Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
“There you are. I ordered from the Thai place you like.”
“Yes!” I fist-pumped the air and ran over to his side of the desk. “I didn’t know you were gonna be here today.”
“We had a lull in between meetings, so I decided to make the most of a few hours and be where I could see you.”
Ugh, he always said the right things. I had to remind myself that it was way too soon to fall in love—it was just that new-love feeling, the intense attraction, the crush that bordered on obsession, and…whether that was true or not, I totally felt he was on his way to steal my heart.
As had become our thing, he kept a chair by one of the bookcases so I could sit by his side when we ate together here. I yanked it with me and sat down next to him while he brought our food containers out of a bag.
Yum, green curry and chicken for me. “Thank you so much, Daddy.”
I pulled up my legs and folded them, my knees poking out from underneath the armrests, then used my lap as my food holder.
“You look tired, baby.” He handed me a fork.
“Yeah. I think I’m gonna take a nap when I get home.” I yawned just because he’d brought it up. “Do you think you’ll be late tonight?”
I had a big date with my birthday gift either way. He’d bought me a really nice luggage set, one big rollaboard, one small, and one matching laptop bag. Oh, and the coolest luggage tags! He’d said since the bags were standard black and would blend in on any conveyor belt, I needed my luggage tags to stand out—just like me. They were baby blue and had dancing snowmen on them.
“No. I’ll make sure to be downstairs when you get off,” he replied. “We’ll go home together.”
Home together.
I smiled goofily, sleepily, around a mouthful of awesome curry.
“I don’t see the harm in extending your lunch break half an hour either,” he added. “You can take a nap here while I suffer through a phone conference with the New York office.”
Like I could say no! My fort was waiting for me.
“I gotta name my bunny,” I said, forking up more food. Unlike Daddy, I couldn’t eat with chopsticks. “I’m thinking Sir Grumpy as an ode to the former you.”
Daddy rumbled a laugh around his food and shook his head.
I loved making him laugh.
DECEMBER 17
I totally brought Sir Grumpy. I packed him in my carry-on with my laptop and tablet. He almost fit perfectly in my hand, making him an awesome travel buddy. Ooh—my new travel mascot! Yeah, that was awesome.
I hadn’t needed the small rollaboard, just the big one, so getting through security was easy enough, even more so because Wyatt had upgraded my ticket. He wanted me right next to him, which he showed repeatedly and wordlessly. Because we were surrounded by important people he worked with, plus Mr. Williams, I tried to stay in the background, and Daddy would have none of that. In between Abramses and their assistants, at least one person was talking all the way to the gate, so Daddy didn’t have time to acknowledge me verbally, but when he acted the way he did, I didn’t need his words.
Like, he held my hand or brought me back into his fold, and—
“Just a second, Toby,” Daddy said and ducked into a coffee shop.
Clarke and his PA followed, presumably for a caffeine boost, so I stayed right outside with Suravi.
I yawned and checked my phone to see what time it was.
Ugh, bedtime was the answer. Unless we were at Daddy’s place, he struggled to get me to sleep sometimes.
I didn’t bother Suravi; she was busy with her phone. The other PAs had so many details to get right, and this was showtime for them. Instead, I texted Cam, though he was probably asleep by now.
You gotta meet Wyatt. I’m gonna convince him to visit with me after the holidays.
Daddy came out soon again, and he’d bought something for me too.
“Cocoa with extra marshmallows for my boy.” He kissed my temple, then dove right back into work talk with Toby.
I did my best to contain my ridiculous grin.
DECEMBER 18
Oh my gosh, London was so cool and old!
I stifled a yawn and kept my face all but plastered to the window so I could see as much as possible. It was only Daddy and me in the back of one of those classic London taxis, so I didn’t feel the need to put my adult face on.
“You have a choice to make, baby boy,” Daddy said. “We don’t have dinner plans, so either I make us a reservation, or we order room service.”
Fuck. As much as I wanted to go out, I was so damn tired. I barely knew what day it was, much less the time. The stop in New York had only messed with my grasp of reality further.