Tangled (The Tangled Series)(66)

“Yes, I wanted Mackenzie to meet Kate. I didn’t want you meeting Kate until I was done smoothing things the hell over.”

Mackenzie takes my friend the Bad Word Jar out of her backpack and holds it up. I put two dollars in.

She sticks her face in the mouth of the jar and looks up at me with a frown. “Um…Uncle Drew? Bad words no cost one dollar no more. They cost ten.”

“Ten? Since when?”

She’s excited. “It was Kate’s idea. She say the maconomy is bad.”

What the hell is the maconomy?

“She call it in…in…”

“Inflation.” Alexandra finishes with a smile.

“Yeah, that.”

Inflation.

Great.

Thanks, Kate.

I raise my brows at Mackenzie. “Do you take American Express?” She giggles. I pay my fine in cash. “How about you add up the rest on your calculator, honey?”

She’s going to need it. I have a feeling this little discussion is going to put me in the triple digits.

“What did you say to Kate?” I ask Alexandra.

She shrugs. “We talked, one woman to another. I appealed to her business sense. It went well. You really don’t need to know all the details.”

“Why don’t you let me decide what I need to know. Considering you shouldn’t have f*cking talked to her at all.”

Tap-tap-tap goes the calculator.

“Ungrateful much? I was just trying to help.”

Dr. Kevorkian was just trying to help his patients too. And we all know how they turned out.

“I don’t need your help. I have a plan.”

Alexandra’s hands go to her hips. “Right. Your master plan that entails what, exactly? Annoying Kate until she agrees to go out with you? You gonna call her names on the playground too? Pull on her braids? I have to admit, Sister Beatrice was an interesting touch. I can’t believe Kate isn’t falling on her knees, begging you to take her back after that. Very romantic, Drew.”

My jaw clenches. “It’s. Working.”

She raises a brow. “That’s not what Kate said.”

And there she is. Take a good look.

The Bitch in all her glory.

And you thought I was overreacting.

“Did she say something to you? About me? What did she say?”

She waves her hand in the air. “Oh, this and that.”

You know how some kids like to tease their dogs by showing them a bone and then yanking it away before they can bite it? My sister was one of those kids.

“Goddamnit, Lex.”

Tap-tap-tap.

“I like her, by the way,” she says. “She really doesn’t take any shit does she?”

Tap-tap-tap.

“How do you know she doesn’t take any shit?”

Tap-tap-tap.

“Did you give her shit, Lex?”

Tap-tap-tap.

“What kind of shit did you give her, Alexandra?”

Tap-tap-tap.

She laughs. “My God, would you relax. I haven’t seen you this wound up in…well, never. Now that you’re not pathetic and sad, it’s actually kind of fun.”

My status with Kate at the moment is like a house of cards. I’ve managed to build myself up a few floors, but one small tremor and the whole damn thing falls apart.

“If you f*cked this up for me, I’ll—”

Tap-tap-tap.

“You know stress causes premature gray hair. If you keep this up, you’re going to look like Daddy before you turn thirty.”

“I’m glad you find this so amusing. I don’t. We’re talking about my frigging life here.”

That sobers her up. Her head tilts to the side. Appraising me. And then her voice isn’t teasing anymore.

It’s tender, sincere.

“I’m proud of you, you know. You’re sticking this out. Seeing it through. You’re…all grown up.” She smiles softly. “Never thought I’d see the day.” And then she hugs me. “It’ll be okay, Drew. Promise.”

When I was eight, my grandfather had a heart attack. After my parents left for the hospital, Alexandra promised me everything would be okay.

It wasn’t.

“Did Kate tell you that?”

She shakes her head. “Not in so many words.”

“Then how do you know?”

She shrugs again. “It’s the estrogen. It gives us ESP. If you had a vagina, you’d know too.”

Mackenzie raises her hand proudly. “I have a bagina.”

I smirk. “Yes, you do sweetheart. And someday, it’s gonna help you rule the world.”

“Johnny Fitzgerald has a penis. He say his penis is better than my bagina.”

“Johnny Fitzgerald’s an idiot. Vaginas beat penises every time. They’re like kryptonite. Penises are defenseless against them.”

My sister puts an end to our discussion. “O-kay. That’s enough of that lovely conversation. Although I’m sure Mackenzie’s preschool teacher will enjoy hearing all about it. Right before she calls Child Protective Services on me.”

I put my hands up. “I’m just trying to tell her like it is. The sooner she realizes the power she has, the better off she’ll be.” I check my watch; I need to get upstairs. I look at Mackenzie. “What’s the damage, sweetie?”