Page 66 of Dopplebanger

As I dug it out, a folded yellow paper came along for the ride.

Since I had my priorities, I took a bite of the muffin and then lifted the note.

Gwen,

While I love your caffeinated hurricane mode, I also love those few minutes in the morning where you’re just a pinch grumpy and words don’t come as easily. I figured that I’m probably responsible for you being anything less than happy, which kills me, but I was hoping that coffee and a muffin would help.

I’m not asking you to call me or text me yet. I’m asking you to give me today to show you how well I know you.

Also, I figured that I should share a few things you might not know about me.

IHATEblueberries. The reason why involves a puking story, and since I don’t want to ruin your breakfast, I won’t go into any more detail than that. I will say that if you’d agree to have breakfast with me, I’d eat every blueberry muffin Sacred Grounds has.

(Just give me a heads up if you’re going to take me up on the offer, because I might have to go in early, buy up most of their blueberry muffins, and force them upon random passersby.)

*side note: did you see how I used the correct plural form of passersby? That’s what a ridiculously expensive education does for you. Teaches you how to be a lawyer, and how to sound pretentious all in one!

Ethan “Not Evan” Haynes

I accidentally laughed out loud at the pretentious part. Imagining him buying up all the muffins also made me smile, even as that gaping hole in my heart pulsed to life, reminding me of how Evan and Ethan’s lies had put it there.

“The guy who brought that in was very handsome,” Dr. Lovejoy said, leaning against my desk and reminding me that she was there. “Is he your boyfriend? The one you’ve clearly been holding back details about?”

How did I even go about answering those questions?Oh, no, he’s totes not my boyfriend. He’s actually my ex-boyfriend’s twin brother, and I might be in love with him, but because I can’t just let people lie to me, I also can’t be with him.

I don’t think.

I re-folded the note and ran my fingers over the crease. “If I open that can of worms, then there’d be early birds in here tryingto catch them, then the cats and dogs would go crazy, and isn’t this place enough of a madhouse?”

My boss blinked at me, wearing the confused expression a lot of people did when my random rambling kicked into hyperdrive.

“Looks like the caffeine’s kicking in.” I lifted my coffee in a sort of salute, then took a gulp that was hot enough to burn my tongue and make me wonder how close I’d been to catching Ethan at my desk.

I’m asking you to give me today to show you how well I know you.

I didn’t know whether to be excited or afraid. Honestly, both emotions bubbled up inside me, and I found myself glancing at my phone.

Then a customer came in, saving me from doing something I might later regret. It was crazy how strong the urge to talk to Ethan had been, not fading with each passing day, but growing. Hearing his words in the letter brought the temptation to call screeching to the surface.

Luckily, one customer after another came in, and then all I could think about was keeping up.

My caffeine buzz was long gone by the time the end of the work day finally came around. As I neared my car, I noticed something on the windshield, and as I walked closer, details started standing out.

White horse with a horn, fluffy white tail and mane, and a bright rainbow underneath.

I glanced around, then picked up the unicorn and hugged it to my chest. I’d never confessed to Ethan that while I was rightabout the game totally being rigged, the way I’d won the stuffed toy had also been rigged.

The yellow note pinned under my windshield wiper caught my attention, and I slid it out and unfolded it. The paper matched the one that’d been in the bag with my muffin, and it hit me that they were from a legal pad. I wasn’t sure if he preferred that type of notebook or he was doing some kind of lawyer symbolism.

I bet he’s an amazing lawyer. Kind and protective, yet fair. Smart. Probably even quotes the Gettysburg Address to impress clients.

I bet most of them fail to see how cool that is, which is a damn shame.

Says the girl who’s failing to see how cool he is.

Not that I failed. I was trying to keep my dignity. Reading this note would undoubtedly make it harder to do that, but it’s not like I couldn’t not read it. Just like I’d listened to every single one of his voicemails.

Steeling myself for a tornado of emotions, I opened up the paper.

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