Page 6 of Just the Wrong Twin

“How are you feeling?” Sonia asked, indicating Elizabeth’s bump.

“Great.” Elizabeth smiled up at Brandon, who was taller than her even though she was wearing very high heels. She obviously didn’t share Shannyn’s concerns about balance. “Enjoying the chance to sleep before the twins arrive.”

“Twins?” Sonia echoed.

“Twins,” Brandon agreed with a proud nod and Sonia congratulated them. “We’re looking at houses nearby so Mom can get her fill of them.”

“And help with babysitting,” Sonia said with a laugh and they agreed.

Thom and Annika were standing closer to the rock wall, as if Thom was glad to be in the vicinity of his usual work place, even for a wedding. One of Annika’s ferrets had evidently joined the expedition and Sonia smiled at the sight of a little nose peeking out of Thom’s jacket collar. Thom managed the rock-climbing wall and was the strong silent type, never saying more than was necessary. He’d been working at the club longer than Sonia. It was funny to see him standing so still and impassive as the ferret zipped around under his jacket, poking out a nose from collar or cuff at intervals. Annika had the little adventurer on a leash, just to be sure, and it had to be wound around Thom under his suit jacket. His patience was epic.

Annika waved at Sonia and shouted hello as Thom nodded. Those two weren’t married but they might as well be. Someone like Thom didn’t let a woman’s pet ferret use him as a playground unless he was a goner—and after all, their love story had inspired the urban legend that people found true love at F5F.

Sonia looked around and felt that she was the exception to that rule.

Meesha appeared then, coming out of the back offices of the club, and bowed to everyone with a flourish. She was single too but Sonia didn’t think her co-worker had any interest in changing that.

“Let the festivities begin,” Meesha said. “I’m here!” The social media goddess of the club was dressed in her signature pink, a suit with feathers around the collar and matching heels that sparkled with crystals. She waved to Sonia, then turned her attention to the big screens, bringing up the connections to those who were attending remotely. “Let’s get this party rolling,” she said to no one in particular.

“Can I help?” Sonia asked but Meesha shook her head.

“Just bringing in the remote guests,” she said. She stood back and raised her hands, as if to sayHallelujah, when the first big screen flicked to life. “Come on down, Kyle!”

The screen flickered then Kyle, the partner who had been managing their sister club in San Francisco, appeared. He was blond, tanned and completely ripped. He was the joker of the team, a jock with a gift for marketing. Sonia always thought he looked like a laid-back surfer, without a care in the world, but his dedication to the club was complete. Sonia knew he and his wife Lauren had returned to New York just days before with their young daughter and were quarantining in their house in Mamaroneck.

“Kyle!” Sonia and the other guests called in unison at his appearance.

Kyle’s cocky grin was as bright as ever. It suited him to be on a big screen because he was larger than life.

“It’s likeCheers,” he said. “Where everybody knows your name.”

“I should hope so,” Ty said. “Given that you’re a founding partner.”

“That sounds like such a serious credential.” Kyle rolled his eyes, teasing Ty as he usually did. “I’d prefer to be universally adored, or unforgettable.”

“Don’t sing,” Ty warned in an undertone. “Please.”

Kyle must have heard because he laughed. “You should be so lucky as to have me serenade you all.”

“What a crushing lack of confidence,” Cassie said.

“As reserved and subtle as ever,” Theo noted.

“Hey! I heard all of that!” Kyle protested. They laughed, then Kyle held up his daughter before the screen. Lauren appeared beside him and looked on with amusement. She was Ty’s younger sister and Kyle’s opposite, serene while he was exuberant. “Wave to your public, Ariel,” he said.

The toddler raised a plump hand and smiled. “Dada,” she said to the screen.

Kyle beamed. “I told you she was brilliant.” He dropped his voice to a stage whisper. “She gets that from me.” Lauren laughed and swatted him, as chatter erupted in the lobby.

There was the inevitable talk between the partners at how much the children had grown and developed. Meesha connected Damon on the second screen as the lobby began to hum with conversation. Damon handled the design for the club and did a lot of coaching in the weight room. He’d chosen to attend remotely, remaining home in Queens with his wife and daughter. Sonia knew that Haley, his wife and a nurse, had been working overtime at the hospital and wasn’t surprised that she looked a bit tired. Haley was particularly careful to manage her contacts outside of work during the pandemic and Sonia hoped she got a break soon. Once they were connected, there was another baby to admire as Damon held up their daughter Natalie.

The final connection was to Pierce’s childhood friend, Midori, also in California, who was attending remotely along with her husband. Pierce stepped closer to that screen to speak to them and Sonia thought they were discussing an orange orchard.

The little heart of Sonia’s tattoo hummed, as if she was missing something—or someone. She’d gotten the tattoo from Chynna, the tattoo artist who had opened a shop in the foyer of the club, on a full moon. It was supposed to summon true love to the recipient—it had worked for Cassie and for Theo, even though they’d both been skeptical. It was burning now, as if on fire, and Sonia pushed up her sleeve to check that there was nothing wrong. It looked the same as usual. She’d had the heart worked into an armband of Celtic knots that looked like a bracelet on her upper arm.

But what was it trying to tell her? There were no single guys except for Simon and Cole, and neither of them had caught her interest.

In that very moment, a guy stepped through the door from the street. He was wearing a navy suit and tie, mirrored sunglasses, and was tall and trim. Jimmy checked his invitation and went through the drill with him as Sonia tried to figure out who he was. He looked familiar, but not quite.

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