He’d heard too many stories about Tonya’s reign of terror. Did she not have a Daddy—or Mommy—to take her down a peg or two?
She needed a good spanking.
It wasn’t his place to give her one, of course, but that didn’t mean he had to just stand there and listen to her brag.
And lie.
“Excuse me, ma’am. Did you just say you were at Musso and Frank’s for lunch?” he asked loud enough to catch her attention.
The Little looked incensed that someone would dare speak to her without first being spoken to. But she bobbed her head and said, “Uh, yes.” She sighed a little and looked at her friends, as if asking, “What is this guy’s problem?”
“You mean right before you came here?” Kendrick asked, stepping closer.
“I just said that.”
“And I assume when you saidLeoyou were referring to DiCaprio.”
Again, the Little offered a quick, exasperated laugh and looked briefly to each of her friends. Once her eyes were back on Kendrick, she said, “Of course. What other Leo would I be talking about?”
Kendrick shrugged. “I was just making sure I heard right. Because… Musso and Frank’s isn’t open for lunch.”
The woman stiffened. Her smug smile waned for the briefest of moments. She cleared her throat. “Did I say Musso and Frank’s? I meant Dan Tana’s. Leo loves that place.” She flipped her blonde hair back. “I eat at both of them so much that I often get them confused.”
“I gotcha,” Kendrick said. “An honest mistake. And I’ve heard Leo does like Dan Tana’s. But you see, they’re only open for dinner, too. No lunch.”
Kendrick saw it in her eyes. She knew she was busted.
Part of him felt bad. Maybe he shouldn’t have publicly humiliated her like that. He’d just heard so many horror stories of what an absolute terror she’d been around the nursery. She was a bully, plain and simple.
“What’s your deal?” she asked, her tone incredulous, as if she couldn’t comprehend actually being called out for her lies.
“My deal?” he said. “I’m just wondering why you’re lying? And being so snobby. The people on the Boulevard aren’t gross.Most of them are just tourists seeing the sites or vendors trying to get by, make a few dollars to survive on.”
This time it was Tonya who stepped closer. “That’s what this is about? You’re upset because I said the people on Hollywood Boulevard are gross?” She scoffed and then threw her head back, laughing. “You can have them. And their ratty clothes.”
Kendrick thought about pointing out the fact that movie premieres were regularly held on Hollywood Boulevard and one was nearly as likely to see a celebrity as they were the so-called “gross” people. But why bother? He wasn’t going to change her mind.
Not with words, at least.
“Do you have a Big?”
She studied him for a minute. “Like a Daddy or Mommy?”
“That’s what I’m asking.”
“No. Why?”
“Huh. I was just wondering if there’s anyone to take you over their knee and redden your bottom. Because that’s what you need, little girl. A good, sound spanking.”
She gasped, covering her mouth and taking a step back. “You wouldn’t!”
He thought about it. Finally, he shook his head. “No. I won’t. It’s not my place. But someone ought to. And the sooner the better.”
With that, he left the stunned woman standing there, clearly struggling with how to process what had just happened.
Kendrick thought it was hilarious.
Chapter Six
