Two weeks later…
Foster
I’m pretty sure the reason my jaw always hurts is because I’ve been grinning for three weeks. I can’t stop.
I’m sitting by the pool at one of the glass tables under the umbrella. It’s unseasonably warm today even though fall is creeping closer. “Be careful. That’s far enough,” I shout out to Amelia as she strays a bit too far toward the deep end.
She can swim perfectly well, but she likes boundaries, so I set them. I can see her cheeks are flushed from where I’m sitting. “Yes, Daddy.”
She’s swimming with Brea Hopson, the latest person to join our team of employees. Brea has been here a week. She’s quiet and shy and intrigued beyond measure by the lifestyle she’s learning about.
I’m pretty sure Brea can’t swim at all, so part of my reason for enforcing my shallow-end rule is to keep Brea safe without embarrassing her in front of the other girls.
I tug my laptop closer to respond to the email in front of me, though I glance at the pool every few seconds to make sure the girls are okay. Is it a coincidence I’ve gotten an email from my old football buddy, Niko Giles, at this particular moment in my life?
I don’t really believe in coincidences. What I’ve learned is Niko is currently single and living in Seattle. He retired from professional football several years ago and has spent most of his time since then volunteering and enjoying life.
The man has plenty of free time on his hands, and I could really use someone with his carpentry skills to help me with the last few unfinished rooms in the basement. So, I’m about to respond to him and suggest he come out to Blossom Ridge for a visit.
I’m not usually a matchmaker, but as I glance at the girls again, I take in the timid newcomer, Brea, and wonder if she might just be the perfect match for Niko.
Niko and I both knew we were Daddies going way back to the first time we ran into each other in the same club in college. He’s had several Littles over the years. What I know about him is he tends to have a soft place in his heart for damaged people. What I also know is Brea is damaged in ways I don’t even know.
Maybe Niko has changed. Maybe he isn’t interested in having a Little at this point in his life. It’s not as if I’ll suggest anything specific. All I’m going to do is invite him to come visit and let the rest of the chips fall where they may.
“Daddy,” Amelia calls out as I hit send, letting the suggestion hit the ether. “Come play with us.”
“Okay, sweet girl.” I can’t deny Amelia anything. I flip the laptop closed and pull off my shirt before I take two giant steps toward the pool and cannonball right into the middle.
When I come up, Amelia is giggling as she brushes her pale hair from her face. Brea has moved to the side to sit in the zero-entry area, but she’s smiling slightly.
I duck back under the water and come up underneath my Little girl, lifting her out of the water against my chest as I resurface. God, I love her laughter. I kiss her briefly, not wanting to embarrass Brea with a full display of PDA. “Five more minutes and then you girls need to get out and dry off. It’s getting late. Almost time to start dinner.”
“Ahhh, Daddy…” Amelia whines.
I take a deep breath and pull her closer to my chest. I love holding her like this and do so as often as I can. I love how much she’s changed over the past three weeks. She’s switched from worrying about getting her job done to acting like it’s a chore sometimes.
I know she doesn’t mean it. She loves her job and would never be even one minute late for work. But she likes to pretend, and it warms my heart.
“Maybe I could help you with dinner?” Brea suggests as I set Amelia on her feet. I love that the timid woman is coming out of her shell a bit more every day. It’s huge that she’s willing to offer to help instead of worrying she might be shot down.
“That’d be great, Brea. Thanks.” My Amelia is one of the kindest people I know. If Brea is going to show an interest in learning more about the kitchen, Amelia will definitely step up to the plate and teach her. “I worry eventually I won’t be able to do all the cooking by myself if we get busy around here.”
Amelia isn’t the least bit worried about such a thing, but she has a kind heart and a gentle soul.
Brea smiles broader and turns to climb out of the pool.
“You are a very special sweet girl,” I whisper in Amelia’s ear. “And I love you to pieces.”
“I love you too, Daddy.” She kisses me and then wades toward the shallow water, grinning at me over her shoulder until my heart feels like it might explode.