Page 26 of Hypnotized By Love

“I don’t think you want him to leave you alone.”

That was almost as ridiculous a statement as me saying I was angry about him calling me pretty. “Are you serious? I very much want him to go away.”

“I don’t know.” She still looked down. “You’ve been talking about him nonstop since you first saw him.”

“And? Seeing him and being around him is traumatic. I’m processing.”

“Okay. Whatever you say. But you do seem a little jealous of his date tonight with Bridget.”

Of all the inane things that my twin had ever said to me, that had to take the cake. “I am not jealous. I turned him down, and then he settled for the next best thing.”

Crap. I did sound jealous.

Her eyes lifted. “I would probably be the next best thing, given that I look just like you.”

My heart froze completely and then began a low thudding in my chest. Was this why Sierra was acting this way? Did she have feelings for Mason? Had she always wanted to be with him and I was standing in her way?

“Do you like him?” I asked in a strangled voice.

“Ugh, don’t look at me like that. Of course not! No, Mason has always been like a brother to me. I donotwant to date him. I’m still technically involved with Joseph.”

At that declaration I relaxed, not realizing that my entire body had tensed up. “I thought you were going to break up with him.”

“I am. I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

“Then don’t text him cute, couple-y things like you’re still together.”

“For sure.” She nodded. “But for argument’s sake, what if I already did?”

“Sierra,” I said with a groan, “don’t make me drive over to his house and end this thing myself. You deserve so much better.”

“I know, I know. I’ll end it. Soon.” At that, she got up and brushed her potato chip crumbs all over my floor. Which meant I’d have to vacuum before I left, because the ants outside were just waiting for an excuse to come marching in.

While in the past I might have complained to her about it, I didn’t do that anymore. I was just happy that she was eating, and eating something she was so obviously enjoying.

I went over to her and wrapped her in a big hug. She mumbled a protest but then hugged me back.

“I just really love you, okay?” I said, willing myself to not start crying, my chest aching from how much I loved her. My sister was the best. I was so proud of her and the progress that she had made. She might have been misguided where Mason was concerned, but she was an incredible person, and I was so glad that she was my twin.

“You’re such a sap,” she said, then let me go and headed for the door. “Have fun crashing someone else’s date.”

“I was invited,” I reminded her.

She paused in the doorway and looked back at me. “Keep an open mind, would you? Sometimes things aren’t what they appear to be.”

Given that Sierra wasn’t the kind of person prone to making cryptic statements, I wanted to ask her what she meant, but she was already gone.

Which was probably for the best. If she was pro-Mason, I didn’t need to hear about it. I glanced at myself in the mirror, and that teenage girl inside me, who absolutely refused to stay quiet, wondered if Mason would like what he saw.

I didn’t dress up for him,I told her and gave myself a satisfied nod. I’d dressed up partly because I enjoyed it but mostly because if I was going to wade into the belly of the beast, I needed to have a certain amount of confidence.

No more delaying.

Time to go bust up a date.

CHAPTER NINE

I intentionally arrived early at Murphy’s Alligator Emporium and Restaurant. It was about half an hour north of Playa Placida, and it was one of the biggest tourist traps in a fifty-mile radius, which was really saying something because Florida was lousy with tourist traps.

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