Page 16 of Double Take

She’d be insane to consider it. John had been created tobeMark. What if the self-effacing, accommodating Mr. Nice Guy’s congeniality was an act? Mark had fooled her for a while, too.

Except, the circumstantial evidence looked conclusive. Rusty liked him. His behavior and personality had been different the night of the gala. He could eat nuts. He’d purchased her favorite piece of pottery.

“You’re only here for three weeks. Then what happens?”

“Then I return to Earth and…my job.”

Could he really flip a switch, John today, Mark tomorrow? Did she dare risk spending time with someone who changed personalities as easily as he changed his clothes?

Some women repeatedly hooked up with the same type of man and wondered why the relationships didn’t work out. Could she find anyone more like her ex than an exact genetic match? Besides, she wasn’t interested in a relationship right now. Nor did she wish to date.

She’d put her disastrous marriage behind her. She had a new life and a growing pottery business. Why complicate a good thing?

Except, his open, honest, vulnerable face urged her to give him a chance. And it would be short-term. He’d be gone soon anyway. However, she needed to be smart, logical. Use her head. Don’t rush to a decision.

He’s the one.

“Let me think about it,” she said.

* * * *

“How did it go?” Amity grinned smugly when Faith returned to the shop.

“You should know. You pretty much watched the whole thing.”

“You seemed chummy.”

“We talked, that’s all.” But hadn’t it seemed like more than that? Like they were establishing a connection?

“Was it weird being with someone who looks like Mark?”

“At first. His personality is totally different. It was like being with Mark’s twin brother.”

“How are clones different from identical twins anyway?”

“Twins share the same DNA from two parents. A clone is formed from the DNA of a single individual.”

“Are you going to see him again?”

“He’s leaving in three weeks,” she replied.

“That doesn’t answer the question.”

“The answer is, I don’t know. I need to think about it.”

“What is there to think about?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “They say insanity is doing the same thing but expecting different results.”

“You said he’s not the same.”

“How do I know that for sure?” She’d been fooled once. How much of Mark’s personality had he inherited?

“By going out with him again!” Amity sounded exasperated.

He’s the one.

“Aren’t you curious to find out how different he is? Think of it as scientific observation.”

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