Christian (The Mitchell/Healy Family #3)
Author: Jennifer Foor

Chapter 1

Christian

Sometimes I wonder if I was switched at birth with some other green-eyed baby. How could it be possible that I’d spent my entire life cast out from all of my other cousins? Surely there had to be some common ground that united us, besides our obvious blood connection. At the end of the day, or should I say family gatherings, I was left in the corner, while everyone else enjoyed being together.

I suppose the adults enjoyed my company, when they weren’t talking about things I didn’t care to hear. There was even a time when my brother liked having me around, up until he got engaged to a famous singer. Nowadays it’s just me and the big world of college.

Choosing to live closer to campus was an easy decision. After having the dorm experience for the first two years of school, it was time for a change. Besides, I was getting sick of living vicariously through my mischievous younger sister’s antics, so going home was out of the question. Between her hookups, and the constant trouble she found herself in, my parents were always cleaning up her messes, and making sure she was being punished for her mistakes. In some ways I was jealous of Addison. My sister could walk into a room full of strangers and somehow be friends with everyone in little time.

I was the opposite.

Always the quiet type, I spent most of my childhood behind a book, or shadowing my mother. As I got older nothing changed, except for my appearance. I remember going through an awkward stage, where only my family, including my brother Noah told me I was pretty. Maybe that’s why I’m so self-conscious. When I look in the mirror I’ve never seen anyone beautiful staring back at me. Even though I resemble my gorgeous mother, with golden brown locks of wavy hair, and share my father’s green eyes, I see myself as plain, and somewhat nerdy.

Perhaps it’s derived from never being sure of myself, or having cousins that picked on me every chance they got. At the end of the day I was Christian Mitchell, oldest daughter of Colt and Savanna, second in line to the family ranch, and the least good looking of my two siblings.

I’d like to say that all of the above explanations led me in a good direction in finding myself. It would have been the educated decision they’d expect me to make. For lack of better terms I’d reached a breaking point in life. It wasn’t just about my looks, or my inability to communicate rationally with someone of the opposite sex. Surely I had a couple lasting friendships. I’d dated, even when my brother would threaten to chase them down our dirt road with a hunting rifle to keep them away.

Despite Noah’s efforts, there was a special guy in my life that I hung out with all the time. We’d been best friends for years. He was the person I’d turned to when I wanted a night of release. We were human, each of us needing a physical connection every once in a while. It still didn’t get me what I needed though.

My problems were about self-discovery, and it was time I finally found who the person was that I wanted to be.

I’ve heard college is the best years of a person’s life. Perhaps that’s true for most young adults. I’d seen my peers change in my first two years of attending the University of Kentucky. Like my father, I’d gotten a full ride, finding it easy to maintain a high grade point average with little effort. Socially I lacked confidence, which in turn caused me to be an outcast, just like in earlier years.

When I’d decided to live near the college my dad was leery about allowing me to live alone. It was then that we sought out housing looking for roommates. As nervous as I was to be around three female strangers, I knew it was impertinent that I forge forward with my anticipated need for change. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out early on that I had nothing in common with any of the girls. Not only was I the newbie, but they clearly had a long-standing bond with one another. Since I was used to being cast aside, I spent my first week organizing my new room, and staying out of everyone’s way. It would’ve been fine with me if we passed in the halls with a friendly gesture and went about our days as if I was just a friendly acquaintance.

Unfortunately, they didn’t share those feelings.

Becca seemed to be the leader of my three new roommates. There were all transplants to Kentucky, coming from all different states. Often they mentioned my strong drawl, though I never noticed it.

Becca was always in control of planning. It was she who came into my room, plopping down on my bed before forcing a conversation on me. I found it uncomfortable, as if she was invading my personal space, but longed for a connection with someone other than my own mother.

I wasn’t so much impressed with Becca as I was with the way she was able to act so bubbly all the time. People seemed drawn to her, which in turn made her highly likeable. Her long hair had both brown and blonde in it, and it hung down half of her back. The way she dressed left little to the imagination. I’d overheard her talking about being a cheerleader, which completely fit the stereotype I’d provided in my head. Still, we weren’t in high school anymore. I had to get over what clicks were like back then, and understand that people change. Just because she was well-liked didn’t make her someone I had to hate. It was more like jealousy of wanting her life, her friends, and of course her confidence.

“So, us girls are going out tonight, and we want you to come with us.” She threw up her hands before I could decline, or give her some convoluted reason why it would be a bad idea for me to tag along. “We aren’t taking no for an answer Christian. Unless you plan on joining a convent, you’re coming out with us.”

“If you insist.” I shrugged, still unsure of how I felt about it. The girls that I lived with liked to party I’d heard some of their crazy stories. I don’t think that I looked down on them for being so open-minded, it was more like I was jealous that they were so easily social.

“We do. Now, do something with your hair, put on some makeup, and change out of those clothes. If you need to borrow something of mine, you know where my closet is. In fact,” she put her finger up to her lips as she looked over my body. “I’ve got this red dress that would look hot as shit on you.” She left the room, quickly returning with what I would call a long shirt. It was see-through red fabric, low cut, and very stretchy.

“Becca, I don’t know about this. I’ve never worn somethin’ so tight before, and clearly I don’t have a body suit for underneath.”

“Girl, you’ve got a rocking body. It’s time you flaunted it. Besides where we’re goin’ you’ll fit right in.” She seemed sure, while I remained a skeptic. If this got me to meet new people, I was at least willing to give it a try. It couldn’t hurt to come out of my shell for a couple of hours, and they were nice to invite me.