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Chapter 22

BRIDGETTE

“This is really weird,” I uttered around the table. Since Cara had supposedly talked with Quinn and settled things between them, I didn’t have to hide any longer. So there I was, sitting beside Cara. “And unfair,” I added.

“How so?” she asked as she placed the folder on the table. She and Quinn shared a confused look.

“Now that Quinn is in to our little secret, I can do my job without you pretending to be me where as I still have to go to the hospital and do everything you are supposed to do.”

“But Natalie and your other contacts are expecting me,” she retorted.

“Yeah, I forgot about your gold--” I stopped myself when Cara kicked my leg under the table. “I forgot about your golden beauty of a fiancée, Quinn. Where is she anyway?”

When Quinn spoke, his eyes were on me. “She’s on her way.”

I nodded impatiently. I was really tired since I didn’t get enough sleep after our visit to that bookstore. I lay on my bed all night thinking of what I could sacrifice or if I was willing to sacrifice my life as what Cara thought. In the end, I decided to forget about it. We could always find another answer to our problem. And I still needed to think about Dr. Newman. But that would have to wait.

CARA

When Bridgette stood up to go to the powder room, Quinn flashed me a smile. “If I just close my eyes and listen to the two of you, I could easily point out Bridgette.”

“Who couldn’t?” I asked before taking a sip from my cup.

“And she’s right. This is weird.”

I nodded in agreement. “But this is better for me. I don’t really have a lot of know-how in wedding preparations. And I don’t want to use an earphone while talking with you.”

He had an amused look on his face when he asked, “That’s how she talks to you?”

“And I to her when we are in the hospital.”

An awkward silence followed. We didn’t have a lot of things to say to each other that would not actually tackle the past or the present. And Bridgette was taking her precious time. Where the hell was she?

“And I sense that Bridgette doesn’t like Natalie that much,” Quinn finally broke the silence.

I shrugged. “She doesn’t like a lot of people. You should know that.”

“And you?” he asked.

I looked at him squarely. “Me what?”

“You like Natalie?” I was not sure what he meant by that question or the reason why he asked it.

“I don’t think my opinion of her matters,” I answered.

“You always choose a safe answer whenever you think the truth will cause a problem and I am really curious why you think Natalie is not okay.”

I huffed. “I didn’t say that.”

“I know you well enough, Cara. I can decipher your statements.” He did not look angry at all. He was actually wearing a small smile on his lips.

“I don’t know her enough to give you an honest answer. But I hope you do know why you are marrying her.”

He stared at me for a long time then his gaze wavered and he looked away. “It is still hard to look at you and think you are Cara.”