8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

F riday afternoon at the bar, with less than a week to go before Christmas. Ellie and the boys were coming up Christmas Eve and staying for a couple of days, with a quick trip back on Christmas Day for Roam and Sprite’s wedding. He hoped he could convince Ellie to stay even longer, maybe forever, but he wasn’t going to rush her. He’d like to kiss her before he proposed marriage to her.

He wished he could get off work in the coming days because his Ellie had to take the boys to see their father in prison. It hadn’t been something she wanted to do. But her brother had called and basically demanded that if Ellie didn’t bring his sons before Christmas, he’d find another guardian. He wished he, his brothers, and cousins could have some alone time to beat some sense into her brother. He’d looked at the schedule, but he couldn’t find enough well people to cover.

The flu had been running rampant through their group. Vivi, Bailey, and Ezra were on the mend, but now Whiskey had it along with Halligan. His dad was on the mend, but his uncles, Burt and Bill, were still not feeling a hundred percent. He felt like a heel for not being able to support Ellie and the boys.

Her voice had broken his heart when she told him she and the boys were heading out tonight to stay overnight and then visit her brother tomorrow. She said the boys had been in horrible moods because neither Richy nor Lyle wanted to visit him. Lyle was even quieter than normal, only speaking if she asked a question.

He only hoped tonight was quiet because he worried about what would happen if he had to throw someone out. With his mood, he might get a few extra punches in.

He walked over to the bar to check on Ryanne. She and her kids had been sick but had gotten over it quickly.

“How’s it going? Do you need anything?” he asked her.

“Nope, it’s not that bad. I think a lot of people are sick, and some of our older customers don’t want to chance coming out and getting it. But I’m not going to say that Q word and jinx us. Nope, nuh-uh, not going to happen,” Ryanne said, shaking her head.

Hennessy chuckled. “You and me both. Let’s just try to survive the night.”

He held up his hand, and he and Ryanne fist-bumped. Yep, he wasn’t saying the Q word. He didn’t need any bad juju screwing up their night when they were shorthanded. He didn’t think he and Ellie would get to talk on the phone tonight with her and the boys in a hotel room. So he’d have to make do with texting.

He walked over to a couple of their regulars to check on them.

“You guys need anything else?” Hennessy asked.

“Yeah, we need some more people. For a Friday night, this place is too quiet,” one of them said.

“Stupid,” his friend said, smacking him on the back of the head. “Hennessy is going to kick us out because you probably jinxed them. You should buy a round for the bar to make sure everything stays okay.”

Hennessy kind of agreed with the old guy. The three had been coming in here for years. They were all widowers who had started meeting on Friday afternoons for darts and beers and usually stayed through the evening for supper. They only missed if they were out of town or sick.

“Sorry, Hennessy. Charge a round to me.”

“We’re good. You don’t need to pay for a round. Good luck with the darts.”

Hennessy headed back toward the kitchen, but the slam of their door and a voice had him pausing.

“I’m looking for Hennessy Nelson.”

He turned and spied a short woman holding a child’s hand. He couldn’t fathom why she was looking for him. He walked toward her, cataloging the woman and the child. The child was around the size of Roam’s kids, so he was guessing anywhere from two to four. She had a mulish look on her face, and the woman was holding her hand tightly—too tightly, if he had any say.

“I’m Hennessy. How can I help you?” he asked.

“You can help me get her stuff out of the car. My sister died and named you her daughter’s guardian. It was bad enough I had to take time out of my week to bring her to you. Here,” she shoved the girl’s hand toward his, along with some papers. The girl immediately slid her hands behind her back when her aunt let go. He took the papers and glanced at them. It was a will for Sheila Dubensky and notarized documents that named him guardian for a Sutton Dubensky.

Hennessy took a deep breath, trying to wrap his head around what was happening but realized whatever he did, he needed to get this frowning blonde-haired girl away from this bitch of a woman. He bent down and smiled at the little girl.

“I’m so happy to meet you. I knew your mommy. She stopped in here on her way home to you. I know this is probably scary, but do you think you might like to snack on something yummy while I help your aunt get your stuff?” he said, holding out his hand to Sutton. She stared him in the eye, scrutinizing him. He supposed that with his bushy beard and tattoos, he looked scary to her. She nodded and slowly placed her hand in his. He nodded and leaned close to whisper, “My brother makes the best food here, and he cooks in the kitchen. My friend Ryanne at the bar? She’s his official taste tester and can tell you what’s best.”

He waited to see what she’d do. She nodded, and he led her over to Ryanne. Ryanne mouthed I’ve got this, and Hennessy waited until Sutton took her hand. He turned back to the aunt.

“Does she have any food allergies?” he asked.

“How the heck would I know? I’ve only had the kid for two days,” she grumbled. Ryanne patted his arm.

“I’ve got this. We’ll go let her pick something she’s used to eating,” Ryanne said, then led Sutton out of the room to the kitchen.

Hennessy walked over to the sister. “What happened to Sheila?”

“C’mon, I want to get on the road and out of here. Follow me, and I’ll tell you while you get her crap,” the aunt said.

Hennessy followed her and fought every instinct he had to actually hit a woman. He’d never thought he’d consider it, but her complete disregard for her niece had his protective instincts screaming. How had she treated Sutton for the last two days?

“So what happened?”

