“What?” She winked at Walker. “Walker knows what I’m talking about.”
Amusement gleamed in Walker’s eyes, but he didn’t smile.
A flush brightened Sloane’s cheeks, and she looked slightly flustered by my sister’s implication that she and Walker should move in together. “Okay, who’s ready to eat?”
If we weren’t ready, it would be a shame because Sloane had laid out a buffet in the kitchen.
Taking in the array of delicious finger sandwiches, pastries, vol-au-vents, cakes, chips, dips, and salad, I cracked, “Are we expecting more people?”
Sloane grinned sheepishly. “I might have gotten a little carried away. Come on, dig in.”
Soon we were all seated around Walker’s dining table, Allegra, Callie, and Sloane doing most of the talking as Walker and I listened and added commentary when required. It didn’t surprise me that Allegra confessed to Sloane about her art alias and showed off her work to her. She seemed to trust Sloane in the same way I’d grown to believe she was one of the few peoplewho could truly be trusted. I’d add Walker and Lachlan Adair to that list too.
Sloane oohed and aahed over Allegra’s art and seemed as genuinely impressed as I was. “So what does this mean?”
Allegra glanced at me. “We’re going to talk to our parents about me dropping out of art college.”
“Is that wise?” Walker asked quietly.
“I don’t know,” my sisterwiselyanswered. “I just know I’m not happy in LA.”
“Seems to be a family trait.” Sloane smiled sympathetically at me. She knew I would be worrying my ass off about Allegra’s decision.
“I don’t want her to stay somewhere she’s not happy,” I admitted.
“Though I don’t think I could stay here full time,” Allegra said after swallowing a bite of cupcake. “But only because I’d get fat on your baking.”
“You could just not eat my baking.”
I huffed because I’d lived with Sloane and Callie for a few weeks and put on about ten pounds from all the delicious baked goods she left lying around.
Sloane grinned mischievously because she knew exactly what I was thinking. Allegra watched the silent exchange and announced, “I’m so glad you guys have become friends.” She patted Sloane’s arm. “Between you and me, I worry about Aria here.”
Irritation cut through my contentment. “Ally,” I warned.
“What?” She raised an eyebrow. “You’re allowed to worry about me, but I’m not allowed to worry about you? I’m just saying, I’m glad you’ve made a friend here.”
“Oh my God, I’m not in first grade.”
“Speaking of friends, how is North doing?” Sloane swiftly changed the subject. To the wrong one.
I groaned inwardly.
“North?” Allegra’s ears perked up like a puppy hearing the wordtreat. “What about North?”
Sloane gestured to Walker. “Walk and North have become quite friendly. As friendly as macho men can become,” she teased. Her boyfriend barely reacted as he popped a mini choux pastry into his mouth. “But he’s kind of holed himself up in that castle for the past few weeks.”
“Months. Past few months,” I corrected.
“Did he really hurt someone?” Callie suddenly asked, wide-eyed. “That’s what they’re saying at school.”
It horrified me that ten-year-olds were gossiping about this stuff.
“No,” Walker assured her. “He’s a good man.”
“You believe that?” Allegra asked.
“Absolutely.”
