The Love Twin. Patty Salier. Читать онлайн. Newlib. NEWLIB.NET

Автор: Patty Salier
Издательство: HarperCollins
Серия:
Жанр произведения: Современные любовные романы
Год издания: 0
isbn:
Скачать книгу
her sister explained, telling her about Jarrid’s marriage proposal. “Jarrid wanted a wife, but I was too young to get married. I needed to explore who I was. But now, Beck, I wonder if I made a terrible mistake.”

      “What do you mean?” Becky wanted her sister to find happiness with a man, because Pam couldn’t seem to settle down with one man in her life. Yet she secretly wished that man wouldn’t be Jarrid Browning!

      “Beck, maybe I was dumb back then,” Pam hurried on. “I’ve dated so many guys since Jarrid, but I’ve never met a man as special as him. Do you think he really is the one for me?”

      Becky felt momentarily speechless. “Well, sure, I mean, he might be, I guess.” Deep down, she wanted to hear her sister say that she had no feelings at all for Jarrid.

      “Beck, I know this sounds totally insane,” Pam rushed on. “But could you keep Jarrid thinking you’re me?”

      Becky couldn’t breathe. “What?”

      “I don’t want to lose him again,” her sister quickly explained. “I can’t prove to Jarrid that I still care about him when I’m so far away. I need him to see how sorry I am for tearing us apart. Beck, can you do that for me?”

      Her throat felt dry. “I—I can’t. I’m not you, Pam.”

      “Exactly,” Pam hurried on. “I’m so bold and impulsive. That’s what made me lose Jarrid in the first place. But you’re sweet and sincere, Beck. You can open his heart to me again. Please, Beck, play like you’re me—just until I move to Los Angeles for that job you’ll be getting for me.”

      Becky’s mind was whirling. She wanted to say yes so she could have an excuse to see Jarrid again. Yet the whole idea was plain crazy.

      “Pam, I don’t know anything about you and Jarrid,” she stammered. “I don’t think I can pretend—”

      “I’ll special deliver you my high school diary,” her twin cut in. “I wrote down every detail of my relationship with him.”

      “What will happen when Jarrid finds out you’ve fooled him?” she worriedly asked. “It won’t be fair to him, Pam.”

      “Jarrid knows I’m a joker card,” her sister explained. “And he’ll doubly appreciate all I did to get him back. Plus, you’ll get to spend time with a wonderful man after depriving yourself of male company for so long. Come on, Beck, will you do this super favor for me?”

      Just then, Becky’s call waiting clicked on the phone. She felt a moment of torturous relief.

      “Pam, hold on a sec. It’s Charlotte about your new job.” She quickly switched to the waiting call. “Charlotte, I can be at your office at whatever time is best for—”

      “Becky,” Jarrid’s deep voice resonated in her ear, “I hope you don’t mind my calling. I got your number from the membership list at the gym.”

      “Jarrid—” Becky’s heart started wildly pumping. “Could you hold on a moment? I’m on another call.”

      “If this is a bad time—”

      “Oh, no, you’re perfect, I mean, it’s okay,” she stammered, her heart fluttering. “I’ll be right back.”

      Becky anxiously switched to her sister. “Pam, it’s Jarrid. What am I going to tell him?”

      “Beck, here’s your opportunity!” her sister said, excitedly. “Will you treat him special for me? Ask him to lunch. That’ll make him feel great.”

      “I can’t!” Becky blurted. “I’ve never asked a man to lunch before.”

      “Jarrid won’t believe you’re me if you play Ms. Shy and Reserved,” Pam said. “Let go of your silly inhibitions. Be spontaneous for once in your life.”

      “Pam, I don’t know if I can—”

      “I gotta go,” Pam quickly cut in. “I love you, sis! Good luck!” Then she hung up.

      Becky’s hand was sweating as she held the phone receiver, knowing Jarrid was waiting for her on the other line. She felt weak at the knees, exhilarated and terrified at the same time.

      Get close to Jarrid? That was her ultimate fantasy the very second she met him.

      Her heart was thumping as she put a trembly finger on the button that would connect her with Jarrid. She couldn’t do it! Pam had to understand. It wasn’t in her to pursue a man, especially someone as incredible as Jarrid Browning!

      Two

      In the small office at the back of his store in Santa Monica, Jarrid anxiously squeezed the phone in his hand. He was so hyped up he couldn’t even think straight. He wondered why Becky was taking so long to come back to his call. Was she thinking of excuses to hang up on him?

      Stop being paranoid, he told himself. He was sure she sounded excited when he first called. Or was he just imagining it to convince himself that he could steal back into her heart?

      He didn’t even know why he was calling. He had an appointment at a customer’s house in Beverly Hills to deliver a sixty-inch, high-tech television screen. His technician, Pete, was waiting for him in the van out front. But he couldn’t go until he talked to Becky.

      “Jarrid, I’m sorry I took so long,” her soft voice suddenly whispered in his ear.

      He swallowed. “Becky, I know you don’t want to talk to me.”

      “Yes, I do,” she quickly cut in.

      He held his breath. “Then why did you pretend you didn’t know me at the pool?”

      “Because my mind was all foggy and cluttered,” she rushed on. “Yours would be, too, if your nose and throat were clogged with chlorine.”

      He had to smile. “Maybe I was a bit overly sensitive.” He instinctively put the receiver closer to his lips. “Wouldn’t you still be sensitive if you were on my end the night of your prom?”

      He felt her hesitate. “Jarrid, I was really immature then,” she began. “I didn’t know what I was saying.”

      Jarrid’s hopes rose. “What do you mean, Becky?”

      

      Becky felt a rush of excitement hearing Jarrid’s deep, masculine voice so close to her ear. She nervously glanced at the framed photograph of her and Pam arm in arm hanging on her living room wall. Pam, help! she silently begged.

      “Jarrid, I wasn’t very good at communicating my feelings back then,” she disclosed, trying to think of what her sister might say. “I was too abrupt and insensitive. I should’ve told you I was too young to get married. I should’ve been more gentle with you.”

      Jarrid was silent for a long moment, and she wondered if she’d said the wrong thing. She didn’t want to mess it up for her sister. Becky knew she shouldn’t have agreed to this and planned to call Pam back and tell her she couldn’t pretend to be her a moment longer just as soon as she hung up with Jarrid.

      “I’m confused, Becky,” Jarrid admitted. “Half of me wants to see you again. But the other half—”

      “Do you think you might be able to ignore that second half?”

      His voice was almost a whisper. “Do you really want me to?”

      She could almost feel his warm breath on her cheek. A tingle of pleasure cascaded from her breasts down to her toes. Her heart fluttered wishing it was her he was talking about wanting to see. But remembering her sister’s love for him, she ignored her own response to him.

      “Jarrid, can’t we start over? I mean, seven years have gone by, and we’re both so different now.”

      “I want to, Becky, but I’ve got to be honest with you.” She