Doppelbanger

by Heather M. Orgeron

  CONTENTS

  Also by Heather M. Orgeron

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Epilogue

  Extended Epilogue

  Bonus Novella: Bagels & Brats

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Excerpt of Boomerangers

  Excerpt from Bashful by Lo Brynolf

  Excerpt of Coming Up Roses by LK Farlow

  Acknowledgements

  About The Author

  Doppelbanger

  Copyright © 2018 by Heather M. Orgeron.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase.

  Cover design and Formatting: Juliana Cabrera at Jersey Girl Design

  Edited: Kiezha Smith Ferrell at Librum Artis Editorial Services

  Proofread by

  First Edition: May 2018

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  Also by Heather M. Orgeron

  Vivienne’s Guilt

  Boomerangers

  Breakaway

  Doppelbanger

  For Ashley—

  My world is a darker place without you in it.

  CHAPTER ONE

  GINA

  I LOVE MEN. Young men. Ones who aren’t looking for anything more than a good time. Cuz I am nothing if not a good time. I’m what a lot of people in this hole-in-the-wall town refer to as a cougar. Well, let the busybodies talk. I’m not fucking anyone’s husband or daddy. I like ’em completely unattached—preferably with a nice-sized dick and just enough experience to know how to use it.

  It’s not that I have anything against guys my own age, or even older men. It’s just that I’m not looking to settle down. Ever. And at thirty-five, there aren’t many guys my age who are still single and aren’t looking to plant their asses in one spot and put down some roots. You can think of me more like moss—mobile.

  I don’t have commitment issues, and I’ve got nothing against children. I just can’t have them. That kind of puts a damper on the whole roots situation. The last thing I need is some guy fancying himself in love with me and giving up his dream of a family, then resenting me the rest of our miserable existence. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

  This isn’t my sob story, and I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me. I won’t go as far as to say I’m okay with it, but it is what it is, and I’ve accepted it. Might as well make the most of my situation and have a little fun while I’m at it. Am I right?

  To settle my biological clock, which to my dismay did not break along with my useless female organs, I’m super close to my godsons. My best friend Spencer and I raised them together until she married her high school sweetheart, Cooper, two years ago. At this very moment, they’re adding two little girls to our brood. And I’m on my way to the hospital with her fifteen-year-old twins, Lake and Landon, and their four-year-old son, Kyle, a.k.a. Savage, to meet their new sisters.

  “Auntie Gigi?” a curious little voice calls from the back seat.

  “Yes, Kyle?”

  “How did my sisters get inside Mommy’s tummy?” Oh, shit. No matter how I answer this, I know I’m going to wind up getting myself into trouble. A cold sweat breaks out across my forehead, and my heart rate kicks up a notch.

  Just when I’m about to hammer the nail into my own coffin, Landon jumps in, saving me from myself. “Your daddy put these little seeds, called sperms, inside of the eggs in Mommy’s tummy, and the babies grew.”

  Sighing with relief, I glance over to the passenger seat at my teenaged hero. “Thanks, Landon.”

  “No problem, Aunt Gina.” He shakes his head, his lips curling into a little smirk.

  “Is that how I gotted in Mommy’s tummy too?” Savage asks his brother, who in turn clears his throat loudly.

  “Well, no...Because, you know how Cooper adopted you?”

  I watch as Kyle’s head nods through the rearview mirror.

  “Well, a man named Alex put his sperm in Mommy’s egg, and you grew in her tummy.”

  Realization dawns on his little face. “And let me guess...that asshole Tate putted his sperms in her eggs to grow y’all?”

  The boys burst into hysterics as I bite down on my lips, fighting to contain my own laughter. I should probably make it known right away that there is a damn good reason we all refer to Kyle as a savage.

  “Well...” A choked laugh escapes my pursed lips as I maneuver my little Audi into a spot in the hospital parking garage. “I don’t think any of us will argue with you on that logic.”

  This line of questioning continues as we navigate the halls, trying to find our way to labor and delivery. It’s all very sweet and innocent until he drops the atomic bomb. “But, Auntie, how did all those men get their seeds in my mom’s tummy?”

  My throat dries up, and I’ve suddenly lost the ability to move my feet. My hand lifts to scrub over my face.

  “Yeah, Gigi,” Lake encourages, clearly delighted by this question. “How did allll those men get their sperm in there?”

  My eyes narrow to little slits. “You are dead to me,” I growl.

  Lake and Landon flank my sides, their arms crossed on their newly muscled chests, awaiting my downfall. I can feel their beady blue eyes burning holes through my cheeks. “Well, umm. You see...the sperm are stored in little uh...compartments called testicles, and when a man wants to make a baby with a woman—usually his wife...he can shoot them into her vagina with his penis...like a water gun.”

