Somebody Like You by Beth K. Vogt Read Free Book Online

him down through the worn mesh screen. Even with her body shadowed, he saw her jaw clench, heard the swift inhale. She half-lifted her hand—why? To push him away?
    “You look just like Sam.”
    Stephen nodded. “Always have.”
    “When were you born?”
    “May 20, 1983.” He wasn’t sure what the personal trivia accomplished—just looking at him proved he was Sam’s twin. But he’d play along if it kept the woman on the other side of the screen door happy.
    “Who are your parents?”
    “Joe and Miriam Ames. They divorced when Sam and I were thirteen.”
    “What was Sam’s full name?”
    “Samuel Wilson, after the superhero the Falcon.” Stephen couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “My name is Stephen Rogers, after Captain America. Our dad was a real Marvel comic book fan.”
    Haley didn’t crack a smile. Didn’t even blink. “Why are you here? Now?”
    He risked taking a step forward, only to have Haley step back behind the muted blue door and start to close it. “Wait. Please. Hear me out.” They stared at one another, as if through shadowed glass. Now that he had her attention, how could he explain twelve years of silence? “I wanted to make things right between Sam and me.”
    “A bit late for that, isn’t it?”
    Her words, rough as unsanded wood, scraped at the wound Stephen still didn’t know how to live with. He could look back and count all the days he’d lost—and could look ahead and see the same: days lost with his brother. “Yes.”
    “Then why are you here?”
    He cleared his throat. Tried again. “I want to know who my brother became . . . and I want to help you and the baby, if I can—”
    “If Sam had wanted a relationship with you—if he wanted us to have a relationship with you—he would have contacted you.” The door was closing in his face. “And I— we don’t need your help.”
    The barrier between him and what he’d come for was back. At least she hadn’t shot him. But with her words, Haley Ames had killed any hope of his connecting with his brother.

    Haley stood with her eyes shut, forehead pressed against the hard surface of the door, hands clenched. Maybe by the timethe blood stopped pounding in her ears she would be able to forget Stephen Ames existed.
    “You’re not going to talk to him?”
    The sound of her best friend’s voice reminded her that she wasn’t alone. At least, not for the moment.
    “I said everything I need to say to him.” Haley turned, sagging against the door and crossing her arms.
    “Really? You caught up on, oh, I don’t know, a dozen lost years with Sam’s brother?”
    It wasn’t like Claire to be even slightly sarcastic. Supportive, yes. Kind, yes. “There’s no reason for me to ‘catch up’ with that man.”
    “Except for the fact that he is Sam’s brother—his extremely identical twin brother, from what I could see.” She shrugged and offered a smile that didn’t even hint at repentance. “Sorry. I peeked through the bay window.”
    “Mirror twin.”
    “What?”
    “I think they’re mirror twins. I looked it up this morning before you came over. Sam was left-handed. His brother’s right-handed. That kind of thing.” Haley pushed away from the door and reclaimed her place on the couch, dunking a chip in the cream cheese and popping it in her mouth. Crunchy. Creamy. Yum. Junk food was always good for what ailed her.
    Claire turned her face away. “Honestly, Hal, does your doctor know what you’ve been eating?”
    “My weight gain is fine—I have the metabolism of a hummingbird. And I drink lots of milk.” She dragged another chip through the cream cheese, nibbling on it without looking at Claire.
    “Never mind—it’s hopeless to talk nutrition with you.”
    Haley waited on the couch while Claire refreshed her tea. When the baby moved, she rubbed the area with her fingers.It seemed as if the only time she thought about her baby was when he kicked, as if to say, “Hey, I’m in here!”
    Claire joined her