Page 67 of Caught Stealing

“That your little sister is just like you?”

My eyes flash to him, and I murmur, “An impossibility, seeing as she’s adopted.”

Holden blinks, like he’s not sure he heard me correctly. “What?”

“She and her parents were in a terrible car wreck when she was six months old. She lived, they didn’t.” I pause and clear my throat, trying not to let my emotions get the best of me. “Mom and Dad always wanted another kid, and when the opportunity presented itself, they took it. She might not be my blood, but she’s my sister in all the ways that matter.”

It’s strange, sharing this bit of my family with him. The only person at Leighton who knows the truth about Charlotte’s birth parents is Kason, and that’s because he lived it with me. But as strange as it might be to give Holden this information, I don’t have the power not to.

“I…I didn’t—”

“I know you didn’t,” I cut in, letting him off the hook. “How would you have?”

His teeth roll over his bottom lip, worrying it in a way that makes me think I’m missing something, yet I have no idea what it could be. But then he just shrugs, throwing my thinking entirely off course.

“I guess you’re right.”

I don’t have the chance to open my mouth because Charlotte comes running back down the hall.

“Phoe Phoe, this is your friend Holden, right?” she asks, still running toward Holden, making no sign of stopping until his hands land on her shoulder so she doesn’t collide with his legs.

I open my mouth to speak, but Holden’s charismatic charm takes care of it for me when he squats down, dropping to her level to speak with her.

“I sure am, but I don’t think I’ve met you. What’s your name?”

“I’m Charlotte Louise Mercer, and I’m six years old,” she says, a big smile on her face. “But Phoe Phoe calls me Bug, and since you’re his friend, that means you can too.”

Holden glances up at me and lets out a fake little scoff before giving her his attention again. “You look more like a princess than a bug to me.”

“Thanks, I think so, too.”

He lets out a laugh, “And modest.”

Charlotte’s blonde brows scrunch together as she looks at me. “Phoe Phoe, what does that mean?”

I smile at her, not quite sure I’m ready to explain the inner workings of sarcasm to a six-year-old. “He’s just being silly,” I tell her.

She gives a little shrug before turning back to Holden, totally unphased. “KK said you have pictures to show me.”

“KK?” Holden repeats, his eyes flicking up to me. “Seriously?”

“Judge the nicknames, I dare you,” I warn, my brow arched in his direction. “Because I can easily get her to start calling you HoHo.”

God only knows it would be fitting.

“Like Santa says!” she pipes in, and all three of us start to laugh.

I smile down at her. “Something like that, Bug. Now what do you mean by pictures?”

Even I have no idea what she’s talking about, and from the looks of it, Holden doesn’t either.

Charlotte is radiating happiness and joy when she peers back at Holden again. “KK told me you took pictures of Mingo, and I want to see them.”

Confusion is written all over his face before glancing at me. And then, just like that, the lightbulb switches on.

“Charlotte, I’m more than happy to do that, but I need to tell you a little secret first.”

Her tiny eyes widen and she nods quickly. “Okay. I can keep secrets.”

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