Page 43 of Healing Hazel
The people gathered around me weren’t related by blood, but they were indeed my family. A family that had an unlimited capacity to love and to share that love with others. Despite stating that she and Brooke could “handle” hosting Thanksgiving dinner at the Double L, Master Derek had decreed that wasn’t going to happen. And believe me, when the owner of what we all pretty much considered paradise decreed something, not a single person argued.
That didn’t mean we were puppets on strings. Not at all. Brooke and Moira might not have spent dayspreparing an entire feastin their respective kitchens, butthe evidence they’d spent at least some time cooking was provided by the fact theirDaddies held the handles to casserole carriers in each hand. The dishes joined those of Chef Connor’s as he and Hayleigh continued to add more. I had to smile as Hayleigh would wait until her Daddy would look away and then rearrange some dish he’d just placed.
“Keep that up and you’ll be eating your turkey while sitting on a hot bottom,” Chef Connor warned.
“Shhh, don’t say the T-word!” Wren said as she and her Daddy and husband, Travis, walked up.
“But, aren’t those turkeys?” Nigel asked, gesturing to not one but three platters, each with a majestic and delicious-smelling roasted turkey awaiting carving.
“Yes, but we don’t want to hurt the Ranch’s pet turkeys’ feelings,” Wren said.
At Nigel’s confused expression, Lawson chuckled. “Long story but one of Rawhide’s most infamous pranks.” He went on to educate his baby brother on how Wren and her cohorts had not only staged a protest, but actually recruited what was supposed to be the main course of that year’s Thanksgiving feast into a turkey parade.
Nigel grinned and shook his head. “And they are really named after the cast ofFriends?”
“Yep, and now you know why the T-word is forbidden,” Wren said with a tone that brooked no nonsense.
“Right, we use the F-word instead,” Sadie said as she added another dish to the buffet. When the room when silent, she turned to stare at her guests.
I had to say that if I were a Little, I’d most likely have slapped my hands against my ass like a great many of my friends had done when the eyebrows of every Daddy in the room arched.
“Why are you all staring at me?” Sadie asked, her gaze traveling from one Daddy Dom to the next and on to where Nanny J’s eyes were laser focused on her while Moses just wore a big grin.
“You said the f-word,” Daisy whisper-shouted.
Sadie’s brow furrowed and then she rolled her eyes. “I meantfowlthoughfu?—”
“Sadie Marie Hawkins.”
I thought what had to be even more infamous than the turkey tale was Derek’s ability to still an entire room without so much as raising his voice. Then again, it could be considered a tie with his wife because Sadie just shook her head and batted her lashes and said, “Daddy, I was going to sayfudge.”
“Angel, I wasn’t born yesterday so?—”
Sadie didn’t interrupt by speaking. Nope, she had far more finesse than that. Instead, she simply took a single step to the side and then used both hands to gesture at the plate she’d just placed. A plate that held a tower of assorted chocolates and perfectly cut squares of various flavors of fudge that I was sure Angel and Heaven Leigh had brought to the party.
“—I’m very glad I’ve got teeth to sink into that delicious fudge.”
You had to admit, the man was quick on his feet. He was also able to laugh at himself as he scooped his wife off her feet and not only managed to pop her ass but pop a piece of that fudge into his mouth.
“See, Daddy, that’s why all the desserts need to be up in the front,” Hayleigh proclaimed.
“You gotta admit she has a case,” Jared said.
“You’re such a lawyer,” Chef Connor said, shaking his head as if that were some sort of horrid occupation.
Erika laughed and handed her dish to Hayleigh. “It’s sweet potato casserole but it does have lots of pecans and toasted marshmallows.”
“Yummy!” Hayleigh said, turning to find the perfect spot for the dish.
It was chaos and it was absolutely perfect.
While his twin was soaking up all the hugs and kisses being offered, George was having none of that. Instead, he was giving all his attention to his Great-Gram as she held him on her lap,listening to him tell her all about his new puppy that his Uncle Law and Auntie Book had presented him with.
“Goodness, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a blue puppy!” Gram exclaimed with wide-eyes.
“Gram, he’s not blue! He’s brown, but hisnameis Bluey,” George explained in a tone that instantly brought to mind his father’s.
“Having fun?”
