10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

H ennessy stared at the hairbrush and his daughter’s hair. How had less than twenty-four hours cemented this little one in his life and in his heart? He completely understood how Whiskey had said he’d known Ezra was his son immediately.

Hennessy had a couple of scrunchies and hair stuff that Dillon had found in the boxes. Dillon had volunteered to look through the boxes and go buy anything Sutton was missing. Dillon had found what they’d quickly figured out was Sutton’s favorite blanket and a stuffed, ragged dog that she’d slept with. Now he had to figure out how to be a girl dad. He was a little worried. Sutton’s hair was thick and had a little curl. It didn’t look like the aunt had bothered to brush it. He didn’t want to hurt her head.

“Sutton, can I fix your hair?” he asked her after he’d helped her get the cute T-shirt and jean overalls on. She nodded, then waited for him to do something. He took the brush, then started to slide it through her hair but stopped when it caught on a snarl. Screw this. He wasn’t hurting his daughter. He picked up the brush, the scrunchie, and Sutton and walked out of his room into the common room.

He walked over and peeked in the kitchen and didn’t see Vivi. He hoped he wasn’t waking anyone, but his daughter needed help. He knocked softly just in case someone was still asleep. He heard shuffling, then Vivi opened the door, wearing a cute Christmas sweatshirt paired with jeans. At least he hadn’t woken her up. She smiled at Sutton.

“Hi, Sutton. Does your daddy need some help with your hair?” she asked.

Sutton stared at Vivi, not saying anything.

“Her hair is tangled, maybe from not being brushed for a while. I don’t want to hurt her,” Hennessy said.

Vivi nodded. “Yep, let me grab some spray and I’ll meet you out here. Whiskey’s better, but I don’t want to take the chance of bringing her in our room until it’s aired out.”

Hennessy carried Sutton over to the couch and sat down with her perched on his lap. She leaned back against him while they waited on Vivi. Vivi sat down on the coffee table in front of Hennessy and Sutton.

“My hair used to tangle too. Let’s try it,” Vivi said, then proceeded to show him how to wet his daughter’s hair and then hold it halfway up before starting to brush. His hand kept the hair from tugging on her head when he pulled, and Vivi’s spray seemed to help a little. Once he’d gotten all the way through the tangles, he looked at the scrunchie. Vivi smiled at him.

“Let me show your daddy how I do mine. Do you want a ponytail or pigtails?” Vivi asked. Sutton shrugged her shoulders. She was so quiet Hennessy worried about her a little. Vivi showed him how to do a ponytail. She cautioned him on making it too tight because it might hurt her head. He thanked Vivi and then picked up Sutton.

“Shall we go see what Crewe is making in the kitchen?” Hennessy asked. Granted, it was only nine in the morning. Hennessy would have been up earlier, but he’d let Sutton sleep until she woke up. She’d probably slept late because she’d woken up multiple times during the night. After the second time, he’d given up sleeping in the chair and asked her if she wanted to sleep on his shoulder.

Her sleeping on his shoulder hadn’t meant he slept much better because she kicked him multiple times as she was moving, but she’d slept through from then on. He glanced at his watch. He hadn’t heard anything from Ellie this morning.

He knew her original plan was to be there when visiting hours opened and get their time done. Then she planned on getting on the road with the boys and heading home. His heart hurt thinking about her going home afterward. He needed to lay eyes on her and know she was going to be okay. And he wanted to hug those boys for what they’d done for her and let them know how proud he was of them for thinking of others.

He walked into the kitchen with Sutton. Crewe looked up and smiled at them.

“Hey, Sutton, I have a couple things I think you might like,” Crewe said.

Hennessy walked over and spotted the spread his cousin had made for her: French toast sticks, syrup for dipping, sliced apples, and a small bowl of oatmeal sprinkled with cinnamon, sugar, and raisins. Crewe grabbed a clean dishtowel.

“Oh, we can’t have our little princess’s outfit getting dirty. Can I make you a special accessory?” Crewe asked, his voice upbeat.

