Page 31 of Eleven of a Kind

“I hate you.” She slammed her phone into my palm and ran up the stairs.

I wouldn’t lie and say I didn’t feel my heart break a little when I heard those words come out of her mouth.

“What is going on in here?” Grayson asked as he stepped through the sliding door. “I could hear you two shouting.”

“You’re never going to believe it. Riley was caught shoplifting.”

“What?” His brows furrowed.

“I got a call from a woman named Piper Primrose. She’s the owner of Primrose Boutique in Santa Monica. Riley shoved a shirt and a dress into her backpack and was going to leave the store when she got caught.” I walked over to the bar and poured myself a scotch.

“Damn. Did the owner call the police?”

“No. She called me instead. I had to go there and pick Riley up. But here’s the thing. She let Riley keep the shirt and dress, and Piper is making her come to the shop a couple of days after school to help her around the store and pay for the clothes.”

“I think that’s a good idea. It’ll teach Riley responsibility,” my brother said. “How is she getting there, though?”

“Piper said she’d pick her up from school and bring her to the shop. Then, I’ll pick her up after I leave the medical center.”

Grayson’s brows furrowed. “Why would she do that?”

“I have no idea.” I finished off my scotch. “And get this. Piper Primrose, the owner of the shop, is fucking gorgeous.”

“Excuse me?” His brow arched. “How old is she?”

“I’d say late twenties.”

The corners of Grayson’s mouth curved upward. “Is she married?”

“I didn’t see a ring on her finger.”

“Oh, so you looked.” A smirk crossed his lips.

“Yeah, I looked. Any man with two eyes would have. Riley told me she hated me because I grounded her and took away her phone.”

“She doesn’t mean it, bro. How many times did we tell Dad we hated him but didn’t mean it?”

“True. But it’s different when you’re on the other end of it.”

“Give her some time to cool off and then talk to her.” He patted my shoulder. “I’ll talk to you later.”

* * *

Grayson

I stepped through the sliding door and grabbed hold of Ava’s hand.

“What are you doing?” She laughed.

“Taking you shopping. Let’s go.” I grabbed my keys from the island.

“Shopping? Where?”

“A boutique called Primrose in Santa Monica. Pull it up on your phone and give me the address,” I said as we climbed into the car.

“Grayson, what is going on?”

“Long story short. Riley shoplifted from there today, and the owner, Piper, called Gabriel to come pick her up. Gabriel said she’s gorgeous.”

---