Page 104 of Vandal Unbound

“I feel like having a key gets me bonus points on the best friend scale because it means Van trusts me to come here, even when he’s not home.”

“No. You don’t even live here. And he tucked me into bed last night. Did he tuck you in?”

Havoc chuckles. “Not last night. But there has been more than one occasion when I couldn’t get myself into bed and he did it for me.”

“Were you sick?” my daughter asks.

“Depends how you define ‘sick,’ Els. Might have had a beer or two too many.”

We reach the end of the hallway, and Elsie is sitting cross-legged on one of the kitchen stools. There’s a frown on her face as she watches Havoc make pancake batter.

“That’s not the same.”

Havoc stops beating. “You gotta state your argument.”

“What?” Little lines appear across my daughter’s nose.

“You have to explain why it doesn’t count. You can’t just say it like you’re the expert.”

“And you can’t just claim him as your best friend.”

Havoc sighs dramatically, and I can’t help but smile. “Kid, I’ve known him all our lives. That’s a lot more years than you’ve been kicking around.”

“Ilivewith him.”

“I have a key.”

“You said that already.”

“So did you.”

Vandal chuckles, then shocks the heck out of me by bursting into song as he approaches the two of them. Something about trying not to hurt someone even though they try. Then the chorus kicks in, and I recognize it as “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” Some ’80s band. Guns N’ Roses? Def Leppard? Poison? I don’t remember.

But Vandal goes to Elsie first and kisses the top of her head.

Elsie smiles evilly at Havoc. “See, he came to me first, so he must bemybest friend.”

“Morning, sweetie,” I say, wrapping my arms around her neck. “And that’s not how best friends work. You and Havoc are gonna have to share Vandal.”

But when I look up, I see there’s a lot more emotion in Havoc’s eyes than this conversation requires. Vandal rounds the kitchen island and playfully traps Havoc in his arms and places a fat, playful kiss on the side of Havoc’s head. “Love you too.”

Havoc blows out a breath. “Been waiting a while to hear you start singing your ridiculous ’80s rock again.”

“Well, seems like today’s the day,” Vandal says.

Havoc finally smiles as he points a whisk dripping with batter in my direction. “You have no idea how awful his taste in music is.”

“I’d probably say that if it’s anything like his taste in best friends, it’ll be okay.”

Havoc drops the whisk in the batter with a splat. “Nope. No. Not today. You can be sweet to me some other day. But I gotta look manly while I make pancakes that absolutely will not have chocolate chips in them.” He looks at Elsie and winks.

My daughter does her best to wink back, but it’s more of a blink.

Vandal moves to the coffee pot. “Want one?” he asks.

I nod. “Would love one.” I pull out the stool next to Elsie just as Vandal, without warning, starts belting out another song. Something about a little miss innocent sugaring him. He turns to me and grins.

I nearly choke as his shoulders shake with laughter.