Everyone was welcoming Sutton with open arms, and Hennessy was thrilled. Crewe fashioned a bib for Sutton and had her smiling in minutes. Crewe had set up the items on the table he had in the corner. Hennessy sat down and started to put Sutton in her own seat. She grabbed his beard with her hand, gave him a mulish look, and shook her head no.

“Okay, how about you and I eat breakfast with you on my lap?” Hennessy asked.

His daughter nodded and sat down. She picked up a French toast stick, then stuck it in the syrup and soaked it. Then she brought it to her mouth, dripping syrup the whole way. It was a good thing Crewe had thought of the makeshift bib. But the smile on her face after she ate it was perfection. Crewe brought him a plate over too, which was nice.

Hennessy ate while making sure Sutton was doing okay. He glanced at his watch again. Even with the newness of having Sutton here, his day was going to drag while he worried about Ellie and the boys.

He was already thinking through how they could possibly rearrange the upstairs. Long term, Sutton couldn’t stay in his room. Lyle and Richy were four to five years older than Ezra, but rooming together had worked for him, his brothers, and his cousins.

Then, once Sutton was more comfortable, she could take the room next to his, and Bailey could eventually join her when she was a little older. Or maybe Whiskey and Vivi were ready for her to be in her own room.

But first, he needed to see Ellie and kiss her. He’d dreamed of kissing her lips so many times. Clear back on Halloween, when he’d gone to the Halloween party with her and the boys, he’d wanted to sneak a kiss.

Ellie was sweet but with a steel core. He’d known when she’d dumped water on him and Whiskey to get their attention when they’d been wrestling at the Hennessy’s Kick Your Cousins’ Ass competition that she was feisty and someone he wanted to get to know better. But she’d also been skittish. Everyone’s past influenced their present, and he wondered what he needed to know about Ellie’s to make sure their future was amazing.

Ellie pulled into the parking lot. Knowing she’d get to see Hennessy at the end of the drive had made it seem shorter. The boys were also upbeat on the drive, talking about some of the fun things they wanted to do. It relieved Ellie to know the boys were excited, and standing up to her brother had reassured them. She didn’t relish finding out what had happened to Lyle, but she wanted to help him.

They’d shopped in Topeka and each picked out some things for Sutton from them. They decided to not buy her too much with Christmas coming up and without knowing what all she had. Winnie and Sprite had suggested they stick to stuffed animals, a blanket, and a couple of toys until they met her.

The boys had said they should surprise Hennessy, but Ellie was really wishing she’d told him they were coming. She didn’t want to wait any time to have his arms around her since their relationship was changing.

Lyle and Richy had whispered a few times, and then their phones had gone off with texts. She didn’t ask who was texting because she wanted to show the guys some trust.

She parked the car and turned to the boys. “Why don’t you guys grab the stuff for Sutton, and we’ll meet her. Then we can unload the car of the clothes we bought and our suitcases.”

Her door opening had her turning, then Hennessy’s hand was pulling her out of the car and into his arms.

“I’m so glad you’re okay. I’ve been dying to do this,” he said as his hands cupped her face. The heat in his eyes had her leaning toward him. He finally did what she’d been dreaming about for months.

He took her mouth, and it was everything she imagined and more. His warm lips coaxed hers open and then the first taste of Hennessy as his tongue swept inside. Mint with a faint hint of chocolate. Her body trembled from head to toe. She wondered if this was just what his kiss did; she couldn’t imagine how it would be when he finally made her his in every way.

“Woah, Hennessy’s got game. The hands cupping her face—I am totally taking notes for when I finally have a girlfriend,” Richy said.

Hennessy’s hand stayed cupping her face, but he pulled his lips away. She opened her eyes, and he was grinning at her. Ellie grinned back.

“I guess this is what we have to look forward to with teenagers,” she said.

“I don’t care what we have to deal with as long as we can deal with it together. I want the best, the worst, and everything in between with you. I hated not being with you today. I know you’re strong enough to handle it on your own, but I wanted to be there to support you,” he said.

