Page 77 of Just the Wrong Twin

Katia was wearing spike-heeled black boots and slim black leather pants. She had a tight leopard print T-shirt and Sonia could see her black bra through it. Her leather jacket was cherry red and matched her lipstick—as well as her suitcase. Her hair was loose, long and blond the way Sonia’s had been just a week before.

After greeting Nate, so to speak, Katia halted in the middle of Sonia’s apartment and parked the suitcase there. She flung her jacket over the big chair, tried to catch her breath and failed, then rummaged in her designer purse. In a matter of moments, the entire apartment would be covered with her stuff. Sonia knew how this would go and she was determined to stop it.

“No cigarettes here,” Sonia reminded her. “We agreed.”

“But you always let it go.”

“I’m done being a pushover.”

Something in her tone must have revealed that she meant it. Katia swore and put the package back in her purse, then glared at Sonia. She pushed her jacket to the floor and dropped into the big chair, still breathing heavily. “And you couldn’t live on the first floor, or even the second,” she grumbled.

“I like the view,” Sonia said, waiting for trouble.

“Walls,” Katia said with a dismissive gesture.

“Sky,” Sonia corrected, since the buildings opposite her windows were shorter, at least for now.

“Whatever.” Katia glared at Sonia. “What did you do to your hair?”

“Cut and color. Like it?”

Her sister grimaced. “We don’t match anymore.”

“That kind of works for me.”

Katia made a little growl of dissatisfaction.

Nate gestured with his prosthesis, indicating the suitcase, and Sonia didn’t think it was an accident that he chose that arm. “Looks like you’re moving in or staying until Christmas.”

“Iammoving in,” Katia said. “It’s the only possible solution.”

“No,” Sonia said. “You’re just on your way somewhere, catching a private jet to a readers’ conference.”

“No,” Katia insisted, her gaze locking with Sonia’s. “I’m moving in.”

“No,” Sonia replied. “This place is too small for both of us…”

“It’s the only thing that will work.” Katia spoke firmly.

“It’ll never work. I’ll kill you in your sleep.” Sonia was aware of Nate looking back and forth between them, as if he was watching a tennis match. She didn’t want to have this fight in front of him, but she also didn’t want to have Katia in her place.

“No, you won’t, because you’re leaving,” Katia said as if that was completely reasonable.

“You can’t just show up here and kick me out of my own place after everything else you’ve done.”

“This situation is not my fault,” her sister insisted, interrupting her.

“That you’re here, in my place, with a suitcase? Of course, that’s your fault. You chose to come. You’re choosing to interfere in my life.” Sonia glared at her sister. “Again.”

“It’s not like I castthemin those roles so true love could conquer all,” Katia argued. She rolled her eyes, a sign that she also thought this was a publicity trick. “As if either of them ever loved anyone they didn’t see in the mirror each morning.” She reached for the cigarettes again. “Just one?”

Sonia shook her head and Katia sighed. “I’m not so sure you didn’t arrange this.”

“Be serious. It’s easier when they’re not talking to each other,” her twin said, which was true. “Then neither of them wants any reminders of time spent with the other one, which includes us. Why would I screw with that?”

“What about Valentine’s Day? That was definitely your fault.”

Katia winced. “Okay, but this,thisis not my fault!” She pulled off one of her boots. Nate was watching her with a kind of fascination, the way Sonia might study a big spider on her wall. “The thing is that you don’t know Tobias blew it.”

---