The Stone Family Heart - Taylor Hart Page 0,38

grunted. “How’s that bullheaded brother of yours?”

“Which one?” Kensi asked, knowing full well that Kat was talking about Marshall.

Dawn shook her head. “She must be talking about Brooks. He’s here, too, then?”

More laughter.

Yep, Brooks had a thing for Dawn. Always had.

Kensi nodded. “Yep.”

Kat rolled her eyes. “The most annoying one.”

Kensi kept her face innocent. “Again, which one?”

Cheryse laughed harder and pointed her fork at Kat. “She’s got you there. All of her brothers are bullheaded and annoying.”

Not to be outdone, Kat pointed her fork back. “I bet Hunter and Trent might think you’re the annoying one.”

Cheryse’s face went blank. “I don’t want to talk about that,” she said, picking at her eggs. She batted her eyes. “Or maybe I do.”

Kensi grinned at her. Her brothers would definitely want to talk about Cheryse.

Lucy sighed. “Well, what can we talk about?”

“You and Matt,” Kensi teased, making Lucy blush.

Kat laughed. “She’s so gone on the man. And Tatum loves her so much! It’s sweet.”

Cheryse nodded. “It’s true.”

Lucy shrugged, and a grin worthy of Cheryse filled her face. “They are amazing people.”

“What’s holding you back, Luce?” Kensi asked. They already seemed like they were pretty close.

Lucy hesitated, and her expression turned sad. “It’s not really me; it’s Matt. He was hurt by his ex.” She shrugged. “He doesn’t want someone in Tatum’s life one day and out the next. It’s been super hard on him to watch the way Savvy yanks Tatum’s chain all the time. Sometimes she’s super involved, and other times she won’t even return the little girl’s calls. Can you believe that?”

Kensi couldn’t. Her heart ached for all of them.

Kat pursed her lips. “Savvy was always a jerk.”

“I can think of another word.” Cheryse picked up her drink and took a long sip.

“Me, too.” Lucy’s eyes fluttered.

Kensi reached for Lucy’s hand. “It’s going to work out.” That was something else her mother had always told her.

Kat took Lucy’s other hand. “Yes, it will.”

Cheryse put her hand over Kensi and Lucy’s. “So tell us about Jeff. How are you?”

Dawn nudged her. “Yes, tell all.”

It was disconcerting to be put on the spot. Surprising herself, Kensi began telling them about the divorce, his addictions, and how he’d recently gotten clean. She mentioned that she’d had dinner with him last week and now he texted her all the time. Just talking about it made her really appreciate these women. “Last night, Marshall told me I needed to stop being addicted to the drama of it all. I actually hadn’t thought about that.”

“Marshall said that?” Kat asked, looking speculative.

“He did.” What would happen if Kat and Marshall were ever able to get together and talk? Kensi didn’t know all the details of why those two weren’t friends anymore, but it probably had a lot to do with the fact that Kat had married another. “He’s different now, after the whole getting left at the altar thing. It changed him.”

For a moment, they were all quiet.

“Life has a way of changing a person,” Lucy commented, taking a sip of her water.

Kat put her hand out to her. “Well, whatever you need from us, we’ll help.”

“And don’t forget about Ava.” Cheryse tsked her tongue. “You have a woman that will go to war for you if you need her.”

Lucy laughed and blinked rapidly. “Yes, she will. All of us would go to war for you.”

Dawn nodded. “All of us.”

With their supportive gazes bolstering her, Kensi felt warmth creep into her chest. Tears threatened to rise in her eyes. “I don’t deserve you all.”

“Psshh,” Kat said, grinning at her. “None of us deserve us all.”

“We’re just glad you’re home,” Lucy said.

“Yeah,” Cheryse agreed. “We’ve been wanting you to come to our little get-togethers.”

“Have you?” Kensi remembered Ava telling her that when she came to town, all the girls would want to see her.

Kat shrugged, then held up her glass. “Listen, we all needed each other when we were younger, but we need each other even more now.”

“Hear, hear,” Lucy said.

“That’s right.” Cheryse nearly spilled her drink, she was so eager to participate in the toast.

“South Port Beach Crew forever,” Dawn said lightly, a smile on her lips.

Kensi liked the sound of that. It felt silly, but she held her glass up, too. “South Port Beach Crew,” she affirmed.

They took turns clinking their glasses, and then they continued eating their food. It all tasted so good, especially the cinnamon rolls.

Kensi took a moment to swallow before saying, “Man, this is amazing.”

“Thanks,” Kat said. “I needed to hear that today.”

“You