Page 82 of Iron Unicorn

“Exactly. We better take two. Find out who Pieter’s best friend is. If Will can play this game, so can I.”

As the queen would rampage if she didn’t get her way, I surrendered. “I’ll inquire.”

“Thank you. I better get this show on the road, else we won’t ever get there, and I will not be defeated by that… that man!”

That man? “Do you mean your husband, Mackenzie?”

“Yes.”

One day, I might understand women. “I will warn them that you are on the prowl and would like to adopt Pieter’s closest friend if possible.”

“If his closest friend has a sibling, we can’t separate them, obviously.”

I smiled at that. “I will inquire.”

“Please do, and thank you for notifying me of my husband’s dastardly deeds. Do not warn him I’m armed and ready to retaliate.”

“You can’t adopt the entire lot of them,” I informed her.

Silence. “Why not?”

“Many of them have special needs.”

“So?”

“You are not equipped to handle that many children with special needs. Two will be challenging enough, I assure you. Summon those you feel are up for the challenge and are not inclined to give up because something becomes difficult. I am of the opinion your husband is aware of the difficulties with a special needs child. And my example is a poor one, as I am only a temporary custodian. I had what Jane’s parents did not: the money and contacts. I am willing to make a lifetime commitment, but I went in with the understanding she is a wanted child with life circumstances that had barred her parents from being with her. All I am doing is paving a way for them to be a family again. That is a far different level of commitment than what your family is doing.”

“It is, and it isn’t, Terry.” Mackenzie sighed. “We have the staffing to take on two more. Will wants to hire another nanny, but the workload is borderline. Two children added to the mix would make the situation no longer borderline. And with extra staff, we can realistically add three unexpected little ones to the fray. And before you freak, Will has been talking about adopting for a while, so I’m not really being blindsided. I wasn’t expecting it to be today, but I was expecting it. I’ll let you go so I can get these balls rolling, get bedrooms open, and get somebody to ready the plane. Text me with the address of the hotel, please.”

“I will,” I promised.

The queen hung up, and I shook my head and laughed over the absurdity of the situation. I texted Carl with a warning that Montana’s queen was on the prowl and preparing to invade Texas, informed him that if Pieter had a close friend that there would need to be a second adoption processed, and that chaos would surely arrive by morning. Then I broke the news that we’d been requested to stay until she arrived.

I received a confirmation along with a promise he would handle everything.

Olivia, dressed in her pajamas, came back into the living room. “I didn’t damage the dress!”

I raised a brow, wondering how she’d escaped it without destroying it in the time it’d taken me to talk with Mackenzie. “How?”

“It has a zipper. I even hung it up properly. Zippers are wonderful things. Everything good in Montana?”

“Mackenzie is on the way, and she asked that we stay long enough to see her before we flee the kingdom.” I grinned at the thought of the queen creating glorious chaos at the charity and adoption event. “Part of me wants to stay to observe, Olivia.”

“I’m sure the paparazzi will be more than happy to take photos immortalizing the event. After Mackenzie gets here, we’re leaving. We’re kidnapping Eddie, and we’re busting this joint to put those Texans back in their place. Bathe first, and I’ll go after you. You can warm the bed for me while you read. But tomorrow? We’re showing those Texans who is in charge here, and it isn’t them.”

NINETEEN

“Are we being recorded?”

It tookQueen Mackenzie of Montana less than five minutes to charm and steal Pieter from her husband. Satisfied the expanding family would be fine without our supervision, I escaped with Olivia and Eddie to the SUV waiting outside. As the Texan RPS wanted to continue training Eddie for independence, he got to drive.

A quick check of the back indicated he’d have a team ghosting him in vehicles the RPS rarely used but had on hand if their monarchs decided to bust the joint in one of their cars. In an emergency, the future monarch would find himself boxed in, and I’d be able to coach him on handling his role as the driver.

One day, he’d need the education, and not for the reasons he currently believed. Aware I’d have to potentially coach him, I took the front passenger seat, communicating the need to Olivia with a pointed stare. As the princess took over the back without complaint, I assumed she’d understood what I meant to do and why.

“How much has the RPS worked with you on evasive driving?” I asked, buckling in and checking the glove box to discover two firearms waiting within. As they were the same make as what I typically used, I assumed the RPS forgot I came with my own weapon.

The Texans preferred a different brand.

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