Page 72 of Stolen Kisses

"Our parents’ store became available for sale recently,” I started.

"Go on," Duncan said.

"I bought it."

My brothers didn't say anything for a few seconds, and then Griffin said, "Wow, I didn't see that coming, but that's cool. I wonder what shape it’s in. If it’s still got the original layout. Ifthe fireworks Wyatt and I hid under a loose floorboard are still there.”

“When did you do that?” Finn asked.

“And more importantly, why weren’t we doing it with you?” Knox added.

“Because you were way too young to even care,” Wyatt said.

“Yeah. And, Wyatt, you always said our wild ways wouldn’t rub off on the youngsters,” Griffin added. “And now they’ve surprised us.”

Mom always said they should’ve had a seventh kid, just to break up the groups. Six was easy to divide in twos, so we’d always banded according to age: Duncan and me, Griffin and Wyatt, and Knox and Finn.

Wyatt burst out laughing. “Man, I can’t believe we did that.”

Griffin turned to me. “Why didn't you tell us?"

"Yeah, we would've chipped in," Wyatt said.

"Right, like that's a problem," I said sardonically.

"Obviously not," Knox said. "But then it would've been a gift from all of us."

"I didn't consider that." I got up from my chair, walking around the room. I hated sitting during meetings. "Anyway, I figured I'd ask all of you if you've got any idea how to inform our parents."

Knox chuckled. "Dude, that’s just like you. You go and buy the store by yourself and don't even tell us, but now you ask for our advice."

"Look, I focused on winning the guy over. If it weren't for Hannah—”

"Wait a second," Knox said. "What? Hannah knows? Damn, I had a very good hunch at that wedding that something was up between you."

"How come you told her and not us?" Duncan asked. He sounded perplexed.

I shrugged. My brothers were acting like a bunch of gossips. "I figured she'd understand where I was coming from."

"And we wouldn't?" Wyatt concluded. "You're our brother, but sometimes you're damn weird."

Leave it to Wyatt to tell it to me straight.

"So howexactlydid Hannah help? I'm curious," Griffin asked.

"I tried to offer the guy more money, but that wasn't working. He kept insisting that he wanted someone who would value the place."

Griffin nodded. "And he thought you were just another investor coming in to swoop up the place because of the land."

"Exactly," I said. "But Hannah mentioned that it belonged to our parents, and that tilted the balance in my favor."

“Wait, you didn’t mention it at all?” Duncan asked.

“No. You know I don’t like to talk about personal things.”

“If only you had five brothers who don’t mind talking about stuff like that,” Wyatt teased.

Knox nudged Finn. "Finn, I don't know what you imagined when you made those two dance at the wedding, but whatever is happening goes far beyond that."

---