Page 10 of Twins For My Bestie's Brother

I roll my eyes and head out of the kitchen to answer the phone. “Yo.”Yo?I’ve never said “yo” to answer the phone in my life.

“Oh, good, this is still your number.”

“Has it really been that long since we spoke on the phone?”

“Probably since high school.”

Jackson and I have seen each other a few times over the years. Holidays mostly, when we were both back in town. Casual dinners, New Year’s Eve parties, town events. I’d spent most of my time with Kayla or my parents while visiting. Jackson was always just kind of there.

Okay, notjust there. Looking fantastic. Being successful. Standing tall, making money, and probably attracting chicks wherever he went. Meanwhile, I was trying to keep from going broke, in the same relationship, and collecting piercings and tattoos.

It never bothered me until now. Now, when I don’t have much to show for all ten of these years. At least he has an investment portfolio. “Well, you got me. What’s up?”

Jackson clears his throat. “We should probably talk about Saturday.”

“Yeah, about that, I’m sorry Kayla roped you into that. If I had known, I would have told her not to.”

“Don’t worry about it, Lil.”

Lil. Why does that make my chest feel warm? “You can change your mind if you want. I really wasn’t going to go. Tia was just trying to get a reaction out of me.”

“Yeah, she does that,” he sighs. “I’m in if you are. But also no pressure. We can spread the amicable breakup as fast as the relationship.”

“Everyone knows,” I groan.

He laughs. “Yeah, that’s Cider Bay for you.”

“My mom asked me if we were dating. I was like ‘oh, my God’.”

“Don’t sound so embarrassed.”

I flush. He’s teasing, I think. “No, not embarrassed, just the whole thing is so ludicrous, and if anyone should be embarrassed it should be you.”

“What? Why?”

“Because . . . ” I shake it off. It’s one thing to talk about my inferiority complex with my parents. Jackson doesn’t need to know about that. “I don’t know, I guess we both should be embarrassed.”

“The point is to not be embarrassed, I thought.”

“Yeah. Me. For me to not be embarrassed. You don’t getanything out of this.”

Jackson pauses. I’m half expecting him to back out now that he realizes there’s nothing on his end of the deal. “I get to help a friend. That’s good enough for me.”

Not my heart leaping into my throat . . . not this . . .

“Besides it’s one night. So, I don’t have much skin in the game.”

My heart falls. Why, I don’t know.

“However, I think we should make a game plan. You know, figure out how we’re going to be convincing as a couple. Want to have the same stories and information.”

“That’s a good idea.” I hadn’t thought that far ahead.

“I was going to hike the Cider Creek Loop tomorrow morning to catch the sunrise. You want to join me?”

“Sunrise?” I ask.

“Yeah, before Bolton’s opens.”

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