Before he could escape, I began piling him up with shirts, jackets and even a pair of dress shoes I thought would look good on him.
Dennis stood there, juggling an increasingly precarious tower of shopping bags, his face a mix of exasperation and disbelief. "Big sis, I can't possibly wear all these clothes. This is ridiculous!"
I glanced at him, smiling faintly. Maybe this is what it felt like to raise a child. Though Dennis was no longer the adorable little boy I'd once known, I still felt a strange maternal instinct toward him. Even though he now towered over me at six feet tall, his broad shoulders and confident stride didn't erase the image of the curly-haired kid who used to trail behind me.
As we walked out of the store, Dennis muttered under his breath, adjusting the bags in his arms. "Why didn't you like that dress? I thought it looked great on you."
I paused for a moment, then reached out to ruffle his hair, ignoring his protests. His naturally curly locks bounced back into place, much to my amusement.
"I never said I didn't like it," I replied, smirking. "In fact, it's the first thing you've shown me that felt like you were treating me with respect. I appreciate it."
Dennis rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed. "Respect? What nonsense is that? And stop treating me like a kid!"
"Ah, yes, yes, of course," I teased, chuckling softly. "Now, how about we grab something to eat?"
"You're changing the subject again, big sis."
I only grinned, leading the way toward the mall exit.
***
By the time Dennis dropped me off at the villa, the night air was thick with silence. The streetlamps cast long shadows across the driveway, their glow muted by the towering trees surrounding the property. It was already past ten.
"You should stay the night," I suggested, glancing at his sportbike. "It's too late to be riding around."
Dennis opened his mouth to reply, but his expression shifted suddenly. His gaze darted past me, alert and cautious.
Frowning, I turned to see what had caught his attention.
Cayden stood in the open doorway of the villa, arms crossed, his figure framed by the golden light spilling out from inside. His expression was dark, unreadable, though a flicker of something I couldn't quite place glimmered in his eyes.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised. It wasn't like him to come back this late.