Catching Her Rival

They swayed to the music, and her anger slowly abated. She remembered the feeling of being held by a handsome man and had the urge to press against his solid form but didn’t want him getting the wrong idea.

“Who are you?” His breath was warm on her cheek. “Besides being my date’s doppelgänger?”

“Allie. Who are you?” She wasn’t about to give him a last name, even if she did share it with the groom.

“Jack.”

“Just Jack?” She looked him straight on.

“Just Allie?” he countered with a damn sexy grin.

She considered it. “Allie Miller, sister of the groom.”

Jack’s feet planted in place, and he stared at her. His eyes narrowed. “Really? The groom’s sister?”

She got that reaction all the time. She’d spent her life explaining. “Scott was born in China. I wasn’t.”

Allie nearly laughed as the lightbulb figuratively came on over Jack’s head.

The song was ending and Allie halfheartedly tried to free herself, but he held her hand. “Let me get you a drink as way of apologizing for my behavior.” Another slow song began, and he pulled her closer.

“No need,” she said a little breathlessly. “I’ve been hearing all night about this woman who looks exactly like me, but I haven’t seen her yet.”

He chuckled, his warm breath ruffling her hair against her cheek. “I know. I’ve been trying to find you again ever since I saw you in the line at the bar. I think Charlotte thought I was crazy until other people started telling her they’d seen you, too.”

Allie nodded, inhaling deeply. She found the hint of his spicy soap or aftershave or something intoxicating. His splayed hand at the small of her back was practically burning through her dress to her skin, and it was all she could do to keep her rubbery legs from giving out. She couldn’t think beyond how his thigh felt so good against hers. She was hyperaware of every cell of her body.

“Charlotte? That’s her name? This woman who looks like me.” A sudden thought caught her by surprise. “Is she your wife?”

He laughed from deep in his chest. “Not even close. She’s a friend, my neighbor from across the street. Someone who needed to get out and have a good time.”

“And yet you’re dancing with me and not her.” She looked directly at him and raised an eyebrow.

His smile in return was almost her undoing. His full lips revealed straight white teeth, and the gleam in his eyes had her expecting a tinkling bell to go off like it would in a television commercial.

He squeezed her hand with his much larger one and whispered in her ear, “She’ll understand.” His cheek rubbed lightly against hers, and her knees nearly folded.

Allie was glad this Charlotte would understand, because Allie didn’t have a clue about what was happening.

One minute she was playing errand girl for her family, and the next she was in the arms of a complete stranger who didn’t feel strange at all.

In fact, he felt pretty damn good.

* * *

JACK DIDN’T WANT to let her go. His attraction to Allie—who was essentially a stranger—was strong and unexpected. He could barely keep his body under control.

He needed to talk about something nonsexual. Not that anything they’d talked about had been sexual in the least. Exactly the opposite. But that hadn’t stopped his body from responding otherwise. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her off.

“I should introduce you to Charlotte,” he said abruptly. He cleared the hoarseness from his throat.

“Of course,” she murmured close to his ear. “I’d love to meet her.”

He had to stop thinking about Allie’s breasts pressing against him.

“As soon as this song ends,” he promised.

“Uh-huh.”

He had to stop wondering what she tasted like. The nape of her neck, her earlobe, her shoulder.

Stop.

He inhaled deeply in an effort to clear his thoughts, but instead caught a whiff of something citrus. Her shampoo? Perfume? Intoxicating, whatever it was.

The song ended.

They drew apart, but Jack held on to her hand. He opened his mouth to speak. Before he could form words, he heard another voice.

“Allie.” The very pregnant Asian woman who spoke sounded out of breath as she hurried toward them. “Do you have that double-sided tape? Mom caught her heel in the hem of her skirt, and she refuses to come out of the bathroom until she can fix it.”

“It’s in my purse.” Allie looked around the room. “I think I left it at my seat. I’ll go get it and take it to Mom.”

“I can do it,” the woman said. “I don’t want to interrupt whatever this is.” She pointed to the two of them with a devilish grin.

“It’s nothing,” Allie insisted.

“Hey,” Jack said automatically.

“You’ve had a long day,” Allie reminded the woman, pointedly ignoring Jack. “Go sit for a few minutes and get off your feet.”

