Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Colt arrived with a large bag and waved a suspiciously light-colored cup her way. “I had them make this with half the coffee of a regular iced drink. We’ll wean you off caffeine in the mornings.”
“Thank you, Daddy,” she said gratefully, pouncing on it.
When the door slammed open, making everyone jump and scaring a few of the children, Harper looked up to see her least favorite person. Thank goodness Miranda hadn’t been there a few seconds earlier to hear her call Colt Daddy.
“Are you going to pay attention to the kids today or…” Miranda waved a hand at Colt, who immediately bristled.
Harper quickly answered, “Of course, Miranda. Today is a special day. Everyone is wearing blue.”
She looked over Cinderella in her mom’s arms, distinctively dressed in white and gold. Once again, Miranda hadn’t participated in the activities Harper planned. She had some stretchy leggings for kids to wear if their parents had forgotten.
“Hi, Cinderella. Are you ready to play with your friends?”
“Bluh!” The young toddler waved a hand at everyone else who wore the same color as her mom stood her on the floor.
“That’s right. Today is blue day. Come on in and I’ll find you some blue to wear.”
“It’s stupid to expect parents to remember things like that,” Miranda fussed as she left.
“Cinderella? Would you like to wear something blue?” Harper asked.
When she received the nod of approval, Harper added a pair of blue leggings to Cinderella’s outfit. The child looked at herself and patted her leg. “Bluh!”
When Cinderella waddled away to play with the others, Harper rolled her eyes at Colt. She didn’t say a word about Cinderella’s mother. The toddler would have to draw her own conclusion about her mother in a few years.
Waving goodbye to everyone as their parents picked them up, Harper felt full of energy. It had been amazing having help with simple things like cleaning up after lunch or putting shoes on for outside play time. She leaned against Colt at the door.
“Thanks. This was a fun day,” Harper told him.
“It was exhausting. You have the energy of four kiddos. And who knew you could create a whole, nutritious meal that everyone could eat that was blue!” Colt tightened his arms around her to hug Harper close.
“And how many songs do you know with the word blue in it? The kids had a blast dancing around,” Harper said with a laugh. “I think I’ve had enough blue for a while. I think the kids got it and had fun.”
“I think we all had fun. Come on, Angel. It’s time to go home. You can soak in the tub while I make dinner.”
“I can…”
“You can soak in the tub while I make dinner,” Colt repeated with a glint of ‘don’t push your Daddy’ in his eyes.
“Okay. That sounds nice,” she conceded.
Looking out the window as they drove home, Harper smiled at all the couples walking together. When Colt wrapped his hand around her thigh, she leaned back against the seat back and relaxed. It was amazing to have someone in her life. Please, let this last!
As if to interrupt her thoughts deliberately, Colt asked, “What punishments do you feel would be most effective?”
“For me?” she squeaked.
“Yes.”
“Now? I’m sure I didn’t do anything…”
“In general, Angel. What punishments do you feel would help you remember to take care of yourself?”
“A stern talking to would work, I’m sure. I’ve never really gotten in trouble, so I shouldn’t be such a handful,” she assured him.
“I think spanking, corner time, and perhaps a loss of privileges or a toy.”
“I don’t think any of those will be necessary.”
“Perfect, we agree that you would learn a lesson from all of those.”
Quiet filled the cab as he turned down her street. Colt parked and helped Harper from the high truck seat. As her feet touched the ground, she whispered, “What privileges would I lose?”
“Hmmm,” he said, seeming to look. “Things that you would regret, like wearing panties or sleeping in your nightshirt.”
“I can’t go around without underwear, Colt.”
“Daddy,” he warned as he escorted her into her apartment. “You can.”
“No, I can’t!” she said, whirling around to confront him. “You don’t get to come in here and make…arbitrary rules.”
“There’s nothing arbitrary about rules, Little girl. Talk nicely to your Daddy, please.”
“And if I don’t want to?” she challenged.
“Then we have a problem.” He stood quietly in front of her, watching her face.
She decided two could play that game and she stared back, not saying a word. Seconds ticked by and she didn’t back down. Harper watched Colt pull his phone from his back pocket and scroll through to select something. In his deep voice, he read:
“I would like my Daddy to be strict. I’m too nice to everyone. Someone needs to make me put myself first.”
“Would a Daddy be able to make me feel better about myself? That would be amazing.”