Page 38 of My Twin Sister's Extremely Famous and Incredibly Hot Neighbor

“Close enough.” I scoop up some noodles. They practically melt in my mouth. “Are these homemade noodles?”

He shrugs. “They’re not that hard to make.”

He went through a lot of trouble for me. I try to remind myself that it could be because of the lawsuit, but I’m having a hard time believing it anymore. If there was a way to test him…maybe I could figure out if he’s acting or not. Maybe if I probe him further, get him to open up to me, maybe I can tell if he’s lying. As I eat his amazing soup and croissant rolls, I try to think of things to ask him.

I nudge his knee. “So, you said you were auditioning for a role. Something about a CPR mannequin?”

Dustin nods. “Yeah, there’s this show I am auditioning for tomorrow. It’s a new show calledHit the Beach. I’m auditioning for the part of a lifeguard, so I figured I should know how to give CPR.”

That made sense. “Do you have anything else coming up?”

“Just some commercials I’m shooting next month. I’ve been taking some time off after my last movie.”

I nod and bite into another croissant. After I swallow I ask, “What do you usually do during your time off?”

“I actually love the alone time. I’m an introvert, so being around a lot of people saps my energy.”

I stare at him. “Really?”

“Yeah, why?”

I shake my head. “I’m the exact same way.” How would he have known that? This couldn’t be a fabricated answer. Jera’s not an introvert. If he did research ahead of time to try to get Jera to like him, he wouldn’t have said that. He would have said he’s an extrovert and loves glitz and glamor.

He smiles. “I’ve found we have a lot in common.”

“What are your life goals?” I hope he doesn’t think the question is odd. I really want to know.

He takes a moment to assess the question before answering. “If you would have asked me ten years ago, I would have rattled off a list of goals about my career. But I no longer think that way.”

“Oh?” I scoop out some chicken. “Why not?”

Dustin shifts in the seat and looks at me with his mesmerizing blue eyes. “Because younger me was obsessed with building my career. But I’ve done that. I’m a household name. I’ve gotten the lead roles. Won awards. Now I’m starting to think that having a lucrative career isn’t all there is to life.”

I curl a strand of my hair behind my ear. “So, what are your goals now?”

“My goals have shifted toward being complete. Doing what really makes me happy. Having a family. I’ve never had one. Not really. My parents did the best they could, but they were busy with their careers.” He looks down at the coffee table. “They still are.”

I suddenly understand him on a deeper level. “I get it,” I say quietly. “I know what it’s like to be alone.”

He puts a hand on my leg, and I can feel the warmth of him even through the afghan. “I wouldn’t have believed you a month ago. You looked like you were the life of the party. But now that I’ve gotten to know you better, I can see that.”

“I don’t really have any friends. Not anyone I’m close to,” I admit.

“How close are you with your sister?”

I finish the last of my soup and set the bowl down on the table. I shift, curling up against Dustin. He puts his arm around me, and I give him some of my blanket. Squint shifts and curls up again by my feet.

“We used to be really close,” I say. “We don’t talk as much anymore. We live very different lives.”

“Tell me about her. What’s her name?”

I hesitate because this could get into awkward territory really quickly. But something makes me want to press forward. “Mackenzie. She’s my younger sister. We used to do everything together. Then…we grew up, I guess. And grew apart.”

He presses his cheek against the top of my head. “That has to be difficult.”

I think about all the times when Jera and I would play checkers together, or when we’d hike in the hills near our home. We didn’t have a lot of money for things like video games, so we made up our own things to do. I do miss those times. “I should reach out more,” I say, mostly to myself.

“I bet she would like that.”

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