THE SPOON HIT THE SIDE of the empty bowl with a high-pitched ding. I hadn’t even wanted the b****y stew, but Beth’s force-feeding had gotten a little out of hand, and I’d given in just to keep my lips intact.
“Happy now?” I didn’t await her answer before scraping back my chair and trudging upstairs.
Jess rested against my headboard, pillows wadded around her, as I entered our room. Between scanning some kind of spell-looking book, she sent me a rapid glance.
I padded across the carpet with little noise, but my climb onto the bed and the sprawled flop of my body jostling her earned me another glance.
“Sorry,” I mumbled.
When she lifted her book again, I stared at the ceiling above.
Jess seemed as much in the mood for talking as I did. Quiet descended for minutes, before she lowered he
