“I have a couple places I want to show you that could make your remaining time at Hempstead and McCullough shorter than you’re thinking, and our future together start sooner.”
Lottie’s heart squeezed and her stomach jumped as she processed his words. “Okay, Daddy. Let’s go.”
Travis stood and watched as Lottie walked around the building he’d brought her to. Since leaving her Sunday, he’d been busy meeting with a realtor who not only represented residential properties but also commercial. This was the third building she’d shown him, but it was the one he thought Lottie would like best.
The building had been a restaurant in a former life, but had been empty for over a year. The plus was that there was a sizeable apartment upstairs that went with the building.
When she didn’t move for more than a minute, he took a step toward her. “What do you think?”
She slowly turned to face him. The tears tracking down her cheeks were contradicted by the great big smile on her lips.
“I think it’s perfect, Daddy. But I could never afford to buy this building. I doubt I’d even be able to afford the rent.”
“Oh, sweetheart, you might be surprised,” he said. “Especially if you’d allow me to buy in as your partner.”
“Partner?”
“Partner. I thought we could buy the building. The candy storefront will be here, the kitchen is industrial-grade and everything is in ready to start cooking tomorrow. And we can live upstairs, unless you’d rather rent out that space and buy ahouse somewhere else. Or, you could live upstairs until you’re comfortable moving in with Daddy, or having Daddy move in with you.”
Knowing he was pushing hard, Travis laid out all of his arguments and then forced himself to close his mouth. His Little girl was fully in her adult, business-mind headspace and though he could see her Little shining in her eyes, he knew she needed to be Big for this conversation.
Without a word, Lottie walked to the kitchen door and pushed it open to study the kitchen once again. Even from here he could hear her thinking, he just wished he had some insight as to which way she was leaning. Would she want him as a partner as well as a Daddy? Or would she not be willing to have him be a part of her candy empire?
Finally, Lottie turned and returned to stand just in front of him, her arms crossed over her chest. He didn’t know if she was cold, or just holding herself because she’d left Violet in the car when they’d come inside. Her expression was still blank, so he remained still and silent, half afraid to breathe for fear of pushing her to the wrong decision.
He took a deep breath when she did, before bracing himself for her decision.
She finally looked up at him with a sad smile. “I agree this is an amazing space, and would be perfect for Lottie’s Lollies. But I don’t want either of us to rush into things. So we’re going to table the discussion of this space, a house, and anything else until Sunday. If this is what we both want on Sunday, then, and only then, we will draw up a partnership contract to protect us both.”
Though he wanted to argue, Travis nodded as he held out his right hand. “Agreed. But I want to talk to your sisters before then.”
Chapter Fourteen
Instead of taking her home, Lottie had Travis drop her at her car. After giving him a hug and a kiss that bordered on pornographic, she climbed into her car and headed home. By the time she parked in front of the farmhouse her family had lived in for generations, she was beyond exhausted.
She was just happy that neither of her sisters were at home. Hanging her purse on its assigned hook by the front door, she headed straight to her bedroom. After changing into her favorite soft leggings with dancing cows all over them, and an oversized t-shirt, she crawled into bed. Curling in the middle of the mattress, she hugged Molly Moo tight, cried a few tears of overwhelmed exhaustion, and allowed sleep to carry her away.
She woke up to the feeling of someone sitting on the bed and a hand being pressed against her forehead.
“She doesn’t have a fever. Maybe last weekend finally caught up with her.”
“Maybe. But she also hasn’t been sleeping,” Tilly said from the other side of the bed. “Maybe being away from Travis is taking its toll, too.”
“Maybe. Should we call him?” Carri asked, sounding worried.
“No, you shouldn’t call him,” Lottie said before she opened her eyes and looked at her sisters. “I’m fine.”
“But you’re home early,” Carri stated as she stood up.
“And you’re sleeping in the middle of the day,” Tilly added.
Taking a deep breath, Lottie sighed and pushed herself up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She sat for a moment before she said, “I had a … rough day at work and came home early.”
Before she could go into detail, the doorbell sounded, it’s bong-bong-bong echoing throughout the house thanks to the crazy doorbell their father had installed when they were teenagers.
Lottie stood and took a moment to stretch before following her sisters out of her room and down the stairs to the front door.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” Carri said once she’d opened it. “Not until Sunday.”