Allie had apology written all over her face when she spoke to Jack. “This won’t take long.” She extricated her hand from his, and he immediately wanted to snatch it back. “By the way, this is my sister, Rachael Thompson.” She said to Rachael, “This is Jack—” She turned to him with furrowed eyebrows. He’d never told her his last name.

Jack put a hand out to Rachael. “Jack Fletcher, cousin of the bride. Nice to meet you.”

Allie smiled. “I’ll be right back. Don’t let him go anywhere, Rach. He’s the one who brought my double to the wedding. I’m anxious to see her for myself.”

“So you admit you’re using me,” he teased loudly as she hurried away.

She shook a fist in the air, and he heard her laugh as she disappeared through the crowd.

* * *

CHARLOTTE FINALLY FOUND the ladies’ room on the lower level, but it was locked up tight with an out-of-order sign on the door. Deciding it would have been easier to just wait in line, she made her way back up to the main-floor bathroom.

The straps of her shoes dug into her feet and she was tempted to take them off, but of course she didn’t. She needed to behave like a proper guest at Jack’s cousin’s wedding, not the frequently barefoot, yoga pants–wearing, free-spirited artist she normally was.

The line was gone by the time she arrived at the restroom. She hurried past the lounge area, where two women were seated on the sofa. They were hunched over, concentrating on some task. Charlotte barely noticed them as she located an empty stall.

“Okay, Mom, I think you’re all set now,” one of the women said.

“Thank you, dear,” the other replied. “I really appreciate your help. I’m glad you were so prepared.”

“I’ll see you out there in a few minutes,” the original speaker said. Then Charlotte heard the opening and closing of the door leading to the hallway.

Heels clicked on the tile floor in front of her stall and someone entered the stall next to her.

Charlotte finished, exited the stall and washed her hands at the sinks. The stall door behind her opened and slammed shut as heels clicked behind her.

“It’s you!”

Charlotte stopped rinsing the soap from her hands to stare at the other woman in the mirror. She couldn’t form words. Everything Jack had said about her having a doppelgänger was true.

The woman stood beside her in front of the sink, her concentration clearly on Charlotte’s reflection. They had the same mouth, identical noses, even a similar hair color and style.

But it was the eyes that got Charlotte. She was staring back at the same eyes that she’d seen in the mirror for the past twenty-nine years.

CHAPTER THREE

ALLIE COULDN’T STOP staring at the other woman in the mirror as she finished washing her hands. She finally swallowed and formed words. “You must be Charlotte.” Allie reached for a paper towel from the pile on the counter.

The woman’s eyes grew round and her lips trembled. “You know my name?”

Allie smiled, unable to comprehend their resemblance. “I was just dancing with your date. He told me your name.”

“You danced with Jack?”

Allie quickly said, “Don’t worry, he thought I was you at first.”

“No, don’t misunderstand.” Charlotte’s hands shook when she reached for a paper towel without breaking eye contact. “Jack and I are friends. He’s been trying to find you since he first ran into you. We thought you’d left.”

“I’ve been running around all day. I’m the sister of the groom. Do you want to sit for a minute? This is all so unbelievable.” Allie gestured to the lounge area of the ladies’ room. She was at a loss for words until she realized she hadn’t introduced herself. “I’m Allie Miller.”

Charlotte took a seat on the sofa. She hadn’t taken her eyes off Allie. “I’m very glad to meet you, Allie. This is definitely unreal.”

Allie smiled. “Isn’t it?” She sat in the chair that was at a ninety-degree angle to the sofa. “I can’t get over how much we look alike.”

“I was adopted as an infant, so I’ve never seen anyone who looks even slightly like me.”

“Me, either,” Allie said. “I was adopted, too.”

“You were! Do you think we’re related?” Charlotte shook her head. “What am I saying? I mean, we must be related. This is too crazy.”

Allie nodded her head. “There’s obviously some connection between us. People weren’t lying when they said we look alike.”

“I should go find Jack,” Charlotte said. “If that’s okay with you. He’s pretty invested in finding out our connection. Besides, I’ve been gone quite a while.” She explained her unsuccessful expedition to find another bathroom on the lower level of the building. “Man, my shoes are killing me.” She reached down to adjust the strap over her pinkie toe.

