This is what I wanted, so why doesn’t it feel like I thought it would?
“So, Jeff, how often do you have to travel for work?” Justin nods in thanks at my mom when she hands him a plate of birthday cake.
“We talked about this last week, remember? I’d just gotten back from Atlanta.”
“Right.” He shakes his head, eyeing me. “I forgot.”
“Justin, what did you think about that Black diamond trail at the top of the mountain?” Brian asks.
“I wouldn’t know. I don’t really ski.”
Brian’s face crumples into confusion. “The other day, at the hoedown, you said you were going to hit it tomorrow.”
Rick leans forward, suddenly interested in the conversation. “Wait. I thought you loved to ski.”
“Not really. That’s more my brother.” I nudge him with my knee under the table. “But yes,” he quickly adds, thanks to my nudge. “I was going skiing but had to work instead, so I don’t know about the Black hill.”
“Blackdiamond,” Brian corrects.
“Right.” He tries a smile before taking a bite of his cake.
This is a nightmare.
Nobody tells you how difficult it’s going to be to acclimate someone back in after a swap. I mean, it’s probably the number-one reason why people don’t do swaps—that and the fact that it’s lying and toying with people’s real emotions—but still, someone should’ve warned me.
Juliet and Hailey eye me from across the table, and it’s the kind of stare-down that gives me sweaty pits. It’s like they know. Notknowknow, because a twin swap is so far-fetched they wouldn’t even consider it, but they’re definitely suspicious about something.
I could tell my family, fess up to all my wrongs. It wouldn’t be so bad now that Justin is fully committed to me, but it’s easier just to pretend like it never happened and move forward in life with the real Justin by my side.
Aunt Carma slowly walks behind us, holding onto the back of the chairs for support.
“Where are you going, Aunt Carma?” I ask over my shoulder.
“To the bathroom,” she mutters. “If I can make it there.”
“Justin will help you.” I nod at him, and he immediately jumps to his feet.
“I’d love to help.”
She pushes his hand away. “I want the other Justin. I like him better.”
“Uh…”—my eyes lock with his before shifting back to my aunt—“there isn’t another Justin. I only have one boyfriend.”
“One boyfriend, two personalities,” Rick coughs under his breath. He said it so low I’m not even sure I heard him right until Juliet elbows him in the side. That’s when I know for sure.
“Fine,” she grunts, holding onto Justin’s forearm. “You can stay.”
I watch them walk out of the party room toward the back of the restaurant, where the bathrooms are. My eyes study the back of Justin. Even the way he walks and carries himself is different than Caleb. And suddenly, I panic that my family might know more than they’re leading on.
CALEB
* * *
“Oh, this is a bad idea,”I say to no one other than myself, and then I open the door and step inside the restaurant where the Stanworth family is currently having Marty’s birthday dinner.
I hear them in the party room. You could hear this family from two miles away. But the universe sends me a lucky draw when I catch a glimpse of Justin escorting Aunt Carma to the bathroom. I wait until they round the corner before rushing to where they’re at. I’m careful to keep my back to the party room. I’m not here to ruin anything for Summer. Although, I would give anything to see her, see what kind of holiday earrings she has on tonight and what shade of red she has spread across her lips.
I pop my head around the corner, making sure the coast is clear. It’s so clear that even Justin is not here. He either went in the ladies’ restroom with Carma, or he’s in the men’s room. My guess is on the men’s room.