  Spit flies from their evil teenaged mouths as they fold over, laughing. Fuckers. “Don’t either of you ever ask me for another thing, ever again. I swear to God,” I hiss, realizing we’ve stopped right in front of Spencer’s room. I shoulder past the still-smirking boys and push the door open before Kyle can ask any more questions
.

  §

  My eyes well up when we step inside. Spencer’s mom, Mrs. Elaine, is on the sofa fawning over the little pink bundle cradled in her arms. Cooper’s mother, Nelly, is right beside her with an almost identical package. The scent of baby lotion fills my nose as I lean in to kiss their little foreheads on my way over to squeeze my bestie. “You look beautiful, Spence. How are you feeling?”

  “Amazing and awful and tired. But mostly wonderful.” She is glowing, despite the dark circles beneath her eyes.

  “Savage, my man!” Cooper calls out, rising from the recliner that is tucked away in the corner beside the bed. He’s absolutely beaming, every bit the proud papa.

  “Hey, Daddy. Did you misseded me?”

  “Sure did.” He makes his way around the small hospital room to grab Kyle’s hand and leads the three boys over to the little blue pull-out couch, where their grandmothers ooh and ahh over the twins. “Boys, meet your sisters, Abigail and Emmaline.”

  As I sit on the edge of my best friend’s bed, taking in the boys’ first reactions to the new babies, I feel her cold hand clutch mine and squeeze. My heart flips in my chest. She deserves this life—this family, this happiness—more than anyone.

  “What do you think, buddy?” Spencer asks as I help Kyle up onto the bed to sit beside her.

  “Be careful, Savage,” I warn. “Mommy’s tummy has a big owie from getting the babies out.”

  “I think they’re all right, but I still wish they were some boy babies instead. I saw some in that big window when we were looking for your room, Mommy.” Kyle’s eyes grow round. “Maybe someone else wanted girl ones and we can trade?”

  “Oh, baby. Don’t make me laugh right now. It hurts,” she says through a strained giggle. “We’re not trading your sisters in. You and your brothers...and your father are more than enough boy for one family.”

  Kyle’s shoulders sag. “Fine. But you have to promise me you won’t let any more guys shoot sperms in your vagima, okay?”

  Spencer’s eyes widen, and dart around the room until they land on Lake and Landon. “What did you two say to my baby?”

  Oh, shit.

  “Don’t look at us,” Landon laughs, throwing his hands up in surrender. “That’s all Aunt Gigi’s doing.”

  Gulp. “Oh, you two helped just a little.” Look at them throwing me right under the fucking bus.

  “Gina!” Mrs. Nelly gasps. “He’s only four.”

  Cooper’s face is damn near purple he’s laughing so hard, and Spencer looks as though she may never speak to me again.

  Sliding out of the bed slowly, I begin moving toward the door. “And that’s our cue to leave. Come on boys. Kiss everyone bye. I have a big surprise for you.” They don’t know it yet, but when we leave this hospital, we’re going straight to the Port of New Orleans to board a cruise ship headed to the Caribbean for a week. I thought it would be nice to do something fun for them while the new babies are soaking up all of the attention. Not to mention the fact that Cooper and Spencer could use the time acclimating to life with twin newborns.

  That’s right. This heart is made of gold. It’s this mouth that keeps my ass in trouble.

  “On second thought,” Spencer starts, fidgeting nervously in the bed. “Maybe this surprise isn’t such a good idea...”

  Oh, hell no.

  Mrs. Elaine shoots her daughter a sideways glance. “Spencer Rose, really? Stop it. You act like you haven’t known Gina your entire life. Now, I told you one day all those baby daddies would catch up to you. Well, here you go.” She waves her arms around the room.

  “Uh, I’m just gonna go out and have a smoke,” Cooper’s father, Mr. Neal, announces before scurrying around me and out of the room.

  “Mother! She’s had them alone for a day. One. Day. And look what she’s done. Imagine the damage she can do in a week.”

  Elaine simply waves her off. “She can’t do anything worse than what you’ve already done, darlin’.” After passing the baby off to Cooper she joins me near the door and leans in to whisper into my ear. “Ignore her. Just take the kids and run, baby girl. Y’all have a great time.” She presses a kiss to my cheek, rolling her eyes at her daughter who’s still ranting in the hospital bed.

  “Did she just call me a bad mother?” Spencer’s hand flies to her chest as she looks to Cooper, who suddenly appears to have seen a ghost.

  “Nuh-unh. Don’t involve me in y’all’s—”

  “So, you agree with her?”

  Oh, dear God in heaven. This must be the leftover pregnancy hormones. While Coop reassures his wife that she’s the most wonderful mom to ever walk this earth, I instruct the boys to say their goodbyes and meet me in the hall.