Allie laughed. “Yeah, I gathered from our conversation that he has as many questions as we do. Not that any of us have any answers. Wait—” she bent down to unbuckle one of her shoes and then the other “—go ahead.” She looked up at Charlotte. “We’ll both take off these painful things.”

Charlotte laughed and did the same. “Ohhh, that feels so good!”

“Oh, yeah!” Allie hadn’t realized how much her feet hurt until she removed her shoes. “I can see how people thought we were the same person. Our clothes and even our hairstyles are nearly identical.”

Charlotte touched her hair. “I don’t usually curl mine, but I decided to since this was a special occasion. Even our feet look the same. Size 8?”

“Exactly.” Shoes in one hand, Allie held the door for Charlotte to leave first. Charlotte toasted her with her own shoes as she passed, and Allie noticed they were the same height, too. She had to give Jack credit. Their dress color was very similar. At least until they were right next to each other.

Allie and Charlotte kept glancing at each other as they walked down the hall to where Jack sat with his drink. The looks from the few people they passed were hysterical. Even some open mouths and gasps.

Jack stood as soon as he saw them coming, a wide grin on his delicious mouth. At least Allie was pretty sure it was delicious. Her tongue wet her bottom lip.

She glanced at Charlotte, wondering if she’d ever kissed Jack. They both claimed to be merely friends, but were they friends with benefits?

She shoved her thought aside. She barely knew the man. Besides, she’d sworn off men for good.

Though she couldn’t deny the instant connection she and Jack had made.

The seating area was comprised of two matching Louis XIV chairs across from a straight-backed sofa, and an ornate black and gold-leaf coffee table that sat in the middle. Charlotte took the chair next to Jack’s, and Allie sat across from them on the sofa. Perfect spot to view this exact replica of herself. She perched on the edge of her seat, anxious to figure out this mystery.

“Tell me—”

“—about yourself.”

The two women laughed when they asked the same thing at the same time.

Jack looked from one to the other. “You’re speaking in stereo. This is really strange.”

Allie said, “You can say that again.”

Charlotte wiggled in her chair.

“What do you know about your adoption?” Allie’s heart was beating furiously.

“Nothing, actually. Yet. I only started thinking about searching for my birth parents a few days ago.” Charlotte told Allie about losing her adoptive mother to cancer and wanting to know her medical history. “My mom was older when she adopted me, in her early forties. She never married, so it was only the two of us.”

Allie saw the sadness in her eyes. “You must miss her terribly.”

“I do.” Charlotte brushed at a tear that escaped from her watery eyes. “Sorry.” Jack patted Charlotte’s arm, and she smiled wanly as she spoke to Allie. “Jack’s doing his best to cheer me up, but I do miss her every day.”

He put an arm around Charlotte’s shoulders and squeezed. Allie approved of how good a friend it seemed he was being to Charlotte.

“What do you know about your adoption?” Charlotte brushed away another tear. “Sorry. It’s still tough talking about my mom.” She sniffed.

“I’ve never looked into my adoption,” Allie said. “My mother doesn’t like to talk about it. When I was younger and asked questions, she’d say, ‘All you need to know is that we chose you and we love you.’ By the time I was an adult, I didn’t feel the need to find my biological parents. Maybe in part because I already had more family than most people.”

“Then you don’t know any more than I do.” Charlotte dabbed at a lone tear on her cheek. “You said you had a big family? Tell me about them.”

Allie smiled. “I’ve got the opposite situation from you. I’m one of five adopted children.”

Charlotte’s eyes grew round.

“My parents lost their only biological child to a rare but fatal genetic disorder that they both carry. He was only a few weeks old when he died. Instead of trying again, they opted for adoption. That’s where I came in. I was their first.” Allie brushed at a lock of hair tickling her cheek. “Shortly before I started kindergarten, they adopted a brother-and-sister pair from China. They were one and three when they came to live with us. Scott—the groom—is my brother.” She looked at Jack. “And you met my sister, Rachael. They were both born with heart abnormalities and were sent to an orphanage so their parents could have a perfect child. Little did they know, a few surgeries later and their children were as good as new.”

“So you have four younger siblings?” Charlotte asked.

