Page 52 of Dream Girl
Of course, I’d hate to see what would happen if we tried to ban them.
“Not at all. You said you needed shoes. Rose needs some clothes. I thought we could go shopping together and get some food after.” I actually didn’t know if Riley needed shoes or not, but she wouldn’t turn them down.
“Rose, this is my little sister, Riley,” I introduced. “She’s a freshman. Rose is a junior.”
Riley eyed Rose in her pink dress, which complemented her red French braids. “She’s going to my school?”
“She’s starting at Finchley on Monday,” I replied as we went outside to the parking lot.
Riley went to Hadley Hall, a very exclusive prep school here in Rockland, which Spencer paid for. It was the same school that Wes and Lexi had gone to on scholarship, where they’d met Brennan and Katie.
Rose glanced at Riley's shirt. “I love that band. I’ve always wanted to see them live.”
“They’re amazing. I saw them last summer at a festival with my sisters,” Riley told her, looking a little wistful as she climbed into the back of my 4x4. “You can sit up front as long as you pick good music.”
Riley had been four when our parents died. I’d been in the military, so my sisters and grandparents had done the bulk of actually raising her, though Spencer had helped a lot. Now, my baby sis was here with me for high school, as one of my sisters finished her degree, the other worked her dream job, and my grandparents got to travel and enjoy retirement.
“I need gym shoes, shoes for the school dance, a dress to go with the shoes, thegoodsports bras, and markers. Are we going to the big mall or the fancy mall?” she asked.
“The big mall,” I told her as I drove.
“Great. We’ll start with the food court for a snack, then after power-shopping we’ll go to the burger place with the unlimited fries,” Riley said.
The girls’ discussion immediately turned to stores and bands. As soon as we parked, Riley led us to the food court. While they ate hot pretzels and made their shopping plan, I mentally went through the home visit checklist and started ordering things for rush delivery. My phone buzzed.
Wes
How was work?
Me
I’m tired of everyone asking me if I’m okay. I’m at the mall. While I’m here, I’ll get some things for Grace.
Wes
Great. Make me a list and I can order things from Swoop and have them delivered? I’m already making a list of things she needs.
Me
Will do.
Swoop was a big discount store where you could get pretty much everything you needed for yourself and homein one swoop.I’d probably take Rose there soon to get school supplies.
There was also a text from Jett.
Jett
At the mall with Ri?
We all tracked each other's phones, for safety. Grace still needed a phone.
Me
Yep. Also, with one of my clients.
Riley and Rose brought me to a store popular with teens.
“Would Grace like anything here?” Rose looked around at the racks of colorful clothes.
