Page 29 of My Twin Sister's Extremely Famous and Incredibly Hot Neighbor

I scratch under Squint’s chin. “I think a lot of people haven’t figured that out yet.”

We start his father’s movie. It’s a cute rom com, where the main character calls a wrong number and they end up having a relationship.

As the movie progresses, I subconsciously get closer to Dustin, until my head is resting on his shoulder. It’s not awkward until he shifts, and I get the impression he wants me to move off him. “Sorry,” I say, and sit up.

“No, I didn’t mean to make you move. My back just hurt. Come back.”

“Are you sure?” I’m self-conscious.

He motions between us. “We’re friends, right? Friends are comfortable around each other. I promise I won’t put the moves on you.”

Disappointment settles over me, but I try not to focus on that. I shouldn’t be disappointed. I want to keep things as just friends between us. Friendship is what I need. I keep telling myself that as I settle back against him.

Dustin pets Squint, and at some point during the last half of the movie his arm goes around me. Friends, I remind myself. He’s not trying anything. He’s just showing me that friends don’t need to be so distant with each other.

I snuggle into Dustin’s side. I love the clean smell of his fabric softener, and the light remains of the cologne he wore tonight. His fingers graze over my arm, lazily, like he doesn’t even know he’s doing it, but it sends my heart into overdrive.

I try to pay attention to the movie, but it’s difficult. All I can think about is Dustin, and how he makes my pulse race. He’s so caring. I feel important when he’s near me. He listens to me. And he didn’t try to downplay my anxiety or make fun of me. He helped me through it, somehow. My emotions surge as I think about all he did for me.

The movie ends, and Dustin flicks off the screen but he doesn’t move, so I don’t pull away. “Have you ever done that?” he asks. “Called someone by accident, then talked to them?”

“No. But once I texted my plumber instead of my boyfriend and asked him what time he was coming over, and if he’d pick up some tampons on the way.”

Dustin’s laughter comes from deep in his chest, and I can’t help but laugh with him. “Seriously? What did he say?”

I try to talk between giggles. “He responded with a few question marks. I was so embarrassed I never texted him again and just called someone else the next time I needed a plumber.”

Dustin’s fingers trace a lazy circle on my arm. My heart does crazy things in my chest. I like the contact. It’s good. Natural. Like we belong together. “That’s hilarious.”

“Can I ask you a personal question?” Dustin’s tone is light, but I sense a serious undertone.

“Sure,” I say before I think too hard about it.

“Was Luke abusive to you?”

I swallow, the question hitting me hard. I sure hope Luke never did anything abusive to Jera, but the way he treated me tonight was scary. It made me wonder as well. I resolve to have a conversation with Jera about this. She needs to know she has support, and she shouldn’t allow anyone to treat her the way Luke was treating me tonight.

Dustin’s lazy tracing stops and he looks at me. “Jera?” he asks, softly. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“I know,” I quickly say. Dustin is waiting for me to answer him, and I have to tell him something. “I can honestly say he has never acted that way toward me before tonight.” Not a lie. But I’m going to get more details from Jera as soon as I can, because the thought of a jerk like Luke pushing around my sister makes me so angry.

“I’m glad,” Dustin says. “I was proud of the way you stood up to him.”

“Thanks.”

Dustin reaches over and pets Squint. “We’ve lived next to each other for a year, and I’ve never seen your dog outside. When did you get your dog?”

CHAPTER15

Iopen my mouth to answer, but then realize Jera doesn’t have a dog, and if I tell him the truth, it will be weird that he hasn’t seen Squint until now. “A while ago,” I say, vaguely.

“You seem to use Squint as a way to cope,” he says softly.

I swallow, not realizing I was so transparent. I know I use Squint as a way to get through my anxiety, but I didn’t realize how much I need him until I didn’t have him tonight. I sort of fell apart at the gala. Would Squint have totally stopped my anxiety? Probably not, but he would have helped. Dustin traces more shapes on my arm as he waits for my answer.

“I do,” I finally say.

“How long have you struggled with anxiety when you’re in crowds?”

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