every time she saw them together.
“Mother, CJ is at the park.” The excitement in his words gave away his anticipation.
“Sorry, Mrs. Donovan.” Ella bustled in. “This one got away from me while I was putting Matilda down for her nap. He’s been talking about CJ all morning. He thinks that little ruffian is setting foot in this house.”
Kendall darted her gaze between her nanny and Fee. “Fee’s here.”
“Oh, goodness!” Ella placed a hand on her chest and laughed. “CJ’s a lovely boy. He’s just a little rambunctious.”
“I want CJ, Mother,” Rory whined, turning a pleading gaze to Kendall.
“Father is going on a playdate with you.”
He bowed his head. “Yes, ma’am.”
Slamming her laptop closed, Kendall huffed. “CJ will be there.”
Rory squealed and hopped up and down. “CJ, CJ, CJ,” he chanted.
Ella held out her hand. “Come, Mr. Rory. Let’s find you suitable clothes.”
“Johnnie likes him in jeans. Remember?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ella responded and escorted Rory out.
Kendall grabbed a bottle of water from the edge of her desk and drank. “Did you finish RSVP’ing?”
Guilt ate at Fee for being in Kendall’s house to spy on her but she wouldn’t allow Kendall to disparage her nephew. “About CJ.”
“Don’t, Fee. I have nothing against that child. Ella is just a little protective of Rory and Matilda. That’s why I love her so much. You’ll understand when you become a mother.”
“I want kids soon.”
“You need a man first.”
Heat rose in Fee’s cheeks at Kendall’s sardonic assessment and she bit on her lip. An image of Stretch rose in her head. Showing her his toys night before last, allowed her a glimpse into his world. Granted, it hadn’t been planned. Sometimes, however, spur of the moment encounters outranked planned seduction.
“I didn’t mean my words in a bad way,” Kendall cried, “so let’s drop it while I freshen up my appearance.”
She opened her drawer and pulled out a tube of lipstick, using the camera on her phone as a mirror.
Completing her makeup application, Kendall frowned in Fee’s direction. “It must be hard for you.”
Fee slid her chair back. “What’s hard for me?”
“You’re so cute . Girl-next-door. Living in the shadow of a gorgeous sister like Zoann. Then Meggie comes along and steals Zoann’s thunder, pushing you even further in the shadows.” Kendall smiled at her camera and snapped a selfie. “As I said, it’s so hard.”
“There isn’t a competition going on.”
Kendall got to her feet, tall even without shoes on. “We’re friends, right?”
Doubtful, if they judged by this conversation. “If you say so.”
“Of course we are. You’ve only been with me a couple of months. I’ve been rather distracted with that divorce case. Now, I have time so you’ll get to know the real me. Please don’t let me intimidate you.” She walked to Fee and grabbed her hands. “I’m very open and honest. Aboveboard. I understand you’re softer than Zoann, but you have to get out of her shadow one day. Right?”
“I’m not intimidated by you. I can deal with your dominating personality.” Fee had dealt with her brother and sisters her entire life. “I can’t help it if you think I’m stunted by my sister’s success. Her life is hers. I’m finding my way again. Forging ahead for my future. That’s why I wanted to move away from my brother’s house.”
Kendall tittered. “ Meggie’s house.”
“What?”
“Didn’t you know? Christopher put everything in her name.” Kendall made it sound like the most important tidbit of the day.
“How’s that my business? Or yours?”
“It explains everything and pisses me off how he treats her is the way he expects everyone else to treat her.”
“She’s his wife. How should he treat her?”
“Never mind,” Kendall said with a dismissive wave. She leaned in closer and dropped her voice. “If you want to know anything, come to me. I have the
“Mother, CJ is at the park.” The excitement in his words gave away his anticipation.
“Sorry, Mrs. Donovan.” Ella bustled in. “This one got away from me while I was putting Matilda down for her nap. He’s been talking about CJ all morning. He thinks that little ruffian is setting foot in this house.”
Kendall darted her gaze between her nanny and Fee. “Fee’s here.”
“Oh, goodness!” Ella placed a hand on her chest and laughed. “CJ’s a lovely boy. He’s just a little rambunctious.”
“I want CJ, Mother,” Rory whined, turning a pleading gaze to Kendall.
“Father is going on a playdate with you.”
He bowed his head. “Yes, ma’am.”
Slamming her laptop closed, Kendall huffed. “CJ will be there.”
Rory squealed and hopped up and down. “CJ, CJ, CJ,” he chanted.
Ella held out her hand. “Come, Mr. Rory. Let’s find you suitable clothes.”
“Johnnie likes him in jeans. Remember?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ella responded and escorted Rory out.
Kendall grabbed a bottle of water from the edge of her desk and drank. “Did you finish RSVP’ing?”
Guilt ate at Fee for being in Kendall’s house to spy on her but she wouldn’t allow Kendall to disparage her nephew. “About CJ.”
“Don’t, Fee. I have nothing against that child. Ella is just a little protective of Rory and Matilda. That’s why I love her so much. You’ll understand when you become a mother.”
“I want kids soon.”
“You need a man first.”
Heat rose in Fee’s cheeks at Kendall’s sardonic assessment and she bit on her lip. An image of Stretch rose in her head. Showing her his toys night before last, allowed her a glimpse into his world. Granted, it hadn’t been planned. Sometimes, however, spur of the moment encounters outranked planned seduction.
“I didn’t mean my words in a bad way,” Kendall cried, “so let’s drop it while I freshen up my appearance.”
She opened her drawer and pulled out a tube of lipstick, using the camera on her phone as a mirror.
Completing her makeup application, Kendall frowned in Fee’s direction. “It must be hard for you.”
Fee slid her chair back. “What’s hard for me?”
“You’re so cute . Girl-next-door. Living in the shadow of a gorgeous sister like Zoann. Then Meggie comes along and steals Zoann’s thunder, pushing you even further in the shadows.” Kendall smiled at her camera and snapped a selfie. “As I said, it’s so hard.”
“There isn’t a competition going on.”
Kendall got to her feet, tall even without shoes on. “We’re friends, right?”
Doubtful, if they judged by this conversation. “If you say so.”
“Of course we are. You’ve only been with me a couple of months. I’ve been rather distracted with that divorce case. Now, I have time so you’ll get to know the real me. Please don’t let me intimidate you.” She walked to Fee and grabbed her hands. “I’m very open and honest. Aboveboard. I understand you’re softer than Zoann, but you have to get out of her shadow one day. Right?”
“I’m not intimidated by you. I can deal with your dominating personality.” Fee had dealt with her brother and sisters her entire life. “I can’t help it if you think I’m stunted by my sister’s success. Her life is hers. I’m finding my way again. Forging ahead for my future. That’s why I wanted to move away from my brother’s house.”
Kendall tittered. “ Meggie’s house.”
“What?”
“Didn’t you know? Christopher put everything in her name.” Kendall made it sound like the most important tidbit of the day.
“How’s that my business? Or yours?”
“It explains everything and pisses me off how he treats her is the way he expects everyone else to treat her.”
“She’s his wife. How should he treat her?”
“Never mind,” Kendall said with a dismissive wave. She leaned in closer and dropped her voice. “If you want to know anything, come to me. I have the
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