“I haven’t seen you in so long, Ryker,” she told my brother. “How the hell are you?”
“Good. What brings you in?”
“Meeting my cousin Bliss here. She’s working with Taylar on a matchmaking game or some shit like that.”
Ryker gestured toward Taylar, who was chatting with some dude in a five-piece suit. “She’s over there making connections.”
Sloane peered over at my sister. “I’ll talk to her in a minute.” She slid onto a barstool and ordered a whiskey sour.
It made sense thatSloaneknew Ryker and Taylar. During a conversation back then, she’d divulged that she was from the Ann Arbor area. Since my father lived in the neighboring city, Ypsilanti, they’d probably attended the same schools.
Instead of focusing on more photo ops for my sister’s new business, I eavesdropped as my brother andSloanetalked about someone they both knew and an upcoming all-class party. Essentially, I’d morphed from photographer to stalker, which was never appropriate. Snapping myself out of the trance I’d been in since she’d arrived, I took a picture of some random people near the buffet table. While I formulated my plan of action—because there was no way I’d pass up the opportunity to get to know her again—I switched out my memory card.
The low rasp of her voice drew my attention back to her again. “I’m also meeting someone here,” she explained. “I agreed to let my sister and my cousins hook me up.”
“I know,” Ryker said with a chuckle. “Blake tried to convince me you were the one for me.”
“Oh hell nah.” She laughed. Loudly. “Oh my God, we would kill each other.”
Ryker gave her a fist bump. “Exactly. When I told her I knew you, she dropped the subject.”
Sloane giggled. “I’m glad she knows when to let something go.”
It was a good thing too. Ryker wouldn’t know what to do with her. But I sure as hell did. I considered it a pure gift from my mother in heaven that she’d crossed my path tonight. And since the stars had aligned, I looked forward to exploring the beautifulSloane Wilsonagain.
