Sweet Billionaire Stepbrother(9)

For a moment I imagined my two best friends as a couple. They'd be really cute together. Sloane was blonde, like Mum and Taylor. She was stunning too, nothing mousy or boring about her; she wore her skin comfortably. She could’ve easily pulled off any one of the dresses in this overpriced shop.

A pang of envy that twisted my gut. What was I jealous of? Her flawless beauty or that she could legitimately be Grayson’s girlfriend? Come to think of it, she had taken extra care with her hair and make-up ever since Grayson came home. And she’d been hanging out at mine a lot more than usual. Why had it taken me five days to work this out?

Suddenly I wasn’t as hungry any more. Not that I wouldn’t be happy for them if they got together, but there was just something about it that didn’t sit well with me.

Stop being a bitch. They'd be perfect for one another.

I’d always get to hang out with my two best friends, what could be better?

Thirty minutes later, we walked into the café my mother loved to frequent. Mum stopped at a few tables along the way to our table to greet her friends. She probably knew half of the people in the place.

Doesn’t anyone work like regular people?

The place was buzzing, clearly a favorite lunch spot for friends to catch up. It was pretty noisy too, with people laughing and chatting loudly.

I spotted Grayson first. He was smiling at us as we approached, but I couldn’t see his eyes through his sunglasses. My stomach did a little flip as I noticed the dark stubble on his chin and the way his hair was styled in that perfect messy as-if-someone-had-just-run-their-hands-through-it way. He wore dark blue jeans and a long sleeved shirt that matched his eyes, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. God, he had the sexiest forearms I'd ever seen on a man. Strong, muscled, with thick veins protruding ever so slightly. A sure sign of his masculinity.

It was Sloane who reached him first. “Hi, Grayson. Awesome, you came to our rescue. I’m starving.” She walked straight into his open arms and kissed him on the cheek. By the way she blushed and the slight trembling of her hands, I knew she was more than delighted to see him.

Grayson pulled her into a hug, both hands spread out over her back. He looked so relaxed and happy that I couldn’t help swallowing hard. Was it because of Sloane that his grin was so wide?

“Hey, Sloane. Wow, you look lovely today,” Grayson said, his eyes glistening as he beamed at her.

“Hello, Grayson. Where’s Taylor?” Mum asked, allowing him to kiss her on the cheek.

He laughed and tilted his head to the right in the direction of the bathrooms. “She went to the ladies room. I think she’s getting rid of the school uniform. Apparently it’s not cool.”

“Oh. Actually I need to go too. Excuse me.” I mumbled as I tried to slip past Grayson unnoticed.

“Hey you,” Grayson said, grabbing hold of my wrist and pulling me toward him. “Don’t I get hello?”

“Hello, Grayson. I was just waiting my turn. Seems you’re popular today.” I chuckled awkwardly.

While I’d been standing there I couldn’t help noticing that just about every female in the place had their gazes trained on the tall handsome man who seemed to unknowingly command the room. I’d seen the way some women had flashed their pearly whites at him and others had fluttered their eyelashes. Just as well he was studying to be a pediatrician and not a gynecologist. But then again, every kid had a mother.

His manly scent of soap and woody spices drifted to my nostrils as he pulled me into a hug. I snuggled against him for a few seconds, enjoying the sense of warmth and security I always felt in his arms. He planted a kiss into my hair, and a small groan rumbled from his chest.

Flustered, I took a quick step backward. “Ladies room,” I muttered. I didn’t need to pee as such but what I needed was a breather. The whole day had been somewhat overwhelming so far.

I needed space to clear my head. Lots of space, but the ladies room would have to do for now.





6: Layla


As I rounded the corner approaching the bathroom, a child stumbled and fell just outside the doorway. Carmen! What was she doing there and where was her mother?

I ran to where she was on the floor, crying her heart out. Crutching down to her level, I spoke to her softly. “Carmen, sweetheart, it’s me, Layla.”

“Layla,” she wailed. “Help me.”

I placed my hand on her cheek, lifting her tear streaked face to mine. “It’s okay sweetie, I’ve got you.”

I hugged her to my chest, searching for signs of either of her parents. Stroking her hair gently, I wanted to calm her down before I helped her up.

“Where’s Mum?” I asked as soon as her sobs started to subside. I couldn’t believe neither of them had shown up yet. Surely they wouldn’t have let her go to the bathroom by herself? It was ridiculous to even thinking of it. Carmen needed months more of therapy before she’d be okay to go anywhere unaided.

“Mum left me with my uncle. She had to go to the doctor. Uncle Tim said if I wanted to go to the bathroom I had to go by myself because he isn’t a girl.” Tears started streaming down her face again. “I tried real hard, Layla. But my legs got so tired and I fell down. My uncle’s going to shout at me.”

I stroked up and down her arms to calm her. “No, he won’t,” I said, soothing her. “Don’t you worry, sweetie. I’ll talk to Uncle Tim, okay?”