Page 26 of Stealing Sloane

Sloane twiddled her thumbs as Lizzie left the dining room. Glancing at the empty beer can, she sighed.

Should have ordered something stronger.

She had spied a well-stocked liquor cart in the living room. Surely Lizzie’s mate wouldn’t mind if she took a nip.

“Sloane,” Lizzie called as she returned. “This is my cousin, Olivia. Uncle Killian’s daughter.”

She glanced at the slender, willowy woman trailing behind Lizzie. She blinked twice because the woman was unearthly gorgeous, with long silvery-blonde hair and purple-blue eyes. As she came closer, she had to crane her neck because of how tall she was—over six feet, and she was wearing flats.

“You must be Sloane.” She extended her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Olivia is a world-famous super model,” Lizzie announced.

Ah, no wonder she looked familiar.She’d probably seen her on billboards and magazine covers.

“So famous, in fact, that she’s forgotten all us little people.” She smirked at her cousin.

“Lizzie,” Olivia began. “You’re exaggerating.”

“You didn’t even come home for Christmas.” She sniffed. “And you haven’t been saying much on our group chat with Charley.”

“I’ve been busy. And so have you and Charley.” She nodded at her belly. “How’s the baby?”

“Just fine. But, what are you doing here?”

“I’m in town just for the evening. And I missed you.”

“Awww.”

“Hope it’s not a bad time.” She looked sheepishly at Sloane. “Sorry if I’m interrupting your girls’ night.”

“Not at all,” Sloane said. “And this is work, actually. Not that I haven’t been having a good time.” She smiled at Lizzie. “Really, this is kind of fun.” She missed being in the company of others,especially other women. While she didn’t exactly have friends in the clan, she at least had compatriots she could commiserate with.

“Work?” Olivia’s nose wrinkled. “What kind of work?”

“Oh, it’s a long story.” Lizzie gestured to one of the empty chairs. “Sit down. Sloane, you don’t mind if I catch her up, do you? You can totally trust her.”

“Go ahead.”

Lizzie recounted all the events to her cousin, who listened intently.

“Wow. I missed a lot.” She looked disbelievingly at Sloane. “That’s so incredible. I mean, I’m sorry about your parents. But you story is amazing. I think I saw that video, but I never put it together.”

“Well, if you visited every now and then, maybe you’d be caught up,” Lizzie pointed out.

“I know.” She gave her cousin a tight smile. “I’m sorry. It’s been crazy with work. But, I’m here now, and I wanted to catch up.”

“Great, sure.” Lizzie yawned. “Hmmm … all that pizza made me so tired all of a sudden.”

“Lizzie’s been working herself to the bone,” Sloane said. “I don’t think she’s slept more than five hours every night for the past three days.”

“What?” Olivia exclaimed. “That’s bad for the baby.”

“Snitch.” Lizzie stuck her tongue out at Sloane. “Wyatt never lets me stay up anymore. It’s been fun, actually; pulling all-nighters. Like the old days.”

“When you were changing your classmate’s grades?” Olivia snickered. “C’mon, Liz, you should get to bed.”

“Oh, all right.” She yawned. “But you have to do me a favor.”

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