She breathed deeply into the cool air. “Me too. And Lyle has something to share that he only wants to do once with you and me there. But both the boys are ready to meet Sutton.”

Hennessy snuck one more quick kiss on her lips, then turned to the boys.

“Seems like you’ve had a heck of a day. I can’t wait to introduce you to Sutton, but can I give you both a hug? It was so hard to not be there for you guys today,” Hennessy said, walking around to hold his arms out. She adored that he was letting the boys choose.

“If you’re not quite ready for a hug yet, how about a handshake or fist bump?” Hennessy asked.

Lyle nodded, then stepped forward and threw his arms around Hennessy with Richy quickly following. The boys hugged for a second, then Richy held up the stuffed dog and stuffed bird they’d found for her.

“Now how about introducing us to Sutton?” he asked.

“Let’s go. She doesn’t talk much yet. I don’t know whether it’s how she’s always been or if it’s because her mom left and never came home,” Hennessy said.

The boys led the way in, and Hennessy took hold of her hand as they walked in. Why did such a simple gesture fill her with such a sense of peace and rightness?

Ryanne was behind the bar and smiled and waved as Ellie walked in. Peck was sitting at a table with who she assumed was Sutton. Sutton’s hair was fixed in a ponytail with a pink scrunchie. The boys walked up but then got down at her level. As she and Hennessy walked up, Richy was talking to her.

“Hi, Sutton, my name is Richy. I got you this dog, but he doesn’t have a name. Maybe you could name him,” Richy said, then pranced the dog across the table to her. He made the dog dance a little, then nuzzle her hand, all while making puppy whining noises at her. She nodded and petted the puppy.

“It’s for you. What are you going to name him?” Richy asked.

Sutton pulled the dog closer and cuddled it against her face. “Doggy.”

Ellie waited to see what Lyle would do. He crouched down, then made the stuffed bird hop across the table, cheeping as he did.

“Cheep, cheep. Cheep, cheep.”

Sutton watched him with wide eyes.

“Here’s a little bird for you. What do you want to call it?” Lyle asked.

Ellie wondered how Sutton would react. Two new male faces when everything was new in the last twenty-four hours. Sutton held the puppy in one hand, then nodded her head. When Lyle had the stuffed bird nuzzle her elbow, she giggled and then held her arms up for him to pick her up. Lyle glanced back at Hennessy to check and see if it was okay. Hennessy nodded, grinning at the boys.

Lyle picked her up, then he and Richy bounced around the room, letting Sutton make her stuffed bird cheep at people. Hennessy slid his arm around her and then pulled her in for a hug. She’d been needing this.

“You okay?” he asked.

She nodded against him. “I am now, but we’ve got a lot to discuss, and I’m not remotely sure where to start.”

Hennessy hugged her a little tighter. “Me either,” he said.

“Can I make a suggestion?” Peck asked.

“Of course,” Ellie said.

“It’s four days until Christmas. Take one thing to tackle a day because with the wedding on Christmas Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be swamped. And you want to enjoy Christmas with your kids. If you want some time alone, I’m sure I can cover for you two,” Peck said.

“Thanks, Dad. If Sutton will go to sleep, I’d love to talk with Ellie a little tonight, plus Lyle has something to share. We need to find out when he wants to talk,” Hennessy said.

“Even if she doesn’t want to go to sleep, I could watch a kids’ movie with her in the main room and you guys could talk somewhere quiet. You could even go to my house if you need a little more privacy,” Peck offered.

Ellie walked over to Peck and hugged him. “Thank you, Peck. I appreciate it.”

Growing up without a great father figure had Ellie appreciating what Peck was doing. The boys and Sutton would have a Papa and so much family that they’d never have to do things alone if they didn’t want to.

Even when she’d been at the FBI and had no prospects for a guy, she’d still always dreamed of a family, along with all the things she’d do differently from her childhood. Now she had the chance to make those dreams a reality.