Page 17 of Two Is Better Than One

"Well, either way. I'm sorry if it makes me less of a lady to ask. Any human affection in my whole life has to be somewhat of a business transaction. My sister has a publicist breathing down her neck. Tammy would rather us both stay single. Neither of us are able to date right now. And, honestly, Casey, I think you're handsome and wonderful… you're smart and funny, and you look like you stepped out of some movie. If I were to ever kiss someone just for fun, I would love it to be you. So, anyway, I asked. I'm sorry if it's weird."

"It's not that weird. I already told you I was going to do it. I'm definitely fine with it. I can understand how someone like you could get tired of… it's like you're surrounded by people—"

"But I can't get close to any of them," I said, finishing his sentence.

We stared ahead as we walked. I dared not look at Casey. I could not believe we just had this conversation. I could not fathom that he had agreed to kiss my sister so easily. I wanted to be happy, but I felt an edge of frustration over that.

"If it were okay, I'd reach out and hold your hand right now," he said. "I know I can't. But I would."

It was a kind offer, but I was thinking about my sister when he said it, and I knew he was basically offering to hold Allie's hand and not mine. I let out a nervous laugh because I didn't know what else to say to respond to his statement. My body wanted to hold Casey's hand but I was T-O'd that he would so easily want to get close to my sister. I felt a whooshing warm wave of jealousy, and I felt myself turning red, blushing. I kept my eyes focused on the path ahead.

I had talked to Casey quite a bit this week, and I had grown closer to him than I thought, because all of this offering to kiss Allie and hold her hand… it was infuriating. I felt short of breath, and I stared straight ahead, looking down the path, and trying to concentrate on my breathing.

It was an old monastery campus, and we were on a beautiful walking path. It should have been glorious. But as it stood all I could concentrate on was the fact that Casey liked Allie. I knew it was ridiculous of me. It was me that put Casey in the situation in the first place. What had I been thinking, dressing up as my sister and asking him to kiss me? It was my own fault that I was in this situation.

"I think I made a mistake," I said, feeling nauseated. "I think I might want to head back to the hotel. I want to check on Summer."

"Summer's fine. She's a big girl."

I did not expect him to say that, and my head whipped around. I regarded him with a wide-eyed expression that said I was shocked, and Casey's face broke into a grin and he laughed a little.

"I'm joking," he said. "I thought you knew I knew you were Summer."

I paused. "What?" I swallowed hard and a gushing sensation hit me as I replayed his words. "You thought what?" I asked, barely able to get out the question.

"W-well, the whole time we've been talking. I thought that's why we avoid specific questions and stuff—because you didn't want to have to straight up lie to me and tell me you're Allie."

I blinked. Trying to understand him, to follow what he was saying, but he was so far ahead of me that I was dumbfounded.

"Who do you think I am right now?"

"Summer Stockton."

"You know? Why did you let me pretend to be Allie?"

He grinned. "What was I supposed to do? I didn't think you were doing that for me, I thought you were doing it for cameras or something."

I looked around. I felt out of it. Nobody was ever able to tell when we got dressed like this. There were other people touring the campus, and we were quiet as we passed a small group.

"Did you seriously know this whole time that I'm not Allie?" I asked after a minute.

"Yes. Of course."

"How? How in the world, Casey?"

"You have a speck in your right eye—plain as day."

Tears rose to my eyes the instant he said it because he knew me. Casey knew me. I did indeed have a speck of darker blue near the center of my right eye. It was not something anyone had ever noticed. My mother was the only other person in our whole lives who had ever mentioned it.

I started walking slowly back toward Casey's truck. "Are you crying?" he asked, when I turned to wipe my cheek with the back of my hand.

"No, yes," I said, as we continued walking. "I'm just amazed," I said, explaining my tears. They were basically tears of relief and joy that he knew I was Summer the whole time. But I couldn't admit to that.

"I can't believe you knew it was me. That's crazy."

"I wouldn't have agreed to do that with your sister," he said.

My heart leapt so noticeably that I had an actual physical sensation that felt like something came out of my chest. I was excited by the words, and Casey was wonderfully calm and confident saying them. I liked Casey Morgan way too much. I ached with it. I had talked myself out of kissing him when I thought he thought I was Allie, but now that he knew the truth, anticipation surged through me like an electrical current.

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