“Icy road, a truck lost control and knocked her car off the road and down an embankment into a river. She drowned before they could get her out. Useless bitch. Her babysitter called the police when Sheila didn’t show up. They found me, and then when I went to the house, I looked until I found Sheila’s will. My sister would never leave Sutton with me. I just got out of rehab. Here’s what she had at the house. There’s more in the trunk.”

Hennessy opened the back door of the car. He realized he might need a little more help. He texted his brother Quinton because he had a law degree, and Hennessy wanted to make sure everything was on the up and up.

“Okay, let’s take this into the banquet room to the right after you walk back in the door.” Hennessy grabbed a box and a bag to carry in. He held the door open for the aunt to walk in.

His mind was whirling, but he focused on the here and now. Get Sutton’s stuff and figure out how he was going to do this. He couldn’t imagine what type of a person the aunt was for Sheila to leave her child to a bar owner that she’d only talked with a handful of times over the last two months. As he unloaded the boxes and bags, he realized at no time had he considered saying no to Sutton. She was his, well, his and Ellie’s if Ellie agreed.

By the time he and the aunt had unloaded half the vehicle, Quinton had shown up. He’d carried a couple boxes in, then headed over to look at the will and paperwork. Someone must have called his dad because he walked out, grabbed a couple boxes from the car, and followed Hennessy and the aunt in.

“Is that everything?” his dad asked.

The aunt nodded. “Yep, I’m out of here.”

“We’d be happy to put you up for the night so you’re not driving back in the dark. I’m Peck, Hennessy’s dad. Who do I have the pleasure of meeting?”

Hennessy waited to see how the aunt would react. His dad was pretty good at analyzing people.

“Who do you have the pleasure? What is this, Mayberry? Listen, I’m not staying a minute longer. Good riddance,” she said and walked out of the bar, trying to slam the door on the way out but they had an auto-close that kept that from happening.

His dad’s hand clasped his shoulder. “Come introduce me to your daughter, son.”

Hennessy turned and stared into his dad’s eyes. “I was scared when I was taking on two teenagers with Ellie. Sutton petrifies me.”

His dad nodded. “Wouldn’t be a good dad if you weren’t. Let’s go see your daughter.”

Hennessy walked with his dad back through the bar. “You have no doubt I’m going to accept her.”

Peck chuckled. “Oh, Hennessy, you’ve been everyone’s father since you were a boy. Whiskey may be the oldest and the leader, but you and Crew have both always been nurturers at heart. As soon as you saw your name on that paper, you were already figuring out where to put a toddler bed in your room, I bet.”

Hennessy blushed a little as he walked into the kitchen and saw her, his daughter. A chill slid down his spine when he considered the responsibility of keeping her safe, showing her how incredibly special she was, and keeping all the nasty boys away from her until she was forty.

Sutton was standing on a chair up against the prep table. Crewe had a little line of food assembled for her. While he watched, she picked up a cracker with cheese on it. She took a bite and chewed, then she nodded her head yes. Ryanne was standing beside her and marking on a paper. When she finished chewing, Crewe handed her a sippy cup and she drank.

“Okay, so which do you want to try next?” Crewe asked.

Sutton didn’t answer but leaned over the food, sniffing and looking as she went down the line. She then pointed at one of the rolls that Crew had placed on a small plate with butter and jelly beside it to add.

“Hey, look who is back, Sutton,” Ryanne said.

Sutton followed where Ryanne’s hand was pointing. When Sutton saw him, the frown on her face went away. He walked over slowly because he didn’t want to scare her.

“Is Crewe helping you try food?” Hennessy asked.

Sutton nodded, then held up her hands for Hennessy to pick her up. He picked her up, settling her little booty on his hip, holding her with his arm wrapped around her, with his hand holding her leg. She looked at him, then reached a hand toward his beard but paused a couple inches away.

“Do you want to feel my beard?” he asked.

She nodded but didn’t reach to touch it. He took her hand in his and brought her hand closer until he was brushing her fingers through his beard. Her nose scrunched up again.

“Is it soft or rough?” he asked her.

“Soft,” she whispered.

It was the first time he’d heard her voice, and it was so quiet. It was so different from the kids’ voices when Ezra had friends over to play.

“It is,” he said softly back. He didn’t know if loud voices bothered her, but he wanted her as comfortable as possible tonight.

He had so much to do. He could put her in his bed tonight, and he’d sleep in the recliner next to it. Tomorrow he’d worry about a proper bed for her. And he’d need to tell Ellie. He hoped this didn’t send her running for the hills, but he didn’t think it would. Even though Richy and Lyle had done crappy stuff, they also had helped little kids on Halloween when he was there. He hoped they were ready for a little sister. Well, his dad used to say Hennessy didn’t walk anywhere he could run, and why would his family be any different?

“Hi, Sutton, I’m your Papa,” his dad whispered, bopping her on the nose lightly with his finger. She stared at him, not saying anything.

Hennessy turned back toward Crewe’s little tray of food. “Do you want to try some other things?”

Sutton nodded and squirmed to get back down on the chair. Hennessy helped her, then started to step back. Sutton’s little hand reached back and grabbed his. He held her hand and looked at the back of her hair. Her aunt hadn’t brushed the shoulder-length locks very well, and they looked a little tangled. He’d need to figure out how to do all the things she’d need because he wasn’t going to be the dad who sent his kid places looking like crap.

He’d wait until later to tell Ellie. She’d be in the car right now, and this was going to be a shock. Heck, it was a shock to him. He didn’t want her having to keep track of traffic while she pondered how everything had changed.