The Playboy (Chandler Brothers 2)

Kendall sighed. Understanding Hannah would go a long way toward allowing Kendall to get closer to her baby sister. Reaching out would do more. “Morning, Hannah.”

Her sister spun around, carton of orange juice in hand and telltale mustache on her face.

“The glasses are in this cupboard.” Kendall opened one of the tall cabinets she’d cleaned the other day. “They aren’t a matched set, but they’ll do. I cleaned them myself so you don’t have to worry about catching anything.” She laughed.

Hannah merely shrugged, then accepted the glass. “You’re up early. I figured you’d sleep in after last night.”

“Do we have to talk about that now?” Hannah asked.

“I thought I was talking about being up early, not last night. Although we are going to have to lay down some ground rules about living together.”

A car horn honked loudly. “That’s my ride.” Hannah set down the glass she hadn’t yet used.

Kendall blinked. “Your ride? You don’t know anyone in this town yet.”

Hannah met her gaze, staring at her through heavily made-up eyes. Kendall narrowed her stare. Was that liner black or dark lavender? Hard to tell, it was caked on so thick. So was her foundation. Thanks to her modeling days, Kendall knew a thing or two about makeup and maybe after she broke through Hannah’s emotional walls, she could chisel through some of that face makeup too.

“Who could possibly be picking you up?” Kendall asked.

“Rick. He said we have a date.” Hannah pivoted fast and walked out, slamming the door shut behind her.

“She’s testing me,” Kendall muttered. “I know she’s testing me.” A quick glance outside told Kendall that Rick was indeed waiting for Hannah. Score one for her sister, not that Kendall was the least bit concerned. Whatever Rick had planned, he must have forgotten to mention it last night. Since there was no one she trusted more than Rick, she wasn’t going to run after Hannah and give her any satisfaction now.

Kendall rubbed her hands over her eyes, then reached to grab a bowl from the cabinet.

“Kendall?” Rick’s voice called to her from the entry-way.

“In the kitchen.” She turned to find him walking into the small room and he wasn’t alone.

Hannah walked ahead of him as he prodded her forward the entire time.

“What’s going on?” Kendall asked.

“Someone was supposed to tell you I’d pick both of you up this morning. And someone neglected to mention it,” he said.

“And could that someone be you?” Kendall asked Rick very sweetly and laughed.

“Depends on your perspective. When I got home last night I realized I’d forgotten to tell you that I’d pick both you and Hannah up this morning. But since I trusted her to relay the message, I figured I wouldn’t call and possibly wake both of you up.”

The young girl rolled her eyes. “So I forgot. Big deal.”

“Pick us up for what?” Kendall asked.

“I told Hannah I’d take her over to the DARE program car wash so she could meet some kids her age and I figured you could pick up your car at the same time.” Rick shot Hannah an annoyed glance.

“I said I forgot. So sue me.”

Kendall folded her arms across her chest, as annoyed as Rick at the games Hannah chose to play. “You forgot. But you didn’t forget to tell me you and Rick had a date this morning, now did you?”

Rick opened his mouth to speak but when Kendall winked at him from behind Hannah, he quickly shut it again.

“Selective memory?” she asked her sister, not holding back the sarcasm.

“You’re goading me, Hannah, and I want to know why.”

“You don’t want me here. The only reason you’re putting up with me in the first place is because I have nowhere else to go. Otherwise you wouldn’t think twice about me.”

Hannah’s comments merely cemented Kendall’s earlier impression of her sister as a lonely, abandoned child. Guilt resurfaced, compounded by the notion that Kendall should have thought more about Hannah’s life and feelings than she had before.

But Hannah’s pain didn’t excuse her rudeness and Kendall drew a calming breath before answering. “Tell you what. You two go to the car wash. Introduce Hannah to some kids. I’ll shower and get myself together. Tonight we’ll talk and I’ll set the record straight. Got it?” she asked.

Hannah turned away, as if she meant to ignore her. “Talk to the hand,” she muttered.

“How long’s the car wash?” Kendall asked Rick through gritted teeth.

“All day. Izzy and Norman are providing lunch for the kids.”

“Great! I think Hannah could benefit from some good old-fashioned work. I’ll see both of you at Norman’s at five.”

“I can’t wash cars all day!” Hannah cried, spinning around and giving Kendall the opportunity to talk to her face-to-face. “I mean, my nails will break and I’ll get dishpan hands.”

“Better you washing cars than me washing out that sarcastic, obnoxious, forgetful mouth,” Kendall snapped back. “That’s ground rule number one. You treat me with respect and I’ll do the same. See you at dinner.” Taking her cue from Hannah, Kendall turned and walked out, her only concession to politeness the fact that she didn’t slam a door behind her.