Page 47 of Sweet Twins For My Brother's Best Friend

“How did she know you were having brunch?” I ask her tactfully, as the waitress sets water down for both of us, smiling as she does so.

I smile back thinly and watch as Julie picks the slimy, oval seeds out of her lemon slices.

Julie drops her shoulders in a gesture of exasperation.

“I don’t know exactly. But if I had to guess, I think the poor thing probably looked me up on social media. Bless her heart, I know what it’s like to worry about someone’s ex, but still, totally inappropriate, you know?”

“Sure.” I lean back in my chair, placing my hands behind my head, and keep my eyes on her. I can’t help but let a smirk slip onto my face, and she looks at me sharply when she sees it.

“I feel like you aren’t taking me seriously, Chris. She was really unhinged today, and it made me feel unsafe.”

“Oh, did it? Tell me about that. In what ways did that 25-year-old make you feelunsafe?” I grin at her and flick my straw in her direction across the small table, my wrist sticking to the plastic, checkered tablecloth.

Julie sits up straight and looks down her nose at me, her big brown eyes glowing with anger.

“You’re going to say “25-year-old” like that? Aren’t you fucking her? I wouldn’t think you have a right to be dismissive of her because of her age.”

Her fingers tent on the table, and she leans her body forward in an intimidating posture.

I almost laugh. “Is that what this is about, Julie? You’rejealous? God, that’s sad. You left me. At least be confident in your decisions, huh?”

Julie crosses her arms and leans back in her chair, too.

“Jealous. That’s a good one. You’re right, Chris, I did leave you. Maybe you should remember that.”

I sip my water, swish it around, and tip my head at her. “Do you think so? That I should “remember” that? So Julie, when Hannah showed up, what did she say?”

“She was being totally insane. She showed up asking me aboutNoodle. It was so weird, and I was with my friends, too. Everyone thought it was completely worrying. If you’re not worried, then forget it, I guess.”

She shrugs as if she doesn’t care and sips her water.

“She was asking about Noodle, huh?”

“Yes.”

“So is all of this because you feel guilty? And instead of saying you’re sorry, then what? Trying to make her out to be crazy or unstable or something? That’s a bit much, Julie.”

Julie sits for a moment, gulping water down, her eyes over the rim of the glass.

She sets her drink down too noisily, making a clank that she cringes at, and leans forward toward me. She places her hand over mine.

“I never said she’s crazy. I just think she’s young. She probably doesn’t know what to do with all those feelings. I get it, actually. Still, it’s a bit much, you know? She had to find me on social media to know where I was. Unless she was following me for even longer than that. It’s scary. Obsessive.”

I process her words slowly, skepticism mounting. I try to picture the Hannah she’s painting. Obsessive, unhinged, showing up to Julie’s brunch after following her all day. It doesn’t make any sense. She isn’t even that obsessive aboutme,let alone Julie. I can’t imagine it.

“That doesn’t really sound like her…” I trail off, sliding my hand out from underneath hers.

Still, I can’t say it didn’t happen. How else would Julie even know that Hannah and I are close?

“Oh, Chris, you’ve always been so naïve, so unaware of the effect you have on women. She really likes you. If you thought you’d have a little one-off tryst with Hannah, well, I think you underestimated how she feels about you. That’s all.”

I look into her face.

“Julie. All due respect, I don’t think she’s jealous. She knows I don’t talk to you. I think it’spossibleI piqued her interest talking about Noodle, but that’s it.”

“So you were talking about me.”

“I told her I saw you, yes.”

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