“We’re pretty perfect together, aren’t we?” she asked, smiling up at him.
“We are.”
Caden lifted her hand from his shoulder and checked out her fingertips. “Not to the prune-y stage yet. Let’s get cleaned up. Waffles are waiting.”
“I forgot!” she said, standing straighter.
“Let’s rinse off, and we can see how fluffy our breakfast can be!”
CHAPTER 10
Brooklyn danced with excitement as Caden poured batter into the waffle maker they found waiting for them on the front porch. Caden loved her animated expressions as she chattered about what the waffle would look like.
“I wonder where they found this? I’ve never seen one shaped like a ladybug, Daddy! I wonder what other patterns they have? Do you think they have a bunny?”
“I don’t know, sweetheart, but we can search for one,” he told her.
“That would be so neat. I bet we could dye the batter and make the ladybug red. But how would we make the black spots?”
“Chocolate chips?”
She stared at him as if he’d cured cancer. “Yesssss! That would work! Do you have chocolate chips and red food coloring?”
He shook his head ruefully. “I’m sorry, little girl. I am woefully under-prepared to create colorful waffles.”
“That’s okay. We can see what kind of waffle iron we can find. Then we’ll get the stuff to jazz everything up.” She paused for a moment, and the enthusiasm disappeared from her face.“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have made plans to spend money. I’ve got some. I can help pay.”
“That won’t happen. I have plenty of money to feed you and to buy a waffle iron. We won’t buy six waffle irons, so you’ll have to make sure you choose the best one.”
“I don’t like being a leech.”
“You couldn’t be a leech if you tried, little girl. How about if you let me worry about finances?”
“Do you promise you’ll tell me if I become too much of a burden?”
Caden’s heart skipped a beat. Her tone absolutely gutted him. He recognized then that her prior life contained more than an abusive ex who’d stalked her. The delicious scent of a waffle made him act quickly. He flipped the waffle off the griddle and onto a plate before addressing her request.
“Come to the table, Brookie. We’ll eat this waffle while it’s hot and talk.”
“Am I in trouble? I didn’t mean to offend you. Do you want me to leave?” she asked.
Hating the sight of the fat tears welling in her beautiful brown eyes, Caden wanted to nip this train of thought in the bud. “Come eat, little girl.”
She slid off the stool at the island and followed him silently to the table. Caden cut a pat of butter from the stick and stabbed it with a fork before handing it to Brooklyn. “Here, baby. Rub this over the waffle. You can show me how much butter you like.”
When she had taken the fork and pressed it to the golden creation, he calmly told her, “Good job, little girl. While you butter, I’m going to ask you some questions. Okay?”
“Sure,” she said, looking up at him in concern.
“You are not in trouble. I’m trying to think of a scenario where you would be or when I would ask you to leave. Maybe if you had an affair?”
“I’d never do that!” she exclaimed, forgetting her job and letting the butter melt on one section only.
Caden wrapped his hand around hers and guided the butter pat to another spot. “That’s what I think, too. But if you fall in love with someone else, I’d hope you’d talk to me. May I explain my definition of a daddy?”
She nodded.
“A daddy is more than a passing relationship. It’s not like having a boyfriend or girlfriend. For some, it’s more than a husband or wife.”
