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“How’s Bernie? I haven’t seen her in months,” MLS said, her shoulders dropping back as her eyes focused.

“She’s still in Mauritius,” Sloane replied with a smile. “I think she’s in love with it.”

MLS chuckled. “With the island or one of its citizens?”

“A lady never tells,” Sloane replied, pretending to zipper her lips closed.

“Smart girl.” MLS winked. “Give her my love when you talk to her, will you?”

“Of course.” Sloane nodded before clasping both hands around MLS’ hand. “Thank you again for this opportunity.

I’m very grateful.”

MLS patted the back of Sloane’s hand warmly, filling Ari with unmitigated envy. “If what Chad says is true, then it’s us who are grateful to have you. Not that I would expect anything less from Bernie’s niece.”

Ari was vibrating on a new level of barely restrained jealousy. Her connections had gotten her someone else’s spot. Before she could shame Sloane for her privilege, she shut the door behind her and rested against it.

“I owe you one,” Sloane said, closing her eyes as she rested the back of her head on the door. “You seriously saved

my ass.”

Caught o guard, Ari reverted to habitual niceties.

“You’re welcome.”

Why the hell did I say that?? You’re not welcome! You’re the worst!

Sloane opened her eyes. “Can I tell you something that’s been bugging me?”

Ari prepared herself for the worst as she rested her wobbly legs and sat down. “I guess.”

“If you’re not going to change your name, you should use it.” Sloane glanced at Ari’s computer screen where her document was still open. She’d signed the bottom Ari Vidal.

“People will only think it’s weird if you do. Own that shit, Arwyn, or I’m going to keep calling you Frodo,” she added with a curt nod before spinning away toward her computer.

Ari wanted to tell her to mind her business, but she was speechless. Could this be a new angle to mess with her head?

She couldn’t figure out how,

but she didn’t trust her. Maybe the feigned kindness was pity for Ari’s perceived weakness.

She’d only helped Sloane out of self-preservation; it’s not like she’d felt sympathy for her and her terror-stricken eyes.

“Keep the pantyhose,” Ari said when she returned to her computer. “Your Jolly Green Giant body probably stretched them out too much to be useable.”

In Ari’s periphery, Sloane bit back a smile. “I’m sure I can stop at the kid’s section at Walmart on my way home to replace them. Unless that’s too fancy for you.”

Ugh. Jerk.

CHAPTER 15

SLOANE WAS in no hurry when she picked up her legal pad and a pen o her desk. When she heard that Chin Dimple wasn’t going to be in charge of their day-to-day activities, she was relieved.

Then she met Ralph. The Chief Trial Assistant for their division didn’t need a nickname when his parents had already aptly named him after what he was: another word for vomit.

Instead of moving on to juvenile, Ralph had been promoted to CTA where his entire job would be to make sure the five newbies in his division didn’t shit the bed. Sloane was positive that his position had come as a result of his weaselly ass-kissing rather than litigation skills. When Ralph called a meeting of their division, Sloane tried to set up a conflicting meeting with one of her witnesses, but notice had been too short.

“Ms. Medina,” he called out the moment she slipped into the conference room. A clear e ort to embarrass her. “I was wondering if you’d hit some tra c on your way from your