Olivia groaned, slapping a hand on her forehead. “And what would Dad have to say about that?”
“What? I’m married, not dead,” she said. “No wonder Renée calls him intense. I’m shocked you didn’t spontaneously combust with the way he looks at you.”
Warmth crept up her neck. “Mom, please?—”
“And you’re a grown woman, plus I’ve never shied away from talking about sex with you and your brother. I raised you both to be sex positive.”
“Yeah, Iknow.” It had led to some rather embarrassing moments in their youth, ones that both she and Arch chose to forget.
“And you know your father and I weren’t married when we had your brother.”
“Can we talk about something else?”
Her mother seemingly didn’t, or refused to, hear her. “He’s your True Mate, so I know that’s a good foundation. And it can be a wonderful thing, falling in love with someone who’s meant for you. It’s not always a guarantee, but it helps.”
Love?
Olivia’s heart slammed into her ribcage. Thankfully, before she could even process her mother’s words, Eli had reached them.
“Hey,” he greeted, his expression softening. As his gaze flicked over to her mother, however, the most comical look passed over his face. “Uh … you must be Mrs. Jones.”
“And you must be Eli.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “Yes, ma’am.”
Olivia frowned.
Was he nervous?
Her mother placed a finger on her chin as she assessed him from head to toe. “I suppose it’s too late to ask what your intentions are with my daughter.”
“Well, uh?—”
“You don’t have to reply to that,” Olivia interrupted. “Mom, please.”
“It’s not too late for a shovel talk though,” she said rather cheerfully. “Am I going to have to give you that talk, Eli?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Good.” She patted her arm. “You’ll come to dinner at our place when you get back to from Boston.” That did not sound like a request.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Thankfully before her mother could say anything else, a black SUV pulled up in front of them.
“Hey, guys,” Jacob greeted cheerfully as the tinted windows rolled down. “Ready to leave? Oh, hey, Aunt Luna.”
“Hi, Jacob. Is Sloane in there with you?”
“Right here, Aunt Luna,” Sloane called, waving from the passenger side.
“Hi, sweetheart, how are you? Did you take home those egg rolls from the party?”
“Of course, I did. Thank you so much.”
Sloane wasn’t kidding when she said the entire family liked her. All the women wanted to take care of her after hearing about what she went through, growing up as an orphan in the Boston clan and being forced to steal for Ronan Forte. The men, on the other hand, admired her boldness in trying to take on the corrupt Alpha by herself and her kick-ass fighting skills. Jacob said when they first met, Sloane had knocked him out with a roundhouse kick to the face.
“She finished them in the car before we got home,” Jacob said, sulking. “Didn’t even leave one for me.”
