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Fifteen
Bombshell
Vannah
The eruption of voices sounded like maybe a large group of people had entered the gym suddenly. The gym was loud to begin with, what with the music playing and all the clanking of weights and such. It’s why neither Vannah nor her dad thought anything of itat first. Until they heard Nena trying to calm her brother, followed by Taz’s booming voice. Both Vannah and her dad turned immediately and saw the commotion. Nena and another guy were holding her incensed brother back. Vannah and her dad immediately bolted in their direction.
“Where the fuck do you get off—”
The rest of what her brother was ranting about, warped in Vannah’s ears as she froze in place. Nine, Byron’s business partner, one of the other guys he referred to as his brothers, was struggling to hold an equally enraged lookingByronback from going at it—withherbrother.
“What in the world . . .” she whispered as her heart pounded against her chest.
Reminding herself to walk, she started up again toward her dad who was already there holding Taz back. “This fucker—”
“Alright! Alright!” Vannah’s dad said trying to calm Taz down. “Relax, son.”
“If it doesn’t matter, then why the act?” Byron barked at Nena just as loudly.
Suddenly beginning to understand what the situation might be, Vannah scurried toward them, her heart at her throat because both her brother and dad looked ready to burst and pummel Byron, she practically sprinted. “Byron!”
Byron glanced her way quickly, turned back to Nena just as quick, then jerked his face back to Vannah. His eyes bulged wide, and he looked as confused as she completely understood he would be.
“She’s my twin,” Vannah explained as she made her way through the parting crowd. “Nena and I are identical twins.”
“I thought. . .” He gasped, as Nine let him loose since he’d instantly calmed.
Though the nosey crowd didn’t immediately disperse. Some stuck around gawking and listening to how this would play out.
“I saw you—” Byron stopped and turned to Nena. “Was that you at King Taco yesterday?”
They all turned to Nena as she thought about it for a moment then nodded. “I was there yesterday.” She smiled coyly glancing at her dad and brother. “I always go there when I’m in town.”
Now the crowd began to dissolve slowly since things had begun to calm. “I . . .” Byron shook his head, his earlier blood-red face and neck going pale fast. “I’m sorry. I saw you with that guy at King Taco yesterday and I thought it was Vannah. Then today—”
“It’s okay,” Vannah said incredibly relieved because his text and his anger now were suddenly making more sense and if her dad and brother weren’t there she’d jump in his arms. “I should’ve mentioned I have a twin.” Turning to her dad, she smiled softening his hardened expression instantly. “Daddy, this is Byron, a friend of mine.” She turned to her brother next. “Taz,” she said in her sweetest voice and squeezed his arm. “You bigsilly. He was just confused because he thought she was me, okay? I don’t know what he said that got you so riled up, but I know it doesn’t take much.”
“Yeah, man. I’m sorry.” Byron shook his head again holding up his hands in front of him. “I, I hadnoidea. I just assumed I’d seen her with one dude yesterday and then today—” He stopped and turned to her dad when her dad cleared his throat. “We’re friends, sir, but . . . we’ve gone out and we’ve been talking—”
“It’s fine,” Vannah jumped in to save him from saying anything else that might have her dad scowling. “I should’ve told you I had a twin sooner. This is my fault.” Turning to her dad and siblings she smiled again as she slipped her hand into Byron’s. “Can you give us a few? We need to talk.”
Without giving them time to respond she pulled Byron along with her and hurried away.
“Savannah.” Vannah winced at her father’s rigid tone but slowed and turned to him. “You’re joining us for an early dinner before we leave.” She nodded, glad it wasn’t anything more demanding. Then he added, “Bring Byron.”
Turning to Byron she was relieved to see he was already nodding. Vannah nodded as well looking down at her watch. “We won’t be long. Meet you out front in about a half hour?”
Her dad nodded and as expected Nena smirked knowingly. Vannah would never hear the end of this but it didn’t even matter. What she’d tried so hard to make sense of all day yesterday and had ruined her entire day, made total sense now.
The moment they were around the corner and out of her family’s sight she stopped, pulled her hand out of Byron’s and jabbed his chest with her finger. “Do you really have an overnight date tonight?”
His eyes widened and her stomach dropped for a second when she thought maybe it was true. “No.” He shook his head adamantly. “No! I, uh . . . I just said that because your sister was sucking face with some dude yesterday and I thought it was you. Why didn’t you tell me you had a twin?”
Smiling big and feeling suddenly emotional, Vannah brought her hands over her mouth for a second trying to hold it together, then did what she’d wanted to earlier and jumped in his arms. She didn’t even care that he might think her pathetic. She was just so incredibly relieved.
Byron groaned against her neck as he squeezed her tight then pulled his face away. “Was that you I saw a few weeks ago here at the gym working out with some dude?”
Vanna immediately shook her head. “No. When and if Ieverwork out it’s with Xochitl. But my sister was here a few weeks ago when she passed through from Santa Barbara. She said she’d be meeting up with the guy she’d met when she’d stopped to get the free pass on the way up to Santa Barbra. Met up with him again yesterday. That’s probably who you saw her with at King Taco.”
