Page 44 of My Twin Sister's Extremely Famous and Incredibly Hot Neighbor

I gather up my courage and stare down at my lap. “I can’t because I don’t have the money.”

Dustin is silent for a stretch of time, and I wonder if he’s going to be upset at me for pretending to be Jera. But when I look at him, he has sympathy in his gaze. “I know a lot of people in Hollywood who are like that. It happens more than you’d think. Don’t be embarrassed. So, you overspent, thinking you’d get a role that you didn’t. Or counting on residuals that dried up. It’s common, Jera. Don’t worry.”

“No, I?—”

“Actually,” Dustin says, interrupting me. “That explains a lot. I understand now why you wouldn’t take my offer on the fence. You needed more money. I’ll talk to my attorney tomorrow and?—”

“No!” I insist, grabbing his arm. I don’t want him to think my not budging on the fence has anything to do with money. “That’s not it.”

“Then what?”

How can I tell him? I search for a way to say it that he’ll understand. My heart climbs into my throat as I seek for the right words. My palms grow sweaty. I’m going to make it clear now. I’m going to confess.

“Jerahas a lot of money.I, myself, don’t.”

CHAPTER23

Isit motionless, waiting for Dustin to gape at me, or yell because I’ve been posing as Jera this whole time. But instead, he nods. “I get it. I have a lot of money tied into my name as well. Money I can’t access. It’s okay. I can help you with finances if you’d like.”

Frustration swells in me. He’s not getting it. Do I need to spell it out for him? But he keeps speaking, so I can’t.

“I seem to attract women with money issues, but the funny thing is, I don’t care about the money.”

I hesitate, unsure what to say to that. “You don’t?”

“No. It’s the lies. For some reason, I’ve dated a lot of women who lie and try to use me. I told you about the last one. She lied so much I don’t even think I really knew who she was.”

I stare out at the ocean as his car hugs the shore, my heart hammering in my chest. “That’s awful,” I say, feeling horrible.

“Trust is everything in a relationship, don’t you think?” He glances at me as he drives.

Shame and guilt descend on me, and I shift in my seat, but I can’t find a comfortable position. “I agree,” I say, because he’s waiting for me to say something. I’m scum, and I know I can’t finish what I started. I can’t tell him I’m not Jera.

The conversation between us turns stiff, and I stare off into the distance. I don’t know what I need to do. A moment ago I was ready to tell him the truth. Now, I can’t even speak. If I tell him, will he be furious with me?

The thought occurs to me that we can’t really be together anyway. My life is in Denver. He lives the Hollywood life. Glamor, glitz and all that. I couldn’t live that life. I’m only here for a few more days. This depresses me more than it should.

Dustin starts the car up the side of a mountain, and the views are breathtaking. He tosses his cell at me. “You can take some pictures with my phone if you want.”

I’m a horrible person for lying to him, but I do want the photos, so I hold up his phone and take some. As we near the top of the mountain Dustin pulls into a lookout spot. “Do you want to get out?”

“Of course.” I jump out of the car and walk to the railing where the views are spectacular. I take a zillion photos as Dustin stands beside me.

The light breeze carries a chill from the water and I shiver. Dustin steps behind me and puts his arms around me. “You cold?”

“Mmm,” I say, liking the contact. I know I can’t have a real relationship with him, but for now, I’ll take what I have. I snuggle into him and try to forget all the guilt from what I’m doing.

We stand on the edge of beauty for what feels like forever, but I’m sure is only a few moments. I rest my hands on his arms, tight around my middle. He leans down until his cheek nestles against my own. “Are you doing okay?” he asks softly.

“I’m better,” I say, a warm connection between us. Dustin makes everything better.

“I know I mentioned this before, but I do think you’d benefit from seeing someone about your anxiety. There’s no shame in it, Jera.”

The way his voice carries concern for me touches me in way I find hard to describe. I turn to look at him. He pulls me close, and I feel my heart beat against my ribcage.

I reach up and slip his sunglasses off. His bright blue eyes see into my soul. The urge to open up to him surges in me. “I know it sounds stupid, but I’m kind of afraid to go see someone about it.”

I’ve never told anyone this, and I’m suddenly all weird and exposed. He nods at me. “I felt the same way. Do you know how embarrassing it was for me to admit that I struggled with depression? Especially when the world watches my every move and deems me successful in everything? I had money, a lucrative career, everything I could want, and still I suffered from depression.”

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