“You know, I haven’t had the time to read the blog myself, but Ruby filled me in on the highlights.” Whereas Emma and Sloane had been best friends since childhood, Ruby had been a loyal lackey of Carol’s since seventh grade. Sloane had no doubt that Type-A Ruby had a binder somewhere with every embarrassing detail from the blog to give to Carol. Probably even a PowerPoint presentation, too, with an added bonus of pictures from school. “I was cringing just listening to some of your stories. I don’t know how you can stand to be in public right now, to be honest.”

Had Sloane not been taught the ways of faking politeness as a part of her southern upbringing, she would have frowned hard at that. Gritted her teeth a little bit. Maybe growled. Carol was good like that. She had this tone that pushed a person to want to show her up yet somehow reminded that same person that that just wasn’t how you did things here.

Once again, of the many things Sloane was grateful of since the blog had gone viral was the fact that she’d never written about the queen bee. Even after changing all the names of the others, Sloane hadn’t even rolled the dice at incurring her wrath.

“It’s an exercise in willpower, I assure you,” Sloane replied. She glanced over at the bartender. He wasn’t at all interested in them.

Small blessings.

“Well, from what I can tell, for The Girl Who Said Nothing, you sure said a lot.” Carol’s tone dipped into serpent territory. Her eyes were absolutely alight. She was the snake who’d just caught the mouse. Leaning in enough that Sloane could smell her perfume, Queen Bee lowered her voice. “Between us girls, I think it was very smart of you not to tell the world who you-know-who was. There’s no pride to be had when feelings are one-sided, you know?”

Sloane nodded, tight-lipped, and hoped that would be it, but Carol was a bitch after a bone. She turned away from Sloane’s reheating cheeks and motioned to Brady the Bartender.

“The usual for us.” She motioned back to the booth her brother, Ruby, and another friend were seated in. “And another one of whatever our very own celebrity here is drinking.”

Brady’s eyebrow rose at that. Carol looked ready to cackle.

“Haven’t you seen the news? Sloane here is famous now.”

Brady changed his gaze over. Sloane gave him a smile that she hoped was one of several he didn’t remember.

“Oh really? For what?”

“For being in love.” Carol gave her a side wink and then pointed a manicured finger to her phone. “Google her. Sloane De Carlo.”

Sloane opened her mouth to beg for mercy, but Carol seemed pleased at the verbal dance she’d participated in. She squeezed Sloane’s shoulder and was back to her fabricated smile.