Hennessey's Handler (Protect and Serve #4) - Pandora Pine Page 0,54

versus the McCoys, I figured that was part of Morrison’s plan.”

“I haven’t spoken to him since the lobster bake last weekend,” Kennedy said.

“Same goes for me,” Ozzy added.

“So this fussin’ and fightin’ are real? And not part of some act.” What the hell was going on here?

“My kitchen is never something to joke about.” The sour look on Ozzy’s face twisted his scar.

“I can see that. What the hell is Gunnar making? It smells good.” I hadn’t had a home-cooked meal in quite a while.

“Chicken pesto tortellini,” Gunnar shouted from the double stove. Several pots with steam rising off them sat on the left burners while sauté pans sat on the right.

“I don’t believe you’ve ever made that dish, Oz.” Kennedy winked at his fiancé.

“I haven’t,” my brother agreed on a growl.

“How on earth can Gunner be a better cook than you if you’ve never made this meal?” I knew the quickest way to calm Ozzy the hell down was to stroke his ego. “Give the kid a break. Let him cook for you. He looks like he’s enjoying himself.”

“Maybe.” Ozzy grumped.

I rolled my eyes and turned to Saxon and Dallas, who were sitting with their heads together at the end of the table. They were looking at something on their phones. “Did Mom send you Lola’s greatest hits from today?”

Saxon wore a horrified look. “Sweet Jesus, what did she do?”

Dallas looked equally worried.

I pulled up my pictures from earlier and slid my phone down to them.

“Oh, that’s right, it’s tea party day.” Dallas’s shoulders dropped and he looked less worried.

“What the hell happened to her hair?” Saxon’s mouth hung open. “Is that a toy glued in there?”

“A rainbow Pretty Pony,” I agreed. “That’s what she looked like after her nap and after she got into Mom’s Aqua Net.”

Ozzy snorted. “They still make that shit?”

“What do you mean after Lola got into the Aqua Net?” Saxon asked. He was pinching out the photo and showing it to Dallas.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” I began. Actually, I didn’t. I was enjoying the hell out of this moment, especially since none of my brothers were threatening to kick my ass at the moment. “According to Mom, Lola used the entire can on her hair.”

Kennedy started to laugh. Ozzy joined him.

“Why the hell would she do that?” Dallas asked. He looked stunned.

“According to Lola, she wanted to look like Margaret Thatcher.” Those were words I never anticipated saying in my lifetime. Lola was a gamechanger, no doubt about it.

Saxon’s eyes widened in obvious disbelief. “Like Margaret Thatcher? Jesus Christ, Hen. Lola is three!”

“How the fuck does she know who Thatcher is?” Dallas asked.

I was biting my lower lip to keep from laughing. I was out of the shit at the moment and wasn’t exactly eager to have another brother gunning for me. “Apparently, Dad has been watching The Crown,” I managed to get out before I cracked up. “She even knew the little wave.” I showed them my impression of the Iron Lady.

Saxon snorted. He looked at Dallas, whose look of disbelief cracked. Before I knew it, everyone was laughing.

“Oh good! I caught you all at a good time!” Morrison called as he reached the top of the stairs. “What’s so funny?”

Saxon held my phone up to show Morrison.

“She looks like Margaret Thatcher,” Morrison chuckled. “But what’s that red mark on her face?”

“That’s Ozzy’s scar. Lola loves him so much that she drew it on her face.” I wasn’t laughing anymore. That little girl had more empathy in her pinkie finger than most adults had in their entire body.

Ozzy rushed forward and grabbed my phone out of Morrison’s hand. “Holy shit.” Tears sprung to his eyes. “Lola did that for me?”

“She sure did,” I agreed. I’d taken plenty of pictures, and I’d planned on showing Ozzy later when we were alone.

“I don’t want to ruin a tender moment,” Dallas started, “but does it wash off or are we going to have to wait for it to wear off?”

“Mom googled it.” I started to laugh again. “Believe it or not, hairspray will take it out, but we used rubbing alcohol since we were out of hairspray. You should get back most of the kid you dropped off today.”

“Most of Lola?” Saxon didn’t look like he could take much more.

“The Pretty Pony caused a bit of damage.” I was back to chewing my lip to keep from giggling.

Saxon was out of his seat. He looked like he was about to have