her knowing smirk.

  “You bitch.”

  “Takes one to know one, my dear. Now, fucking call him before I do.” She nudged me to the side so she could take the trays out of the oven. The ones I’d already forgotten and most likely had overcooked by that point. Then she left me alone in the kitchen while she filled the display case and our new bread baskets.

  I glanced at the clock and shook my head at my own stupidity. I’d just filed divorce papers, and I was about to call my husband.

  “Call him. He’s not going to abandon you like your shitty parents did. He’s been hanging on to you no matter how hard you try to get away. Get over your childhood abandonment issues.”

  “You really should have a talk show. You’d be awesome at solving people’s deep-rooted mental problems.”

  “Yes, I’m a fucking spiritual guru. Now call him.”

  “Fine. After the morning slows down, I’ll think about thinking about calling him.”

  The slew of profanities flowing from the front of the shop made me laugh. I was so glad my BFF was behind me no matter what. Even if she was threatening to kick my ass while she was back there.

  When Allie turned the OPEN sign over and unlocked the door, customers started filing in and lining up. Jared was one of them, looking handsome in his expensive suit and tie, perfectly dressed for seeing his clientele today.

  “Have you thought more about what I said?”

  “Which part?” I stalled while making his coffee then gestured toward an open table.

  We sat together, and I kept one eye on the counter and one on him.

  “You’ve filed your divorce papers, right?”

  “Right.”

  “Then it’s time for you to move on. The best way for you to get past this is to move on with someone else.”

  “I’m not ready for that, Jared. I’ve never been so hurt. I don’t know how to move past it.”

  “But we’re perfect for each other, Christa. We’ve known each other practically all our lives. My family loves you. I love you. We should’ve taken this step years ago.”

  “Maybe. But we didn’t. So now, we have to deal with where we are, and I’m not in a good place.”

  “I’ll
help you get there.”

  “Christa, can you help me get the sourdough out of the ovens?” Allie called from behind me, saving me once again.

  “Sure. Enjoy your coffee, Jared. I need to get back to work.”

  “Okay, sweetheart. I’ll call you later.”

  When I reached the kitchen, I looked at the ovens and back at Allie. “They’re empty.”

  “Of course they’re empty. What the hell are you doing?”

  “I was telling him no.”

  “No. If you told him no, I would’ve heard you say ‘No, Jared. My answer is no, and don’t fucking ask me again.’ Instead, I heard, ‘I’m a weak little woman who can’t make up my mind, so you do it for me, big strong man.’ Made me sick to hear it.”

  “Wow. Why don’t you tell me what you really think?”

  “Don’t think I’m not holding back, because I am. I’m the one who loves you, and I’m only trying to help you.”

  “I know you are. What would I do without you?”

  “Let’s find out. I’m going to leave you all alone now, and you call your husband.”

  “Allie,” I started tentatively. She stopped at the tremor in my voice. “I don’t even know what to say to him. How to even start to talk to him. About any of this.”

  She gave me a small, understanding smile. “Start with the letter he sent you. How it made you feel. Ask how he’s doing, if his memory is improving. Tell him you just wanted to say, if he expects you to text him a picture of your ass, he’ll have to send you a dick pic first.”

  Allie knew exactly how to calm my nerves and ease my anxiety.

  I loved my best friend.

  Since Allie had the front covered, I stepped out the back emergency exit and stared at Aaron’s name on my phone. My thumb hovered over the button as an internal battle of wills waged. My head screamed not to trust him again, that I’d be a fool to forgive and forget.

  My heart said I’d never find another man like him, that I’d regret not giving him another chance for the rest of my life. The dire warning crashed through my carefully constructed walls. Then a vision of him giving his heart to someone else nearly incited a panic attack and prompted me to act.