What happened with his ex? Aria filed the question away as something to investigate in future. For some reason, the thought of him with another woman annoyed her. Not that it made any sense, but he’d looked at her with fire in his eyes. She liked to think he wouldn’t look at her like that if he was hung up on someone else. But perhaps he was a flirt.

“Mum and Dad are business nuts, like Eli,” Teri continued, oblivious to the fact that she’d piqued Aria’s curiosity with the comment about her brother. “They’re disappointed in me because I don’t care about the business.”

Aria did her best to follow the conversation. “Surely, having your brother in business is enough? Can’t you do something else?”

Teri scoffed. “As if. No way. It’s the business or, like, total abandonment. There’s no other choice. Eli didn’t take over the company, so now I have to, but I don’t even know if I want it.”

“So, tell them that.”

“You don’t think I have?”

Aria was silent. She could understand wanting your parents to be proud of you. A change of subject was in order.

A light above the door flashed red. Talk about being saved by the bell. Big brother Eli had arrived.

CHAPTER 8

Smoke ought to be pouring from his ears. The phone call he’d received hadn’t shed any light on the matter, but Eli was good at reading between the lines. Therese had done something wrong. He knew this because Aria had been reluctant to speak to him, and she didn’t seem like a shrinking violet. Of course, her hesitancy could be attributed to any number of things—like the way he’d hit on her during their interview, or the ugly picture Therese had painted of him.

Eli identified Pretty Things easily by the pastel pink sign on the roadside. Situated on the main street of Itirangi, near the town square, the shop was pleasing to the eye. Inside, colorful blooms spilled from pots and stands, and a variety of quirky ornaments lay scattered around. A rack on the counter displayed handmade jewelry. Aria was standing just inside the door, and Therese was sulking in the corner like a naughty toddler. Behind the counter, a redhead was scribbling in the account book.

Eli brushed past Aria, glared at Therese, and snapped, “What have you done?”

“She tried to steal a flower arrangement,” Aria said when Therese didn’t respond.

Eli levelled a stare at her. She probably blamed him for bringing a delinquent into their town, and he was in no mood to be reprimanded.

“I asked Therese,” he growled. “Not you. I expect her to answer for herself.”

“The poor girl is probably too scared to answer,” Aria said mildly.

“She committed a crime and needs to face the consequences,” he replied. “It doesn’t matter if she likes it or not.”