Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 45808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
“Tell me what happened, Daddy.”
“There was a lot of running in the jungle.”
“That sounds exhausting,” she mumbled.
“Then they caught the bad guys.”
“Yay!” she said, rallying her enthusiasm.
“And the guy got the girl.”
“Mmm. Love should always win.”
“Exactly, Little girl,” he said, tucking her into bed in the cute cherry nightie he’d produced for her to wear.
“I love this,” she told him again, brushing her hand over the soft fabric as her eyes drifted shut again.
“I love you, Niki.”
“Wake me up early? I have to go jogging before work.”
“I’ll set my alarm.”
“Thanks, Daddy.”
“Night, Little girl.”
Chapter Sixteen
“How are things going?” Ellie whispered as she slid a Maraschino Cherry cupcake and a glass of milk in front of Nicoya.
The weary detective had taken a seat at a table when Ellie had waved her out of line with a cheery, “I’ll bring your order out.”
This had been a very long day, and it was only one in the afternoon. Who knew what would happen next. Nicoya had jumped at the chance to swing into the Little Cakes parking lot on her way back to the police station.
“Thanks, Ellie. I missed lunch and knew one of these would cure all that ails me.”
“Do you have a lot on your ail list?” Ellie asked in concern.
“This job gets tough some days. My own life is going well. The time I spend with Axel helps keep all this crazy in check,” Nicoya shared.
“Good! That’s the way it’s supposed to be. You seem a little tired.”
Nicoya sighed. “I almost screwed things up beyond repair with Axel. Okay, so I did mess things up. And I couldn’t sleep for two nights afterward.”
“Need to talk?”
“I got scared and tried to convince myself I didn’t need to be…” Nicoya leaned in to whisper, “Little.”
“Oh! That didn’t go so well?” Ellie guessed.
“No. I don’t know what I was thinking.” Nicoya plucked the cherry off the top of her cupcake and popped it in her mouth.
“The same thing every one of us tries to convince ourselves,” Ellie shared.
“You tried to be… unLittle?” Nicoya asked, swallowing quickly. She choked and gulped down a drink of the milk as Ellie patted her firmly on her back. Nicoya knew that didn’t work but she appreciated the baker’s attempts to save her.
“I don’t think any of us has never struggled or tried to convince ourselves otherwise. But in the end we all realize that’s just the way we’re wired and it’s okay. Most of us decide it’s better than okay.”
“Thanks, Ellie. I needed to hear that.”
“Besides, with all those rippling muscles your Daddy has, I’d decide I was Little even if I wasn’t,” Ellie teased.
“And right there I have the blackmail I need for you to have to frost and sprinkle that last batch of cupcakes.” A deep voice behind Ellie made them both turn around to look.
“Tarson, you shouldn’t eavesdrop. It’s not nice,” Ellie retorted with a smile. “Besides, we both know it’s safer if you sprinkle. I get wild with that shaker.”
Both Tarson and Nicoya laughed as Ellie pantomimed her sprinkling technique. Tarson pulled a chair out and sat down with a sigh. “Can I join you, ladies?”
“We’d love it,” Nicoya said. “If you won’t share anything you heard.”
“Not a word. That’s a rule,” he answered, shaking his head.
“A Daddy rule?” Ellie asked, leaning in to speak quietly.
“A human-being rule. You’re allowed to talk to each other about stuff—as long as you’re not hiding things from you-know-who,” Tarson assured them.
“He knows,” Nicoya said, taking a bite of her cupcake and groaning in delight. “These are so good.”
“They’ve been really popular. We may have to put them on the regular menu,” Ellie shared.
“Yes, please.” Nicoya wholeheartedly approved of this idea.
The line at the cash register got longer than Ellie liked it to be. With a smile, she excused herself and rushed over to help. Left alone with Tarson, Nicoya took another bite of the cupcake as she eyed the large man. She didn’t know him well but could tell everyone else trusted him completely. Gathering her courage, she leaned forward.
“Ask, Nicoya. I’ll tell you the truth,” Tarson promised when she hesitated.
“Do Daddies ever have questions?”
“Like if they’re really Daddies?” he asked, surprising her.
“Yes.”
“Of course they do, in the beginning. Like when you get a new pair of jeans and you’re wondering if they’re going to fit right and are they going to stretch out in the right places. Being a Daddy feels as right as that pair of jeans you hope will never wear out. It feels…”
“Like you’re supposed to?” Nicoya guessed.
“Exactly.”
“Thanks, Tarson.”
“I’m going to see you soon at Blaze, right?” he asked.
“Yes. We’ll be there this week.”
“You chose a good one, you know.”
“I know.”
“I’ve got to go rescue the sprinkles. Enjoy the rest of your cupcake, Nicoya.”
With that, he disappeared, moving quickly for a large man. She smiled at the kitchen door after he’d gone through it.