“Not exactly. I was the oldest until I turned nine. That’s when my parents adopted my older brothers, Grigory and Nikolay, from Russia. They were also biological brothers. Gregory and Nicholas—Greg and Nick—came here when they were twelve and ten.”

“So you’re the middle child of five?” Charlotte’s eyes—an exact replica of Allie’s—widened.

Allie forced a smile. “That’s right. I’m sure there are hundreds of psychologists out there who would like to study me. ‘Oldest child becomes middle child. Where does this adoptee fit?’”

“At least you can joke about it,” Jack said.

Allie shrugged. “Not always.”

He seemed to be considering her response before he said, “You two are obviously related. Let’s get down to the pertinent stuff. When and where were you born?” He looked to Charlotte first.

“I was born on April 17—”

“1986?” As soon as Allie heard the month and day, she knew the year would be the same.

“Yes!” Charlotte said excitedly. “You, too?”

Allie nodded vigorously, but her excitement wouldn’t allow her to speak for a few seconds. “I was born right here in Rhode Island, but I’m not sure where.”

Jack asked Charlotte, “You were born in Rhode Island, also?”

She shook her head, her confusion evident by her pursed lips. “No. I was born in upstate New York.”

* * *

“HOW CAN THAT BE?” Jack verbalized the question that had to be on all of their minds. “You look so much alike, you sound alike and you were born on the same day. But in different states?”

Jack had been sure from their birthdays that they were twins. But now he didn’t know what to think.

“Coincidence?” Charlotte suggested.

“It’s more than coincidence,” Allie said. “We’re obviously related. Now we need to figure out how we’re related.”

“Maybe we’re cousins?”

“That’s a possibility, but it seems unlikely. Siblings giving birth on the same day in different states... Anyway, I don’t think we’d look this much alike if we were cousins unless both our birth mothers and fathers were twins.”

“Wouldn’t that make you genetic twins?” Jack asked.

“I think you’re right,” Allie said. “But what are the chances that both sets of parents would put us up for adoption? There must be more to it.” She stuck out her hand, palm down, and said to Charlotte, “Put your hand out next to mine.”

As soon as Charlotte did, the resemblance was remarkable. Just like their matching feet.

“You can’t argue with proof like that,” Allie said, “but only a DNA test will tell us for sure.” The other two nodded their agreement. “There’s nothing more we can do tonight.”

“What about your mom?” Jack suggested. “We could ask her some questions and see if she can fill in the blanks.”

Allie shook her head. “I’d rather keep her out of this, at least for tonight. She had pretty bad bronchitis six weeks ago, and between that and the wedding prep, she hasn’t quite regained her strength. Besides, she should just be allowed to enjoy the rest of her son’s wedding day.”

“Of course,” Charlotte said. “And it is getting late.”

Allie jumped up from the sofa. “You’re right. I didn’t realize how late it was. I need to help pack up. Mom’s probably looking for me. Let’s exchange information,” she said to Charlotte, “and we can get together soon.”

Charlotte and Jack stood up, too. “We can help,” Jack said.

“Yes,” Charlotte agreed. “Tell us what needs to be done.”

“Oh, wow, thanks, but I’m sure we’re fine. Huge family and all.”

“I understand completely,” Charlotte said, and Jack nodded his agreement. Allie must really want to keep her mom from seeing Charlotte.

Charlotte retrieved her cell phone from her silver clutch. “Give me your number, and I’ll text you so you have mine.”

“Good idea. I left mine in the car.” Allie recited the number.

Jack was trying to be cool. He could get Allie’s phone number from Charlotte, he supposed. He really wanted to see her again, but she was in the middle of some big family stuff with the wedding and now meeting Charlotte.

And he didn’t want to appear overeager.

“Where are you staying in town?” Jack asked Allie, trying to play it casual.

She named a popular downtown hotel. “I’ll be checking out in the morning.”

“Where do you live?” Charlotte asked before Jack could. “We never talked about that.”

“In Providence,” Allie said.

“Oh, good!” Charlotte was giddy with excitement. “I was afraid you flew in from halfway across the country. Jack and I both live here in Newport.”

“My office is in Providence,” Jack said, pleasantly surprised. “We should get together, maybe grab coffee or lunch this week.” He made the suggestion before thinking it through. Cool, Jack. Real cool.

