Page 48 of Dopplebanger

Then we’d shared that kiss…Maybe that’d changed her mind. It’d definitely changed mine.

After the kiss we’d shared the first morning of our road trip, she’d asked me “Has it always been like this?”

That must mean she’d sensed the difference between me and my brother, and I wasn’t lying when I’d replied “It’s never been like this.” The same electric charge I’d felt during that kiss coursed through me as I glanced across the dance floor, my center of gravity shifting to all things Gwen.

“But I can see by the way that you look at her that you care about her,” Madison said, pulling my mind from the future I wanted and grounding me in the unsteady present. “So if you don’t want to lose her, you better step up your game.”

“I don’t want to lose her,” I said, my words filled with the resolve that’d set up residence inside of me.

“Good. Then don’t be stupid enough to take her for granted like that last idiot—I know, I know, I’m now part of his family, but I’ve called him an idiot to his face, so that makes it okay.”

I laughed, despite the weirdness of the situation. I could see why Gwen liked Madison so much. Also understood the fox thing. She’d orchestrated this whole thing, and I had no doubt it was partially so she could make her warnings and threats to me while Gwen could prove to herself that she was strong enough to deal with her ex-boyfriend.

“Consider this my way of repaying you for making sure she came to my wedding,” Madison said. “After the honeymoon and things settle down, I plan on coming down for a visit, so I’ll be checking in on you.”

“I’ll look forward to it.” I desperately hoped I’d be there for it, too. The song came to a close, and I quickly moved to collect my girl.

She met me halfway.

“Well?” I asked.

Gwen shrugged. “He didn’t suddenly make an impressive transformation or anything, and honestly I feel kind of stupid for ever thinking he was my soulmate, but I guess I have more of a sense of closure.”

“But not with Paige,” I said, noticing the steady stare aimed our way. Paige tried to play it off, but she wasn’t fast enough at averting her gaze.

“No. I don’t know if that’s something I’ll ever feel with her.”

“You want to talk to her?”

“I will eventually—that was part of what Kyle wanted to talk to me about. When she and I do finally hash it out, it’s going to be one of those emotionally draining talks with lots of tears, and I just…” Gwen’s hand came up on the side of my face. “I want to enjoy being all dressed up at this fancy party with you. Is that okay?”

“Of course it’s okay.” I tapped my chest. “Here for whatever you need, remember?”

“In that case, I could really use a drink.”

“Done.”

I grabbed us a couple of drinks and then the food arrived. I grilled the server about their use of peanuts, and while Gwen looked at me like I was being over-the-top, I didn’t care. Once they’d double checked with the kitchen she was safe, we dug in.

The courses came in waves, as did the accompanying speeches from people in the wedding party. Paige told a story about how she, Madison, and Gwen had gone for a joyride in Madison’s dad’s new truck. They’d gotten stuck in a muddy field and Kade and Kyle came to bail them out in the middle of the night.

“The sparks were flying as fast and high as the mud,” Paige said. “And I knew right then they were meant for each other. Knew just like her dad somehow knew we’d taken his truck, in spite of us scrubbing it down till three in the morning. Kade hadto wait an entire month for Madison to be ungrounded so he could ask her out, and she told him that she was already booked for a month solid.”

People chuckled, and Gwen squeezed my hand under the table.

Then she downed her drink and chased that with mine, so I went to get us another round.

“Ooh, thank you!” Gwen said when I handed over the drink. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her words were starting to slur together. “Cheers!” Her glass clanked against the one in my hand, and then she tipped it to her lips. When I didn’t copy the move, she frowned at me. “You know ‘cheers’ means drink, right?”

I leaned forward, sliding my hand around to cup the back of her knee and locking eyes with her. “Just making sure you’re good.”

“I am. Open bar rocks, am I right?” She patted my thigh, rather high, and I was acutely aware of her leaving her hand there. “Usually I’m the one who’s cautious and responsible and you’re the one drinking too much.”

“Tonight I’ll be the responsible one.”

Her lower lip stuck out in an over-the-top pout. “I want you to go on a brain vacation with me. Let’s get a little sloppy. Thanks to the fact we get to stay in a room at the resort tonight, we don’t have to worry about a designated driver, and it’s the closest to an all-expenses paid brain vacation we can get.” Her fingers twitched on my thigh, causing another part of me to twitch, too. “I want to take that vacation with you. We have to get serious about life and jobs and your career and all that other shit as soon as tonight ends, so let’s make this last night of our road trip an epic one.”

How could I argue with that logic when it fit so well with what I wanted? I lifted my glass. “To an epic night!”

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