Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Huh?
Casey glanced up at him. “What?”
“Elise bought those sheets. They were nice but white isn’t really a color I would choose. And they were probably getting old.”
“Oh. I’m not in trouble?”
“I didn’t say that.”
She nodded miserably. “I wasted a day.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” he told her. “You kept my son happy, safe, and entertained. Should he have done some schoolwork? Maybe. But he’s also seven. He’s got plenty of time for that. I’m sure he’ll remember a day like today forever.”
“Oh.” Casey sniffled. “That’s really nice.”
“It is. Now, to the part you are in trouble for.”
Uh-oh.
“From now on, no cooking without supervision.”
She nodded. “Yeah, that’s fair enough.”
“If the smoke alarm goes off, you get out and you call me.”
“Really? But I had that part under control.”
“How did you get to it?” he asked.
“Um, I climbed a chair.”
Jeb gave her a stern look. “Which isn’t very safe.”
Drat.
“Neither is pulling out a hot tray from the oven.”
She didn’t think it was that unsafe.
“But mostly you’re in trouble for the way you spoke about yourself. I won’t have you speaking badly about yourself, understand?”
“Yes.”
He cupped her chin. “Wyatt has a playdate tomorrow. You and I are going to spend a few hours together. Just Daddy and his little girl. And we’ll deal with your punishment then.”
Something to look forward to.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Nerves were making her all jittery as she stood in the living room waiting for Jeb to come inside. He’d just pulled up after dropping Wyatt off at his friend’s house.
She glanced down at herself.
Did she look all right? She hadn’t been sure what to wear. So she’d chosen one of her favorite outfits. A tutu skirt in bright orange with orange-and-pink-striped knee-high socks. Then she had on a pink t-shirt with an alligator on the front and a green cardigan over it. Her blonde hair was tied up in two pigtails with green ribbons.
Hopefully he thought she looked cute.
What if he didn’t?
Oh, who cared? She thought she looked adorable and that was all that mattered.
Jeb walked in and she turned to him. “I look adorable!”
His eyebrows rose. “Yes, you do.”
Oh.
Her shoulders slumped. Yep. She was being an idiot.
“Sorry,” she said sheepishly. “I was worried you wouldn’t think that I was cute.”
“Well, that was silly. Of course I do. But sorry who?”
Huh?
“How do you address me?” he asked.
“Oh. Sorry, Daddy.” She could feel her cheeks heat even as her tummy danced with excitement.
“Good girl. Come with me.” He held out his hand and she walked forward and slid her hand into his.
“Where are we going, Daddy?”
“To one of the spare rooms. We can stay in the living room but I do occasionally get visitors and I thought you might feel more comfortable in a private space.”
That was thoughtful.
They entered a room with a single bed, nightstand and set of drawers. The walls were painted a soft gray and all the furniture was cream. There was something soothing about the room.
“I haven’t really got anything for you to play with,” he said awkwardly. “Or do. Or bottles or pacifiers or anything. Hell, I didn’t even ask how young your Little is.”
He looked so unsure that it surprised her. Jeb was never unsure. Why? Did he think she wasn’t going to be good at this?
“Not a great first experience for you,” he added.
She suddenly realized that he was concerned about her. About her enjoyment.
Stepping forward, she smiled at him. “I don’t mind what we do, Daddy. I just want to spend time with you. I don’t think I regress young enough to need bottles or pacifiers. I’d really be happy with some paper and coloring pens.”
“Yeah?” he said, brushing her hair off her face.
“Yes, Daddy.”
“All right then, precious girl. Let’s go see what Daddy can find.”
Half an hour later, she was lying on her stomach on the floor, drawing a picture of a tree.
“Wow, little girl. That’s an amazing drawing,” Daddy said as he stood over her.
He’d gone to get them a snack and she could feel her stomach rumbling.
“Do you think so, Daddy? I didn’t think it was that great. I was gonna rip it up and start again.”
“Whoa, no you don’t,” he said as he sat and placed the tray he’d been carrying on the floor. “Why would you want to rip it up?”
“I dunno.” She sat up, staring down at the paper. “It’s not that good.”
“I think it’s amazing. No ripping up pictures.”
“Really? My father always used to . . .” she trailed off as his face grew red.
Uh oh.
He didn’t look very happy.
“What did that bastard do?” he asked.
“Um, well, he was never happy with any of my art. Said it was pointless, a waste of time. Most of the stuff I showed him when I was younger he ripped up. So then I stopped showing him. But I ended up ripping most of it up myself.”