Chapter Six
Crispin
“Can I look yet, Daddy?”
My sweet boy had tried, and failed, numerous times since we painted his room to get back inside there. Thankfully, I’d had the forethought to hide the key one I’d locked it.
“Don’t you want to be surprised when Daddy has the room all done for you?”
He huffed. “It’s taking forever.”
“My sweet, drama queen. These things take time. Daddy had to order special stuff for it and the vendors required a few weeks to make them just for you.”
“’Kay, Daddy.”
But I wasn’t born yesterday and knew there was no way he’d let it go. Hopefully I didn’t have a professional lock picker in the house.
“I’ve got an idea. Daddy has to go on a work trip to Toronto for a couple of days for a conference. Since your passport hasn’t arrived yet, why don’t we pack your bag and you can hang out with Jobe and Daddy Stanley while I’m gone.” That would give my carpenter time to finish up the room too, without prying hands and eyes around.
“Squee! That will be so much fun. We can have a tea party and a runway show for the new apparel line he’s been working on.”
Perfect, since I’d already commissioned Jobe to make a line of little’s wear with my Bunny in mind. Beck would have no idea that he was modeling his own clothes.
How was it that this was so much fun and these gifts weren’t even for me?
Ah, the life of a daddy in love.
I hated not having the ability to take Beck on every trip with me, but there were times such as this where it wasn’t feasible. He’d never flown before and was understandably nervous, but given the rapid rate my business was growing there would be many trips in his future for sure.
Over the years, what I’d once started as a handyman working his way through college flourished when some of the companies I’d worked for were closing shop. Whether due to retirement or the economy, I was the one they’d reach out to and strike a deal with to take over their clients. With a handful I merely bought their client list and did my best to keep those they employed with jobs, but unfortunately, that wasn’t always feasible.
Now, Knight did business in the greater southwest and I’d been contacted by a construction company in Toronto about a potential merger. Since I was already headed that way for a conference, we set up a face-to-face meeting while I was in town. If we were able to strike a deal, I’d have staff that were Canadian citizens, which would allow us to contract jobs across Canada.
I really hoped this worked out, though I’d need to add headcount to my managerial staff. Now that I had a partner in life, I wasn’t about to let my workaholic tendencies get in the way of our forever.
Nothing was worth losing Beck over.
“Daddy, will you be back for Easter?”
Boy, if that didn’t stop me mid-step. I immediately checked the calendar on my phone, Easter was more important to my sweet Bunny than his birthday was, though I had plans for both.
“Of course, sweetheart. Why?”
“I dunno,” he shrugged. “I have fun with Jobe and Daddy Stanley but that just feels like a special day for me to spend with my Daddy.”
“Sweetheart,” I drew him in for a big hug. “I couldn’t agree more and I look forward to it.” I’m guessing he’d never properly celebrated the day with an egg hunt and a basket of goodies. We’ll color eggs the night before and I’ll hide them in the yard before he wakes. Can’t sleep too late, even in April, Vegas tends to be too warm for eggs to be left outside. By noon the smell would be horrendous. I shivered at the thought.
Those big blue eyes stared up at me, then closed as I pressed my lips to his. Slowly his eyes fluttered open, mirroring the love I felt for him. Never in my life had I been in love before. Lust, possibly, but that all-encompassing, you feel it deep in your bone’s kind of love, nope.
Until now.
“My sweet boy, you make it so easy to love you.”
Beck’s eyes filled with tears. “That’s the nicest thing anybody has ever said to me.”
I wanted to take all the pain he ever felt away and throw it back at those who’d hurt him. But as long as there was breath left in my body no one would ever hurt Beck again. I’d spend everywaking moment ensuring he knew how much he was loved and how lucky I was to have him in my life.
“My love, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I mean every word I’ve said.” Had I not said them enough?
