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“Again, zero-bullshit tolerance.”
“And do you also have a zero-manners tolerance?Because your questions—no, yourinterrogationis incredibly rude.”A prim chastisement.
He shrugged.Not chastised at all.“Eb is the charmer.I’m the evil twin.Or haven’t you heard?”
The man was a dead ringer for Eb.Same chin.Same forehead.Same thick, dark hair.Same gleaming eyes.Only—theemotionin the eyes was different.“I don’t hate Eb.”Deliberate words.“In fact, I told him that I loved him.He said the words back to me.After that, he pretty much packed me up and sent me here.Then he vanished.”More than vanished.There had been no phone call.No text.Nothing.
“Uh.He sent you off to a penthouse that was ready and waiting for you.”
Yes, a penthouse had been waiting for her.
“He lined you up with a dream job.”
Her jaw firmed.The job was exquisite, but she hadn’t asked for him to arrange it.
“And he sent you back to the city you specifically told him that you were already thinking of moving back to because Baton Rouge was a town of nightmares for you.He does all this, and you think he vanished?Sounds to me like he was trying to give you the life you wanted.”
“I wanthim.” She didn’t care about any of the other stuff.
“Do you?Do you truly want Eb?”
“Yes.”A hiss.
“Maybe he wanted to make sure you had time to think.Time without him pressuring you.Time when you weren’t worried about your basic survival and you could live without fear or adrenaline.Maybe he wanted to be certain that what you felt was real because it would gut him too much to love you and have you turn away just when he thought he had everything he ever wanted.”
She sucked in a breath.
Again, he shrugged.A lazy roll of his broad shoulders.“I know my brother pretty well.I can tell what he’s thinking because, not too long ago, I was afraid to hope that my obsession would really love me.”
“I want Eb.”How many times did she have to say those words?“I’m not going to change my mind about him.I won’t be frightened off.I won’t grow tired of him.I want to learn every secret he has.I want him to learn my secrets.I want him to know…” An exhale.“I believe in him.”
His eyelashes flickered.“Maybe you should go tell him all that.”
“I would if I could find the asshole.”
He smiled at her.Naomi’s breath caught because that smile—with the one dimple winking—was so much like Eb’s.
“Do you really think he wouldn’t be close?”His voice hadalmostsoftened.“It’s your big night.The VIP reception here at the new hotel.Your moment to shine after the work you put in over the last few weeks.He would like to see you shine.”
Goosebumps rose over her arms.“He’s here.”
Jake stared back at her.
Brisk now, she nodded.“It was…interesting meeting you, Jake.”She extended her hand toward him.
He took the offered hand.Shook it.“Do you know my brother’s middle name?”
“Of course, it’s Dickens.”
The cold seemed to thaw in his eyes.“He doesn’t tell just anyone that name.Embarrasses the hell out of him.”
She smiled at Eb’s twin.“Because he can be a real dick?”
His laughter rang out.Warm and rich and it turned heads around them.
She let go of his hand and skirted away.She had another twin to find.A twin she needed to see desperately.And if the jerk eventhoughtof ghosting her again, he would pay.Dearly.
But there was no quick exit.Too many people wanted to say hello.Including Hunter McQueen and Declan Flynn—her boss.Not like she could ignore him.Or his lovely bride, Marley.Eb’s sister.