Page 6 of Knotted their Beauty

Checking my watch, I huff out a frustrated sigh then start throwing together mine and Cali’s lunches. “I don’t think Morgan is coming.”

My daughter giggles as she grabs my phone off the counter, unlocks it, and starts swiping. “Told you.”

“I know.”

“GG or Aunt Lottie?”

I frown, tilting my head side to side as I grab a handful of Hershey kisses and toss them in my small cooler. “Start with GG.”

If Gidgette March is available, she’ll charter a damn jet to get to her granddaughter as fast as possible. We might be closer to my family but my parents still live in the same house I grew up in, almost two hours away in Wrightwood, and my siblings are at least that far if not farther in opposite directions, so the distance makes babysitting on the fly tricky. It’s also worth noting that my father just had both of his knees replaced, so god only knows what the hell my parents have going on, and both my brother and sister have full time careers of their own. Last minute doesn’t always fly for us, and that’s exactly why I’m rushing around packing a bag for my daughter to bring with her to my office because that’s where she’s going to be for the foreseeable future.

And Craig Butler is going to have a fucking field day with that.

“I don’t know if I should be offended that I’m the last resort.” I look up over the top of my computer screen to find my brother leaning against the door frame, grinning like the asshat he is. “Or flattered that I made the cut at all.”

I roll my eyes and go back to typing. “I see you talked to Mom.”

“And Lottie,” he says with a chuckle. “Another nanny bites the dust, huh?”

“You could say that.” I haven’t had the chance to share with anyone about the display I walked in on the other night, but I’m sure Henry will get a kick out of it when I finally do. “Staying at my place?”

He pushes off the frame and walks into my office, plopping down in the chair on the other side of my desk before kicking his booted feet up on it. “I thought we might go visit Dad. He’s going crazy, trapped in that house with nothing but Mom while she fusses over him. You’d think they amputated both legs instead of replacing his knees with the way she’s acting.”

“I don’t doubt it,” I say with a grin as I look up at him again. “I thought he had an appointment?”

Henry nods. “He does. Should be back home by the time the princess and I get there, though. Then Mom is heading to her over sixty’s hot yoga.”

We both shudder and I can’t help but laugh.

It’s been really nice being back home and seeing my family more often. I didn’t realize how much I missed them until we got here, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to reconnect.

“Okay,” Cali announces as she walks back into my office. “I didn’t have to poop, and I got all the pee out. I’m ready.”

“Perfect.” My brother claps his hands together and hops to his feet, trying—and failing—to remain serious. “That means you’ll have plenty of room for a milkshake and fries on the way to GG and Pawpaw’s house.”

“Is that okay, Daddy?”

I nod as my daughter rounds my desk. “It’s fine, baby. You can do whatever you want while you’re with Uncle Henry, as long as⁠—”

“I don’t break any laws, and he doesn’t break any bones. I know.” She giggles as I snatch her up in a hug and squeeze tight. “GG says the same thing.”

“That’s where I got it from.”

“It’s basically our family motto,” Henry says with a chuckle. “I like to think I spiced things up for your grandparents. I’m sure it was extremely boring in the March household until I came along.”

I roll my eyes then give my little girl a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll try not to be too late.”

“We’ll see about that.”

My eyes shift from my daughter to the doorway, my gaze narrowing on the beady eyes and pointy nose of Craig Butler.

What the fuck is he doing here?

He’s usually out in Quantico, barking his orders at me via angry voicemails or snarky emails. He thinks it’s beneath him to come all the way out to a backwoods office like this one so if he’s here, I’m sure it’s to bring nothing but misery and bullshit to my already terrible day.

“Mind your uncle, okay?” I turn back to my daughter and give her a soft smile. “Be good for everyone, and I’ll call you as soon as I can.”

She nods and presses a kiss to my cheek. “Okay, Daddy. Love you big time.”