Page 214 of The Vacation Mix-Up
“What are you doing?” Riley asks his sister.
“Chasing after you.”
“Who’s minding the shop?”
“Mom. Who else?” She gives him a duh-face, steps up to us, and shoves his shoulder. “Stop being rude. Introduce us.”
Amused, I offer my hand. “Hi, Veronica. Sorry about before.”
Riley frowns. “What happened before?”
I wince apologetically. “I kinda bumped into her when I left the shop.”
“I’m Poppy!” his niece says, racing her mother to shake my hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
Bending over, I smile and lightly grip her little fingers with mine. “Pleased to meet you too.”
She animatedly wrenches my arm down and then up, down and then up again, her bracelets jingling on her wrist.
“Those are pretty,” I say, gesturing to them. “I had one just like it.’
“What do you meanhad?” Riley asks.
I side-eye him. “I was mugged last night at gunpoint, and he stole my?—”
“You were what?”
I swish my hand at him. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It damn well does matter.” He reaches down and tips my chin so that I’m looking up at him. “Riles? What the hell happened?”
As I’m about to explain, Poppy pushes her uncle’s hand away and replaces it with hers, turning my head back in her direction. She then removes her purple bracelet and threads it onto my wrist.
My jaw drops.
My heart stops.
“For me?” I ask, blinking back tears.
She nods.
I clasp her tiny fingers in mine. “Thank you, Poppy. That’s very kind of you.”
“Nanna says kindness is rewarded, so what’s my reward?”
I burst into laughter, as do Riley and Veronica.
“How about ice cream?” Veronica offers. “Come on, little miss. Let’s visit Mrs. Parberry.”
Sliding her hands from mine, she retakes her mother’s and skips off.
“She’s adorable,” I say, sighing. “Why on earth would you roofie her?”
“Riles—”
“Georgia deserved roofieing. That little sweetheart doesn’t.”
“Riles—”