  CHAPTER TWO

  JEFFREY

  “YOU GIRLS ALL packed and ready to go?”

  My baby girl, Willow, comes bounding down the stairs, her blonde ringlets bouncing with each step. “I tan’t wait to get on the big ship, Daddy!” At three years old, she still looks at me like I hung the moon.

  “I can’t believe you’re making me go on this trip without Savana.” As for this one, and her teenage drama, it seems nothing I ever do is good enough.

  “It’s a family vacation, Evangeline. Savana is not a part of this family.”

  “She’s close enough.” Her big emerald eyes—her mother’s eyes—roll up in her head as she twirls a lock of auburn hair around her pointer finger.

  “Our family consists of you, me, and Willow.”

  “Yeah, well, this family stinks. So, there! If Mom were still alive, she’d understand. She’d let me bring a friend, or at the very least my phone!”

  A knot forms right in the center of my chest. I try not to sound exasperated with her when I clear my throat and reply. “Well, we don’t know what your mother would do, honey, because she’s not here anymore, and I’m doing the best I can.”

  “How is taking me away from my best friend and cutting me off from the rest of the world for seven whole days the best you can do, Dad?” Her eyes well up, her frustration threatening to spill over.

  Times like this I really miss my wife. She would know what to do. How to handle the hormonal mess that is our daughter. Wrapping my arm around Vangie’s stiff shoulders, I pull her close and kiss the top of her head. “It’s one week, baby girl. It’s not the end of the world, I promise. Now get your things and try not to be miserable, huh?”

  §

  “Isn’t this nice?” I nudge Evangeline with my elbow, smiling down at her as we watch the ship leave the dock from the deck of our balcony suite.

  My daughter shrugs her shoulders, but I catch a hint of a smile out of the corner of my eye, and I know that she’s already beginning to get over her upset.

  “You look just like her at your age, you know?” The words slip out of my mouth without thought. I try not to mention her too often, but in reality, I probably don’t talk about her enough.

  At that she smiles. “I miss her so much, Daddy.”

  I thought that losing Jessica would be the hardest thing I’d ever have to endure, but I was wrong. It’s watching my girls grow up without her that kills me a little more each day. And it’s hardest with Evangeline, because she was old enough to know everything she lost. “I do, too, Vange.”

  “I’m sorry I was being a brat before we left,” she offers, cuddling into my side.

  “Meh, don’t worry about it...I’m used to it.”

  She lets out an indignant squeal, and all is right in my world. Or as right as it can be without our missing piece.

  §

  “Time to party, people,” our cruise director Stan shouts, clapping the mic in his hands as he stands on the stage in the center of the main deck.

  “Why dat man wearin’ a skirt?” Willow giggles.

  “It’s called a kilt,” her sister snaps with a roll of her eyes.

  “Well, why dat man wearin’ a tilt?”

  “It’s a boy skirt,” I whisper into my little girl’s ear.

&nb
sp; “In Scotland,” Vangie starts, before realizing it’s too difficult to explain to a toddler, “never mind.”

  “Come on,” I say, lifting Willow up onto my shoulders and moving toward the dance floor before Evangeline has the chance to refuse. There’s no way she’ll stay back alone. “Time for some line dancing!”

  “Oh, my God, Dad. Since when do you line dance?”

  Looking back over my shoulder, I smirk at the look of annoyance on her face. “Since right now.”

  Vangie falls in line beside me, dancing like a pro while I stumble through the moves. “This is so embarrassing,” she complains, but her beaming face tells a different story.

  “Lighten up. No one here knows you. There’s freedom in anonymity. Enjoy it.”

  I can’t believe the things I find myself doing just to see these girls smile.

  CHAPTER THREE

  GINA

  AHHH. THIS IS the life. I don’t know why Spencer was going on and on about vacation with kids not being relaxing. That bitch just isn’t taking the right vacations. Auntie Gina is gonna have to show her how it’s done.

  “Thank you, Philip.” I smile sweetly at the little Cuban guy who keeps bringing me fresh drinks. The staff on this ship take customer service to a whole other level. Before I even realize I need something, someone is already taking care of it.

  I do find it odd, however, that their nationalities are etched above the names on their badges, and can’t help but think of the discrimination lawsuits that would bring on in America. As a matter of fact, I don’t think I’ve seen a single American employee. I couldn’t begin to imagine having to serve other people for a living, but everyone here is so accommodating. They really seem to enjoy their jobs, so it’s probably for the best.

  “See you in a few minutes, Phil!” I call after him as he heads off in the direction of the bar. Then, I grab my phone and flip the camera to selfie mode.

  With my free hand I fluff up the blonde hair at the crown of my head to give it more volume. Then I adjust the girls in my hot pink bikini top, grab my daiquiri from the little side table, flash my pearly whites, and snap.