Allie smiled, and he took that as a good sign. “I’d like that.”

Me, too, he mouthed.

Jack glanced at Charlotte and saw her satisfied grin—she’d obviously not missed his exchange with Allie. “You ready?” he asked Charlotte.

At her nod, he stepped back so the two women could say their goodbyes.

* * *

CHARLOTTE’S MIND WAS RACING as she sat in the passenger seat of Jack’s car on the way home. Amazing! There was someone else in the world whom she must be related to. She wasn’t sure yet how, but they’d soon find out. She was positive they were connected.

“You’re pretty quiet,” Jack said as they drove up Bellevue Avenue. “Are you okay? In shock, perhaps?”

Charlotte turned toward him and grinned. “I’m better than okay.” She was definitely more excited than she’d been in a while. “I’m really glad you asked me to come to the wedding with you.”

“I’m glad, too.” He gave her arm a pat. “Talk about a coincidental meeting.”

“I know. I’m not sure how Allie and I would ever have met otherwise.”

“And she lives so close,” Jack said. “It didn’t hit me until I asked where she was staying that she could have come in for the wedding from anywhere.”

“I’m sure that makes you very happy, too,” Charlotte teased.

“Of course it does. Now you two will be able to get together.”

“Uh-huh.”

He glanced at her quickly before returning his attention to the road. “What does that mean?”

She smirked, but it was too dark in the car for Jack to see her. “It means I’m not blind. I saw how attracted you are to her.”

The muscles in his jaw tensed. “Do you have a problem with that?”

She chuckled. “I think it’s great.” She paused a few seconds. “We are just friends, right? Nothing romantic going on?”

“Of course. I don’t mean that to sound harsh, but even I’m a little confused. You and I are friends, and I never considered you anything more.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“That wasn’t meant as an insult,” he said quickly. “I value friendship, probably more than any romantic stuff I’ve ever been involved in. So if I see you as my friend, then take that as the compliment it is.”

“Got it. Are you considering Allie as another friend?” She already knew the answer.

“Maybe.”

“Hah!” She was enjoying making him squirm.

“Okay, I’m attracted to her. A lot.” He stopped at a red light and looked at Charlotte. “I don’t get it. She looks almost identical to you, so why am I attracted to her and not you?”

“Again, gee, thanks.” Then she laughed because she really was teasing. “Good thing I’m not attracted to you, either, friend.” And that was the honest truth. She sobered and asked the question she’d wanted to ask for a while now. “Why are you so afraid of getting into a relationship, Jack?”

“With you?” His tone was teasing, but his resistance to answering honestly was blatant.

“No. And I don’t mean to pry. It just seems like you have a successful job, a newly renovated house. You’re what, early thirties?”

“Thirty-two.”

“So what’s keeping you from settling down? Not necessarily married, but in a committed relationship?”

“Simple. It’s an allergy.”

Charlotte laughed. “Allergy?”

“I’m allergic to relationships. I inherited it from my father.”

“He never settled down, either?”

“Just the opposite,” Jack told her. “He settled down over and over and over again.”

“And that’s what caused your allergy to commitment?”

“Yep.”

“Well, I think that’s ridiculous. We’ll have to work on that. Give me your cell phone.”

He pulled it from his pants pocket and gave it to her. “What are you doing?”

She took out her own phone, too. “I’m programming Allie’s phone number into your phone so you have no excuse for not calling her. In fact, I think you should call her as soon as we get home so you can make it clear that you and I are no more than friends.”

* * *

IT WAS WELL after midnight when Allie finally collapsed, fully clothed, on her hotel bed.

“What a day,” she said aloud to the ceiling, wiggling her bare toes to bring back the circulation.

She heard a noise that sounded like her cell phone vibrating from under the pile of things she had brought in from her car. She hauled herself up off the bed, hoping it wasn’t someone asking her to do something. Her energy was depleted.

She finally dug her phone from the bottom of a reusable tote bag where she’d put her shoes, makeup bag and anything else she’d thought she might need during the day while away from the hotel.

The phone number was unfamiliar. She opened the message, and a warmth went through her as she read it.

This is Jack. Got your number from Charlotte. Hope that’s okay. Hope to talk to you soon.