All too soon, I started to get sleepy, which was a sign that it was a really comfortable place for me, but also a sign that I needed to do something more active. The second Memphisnoticed I was exhausted, he was going to say it was time to leave. He was that kind of daddy.
“Water table,” I suggested.
“Try not to get yourself too wet, sweet boy.” He kissed the top of my head, and then we went into the section they had turned into the water table area. They only had it set up sometimes, and I couldn’t blame them. Littles tended to be very messy.
The floor was lined with plastic, and the “toys” were everything from measuring cups to fancy plastic ships that you could pull by a string to make them go across the water. Getting wet worked, and I was awake again, ready for the next activity.
We stayed until well into the early morning hours, doing crafts, playing with cars, and ringing in orders at their grocery store. You name it, if it was there, we found time to play with it. And it was a blast, one that sadly had to come to an end.
“I need to go beddies,” I finally conceded.
“We can finish playing whatever we didn’t get to next time.”
Gods, I really loved that.
Next time.
I could not wait.
Chapter Fourteen
Memphis
“Hi, sweet boy. What are you up to?” FaceTiming Ridge on a night we weren’t together had become our custom right before bedtime, and I looked forward to seeing his face before heading to dreamland.
“Just about to have dinner with my friend.” A hand came onto the screen, waving then disappeared. “Rowan says hi.”
“Hi, Rowan.” I didn’t know this friend, but my boy was very popular in the little room and even among the daddies due to his kindness and sweet nature. “Where are you, anyway?”
“Rowan’s house.”
“That’s nice. How are you going to get home?” Yes, I was aware that Ridge went all over town on public transportation or his bike, but it was pretty late—well past dinnertime in fact. “I can pick you up if you need a ride.”
“No, thank you. I’m not leaving tonight.”
“Oh good. It’s safer that way.” I was about to tell him good night and hang up when something seemed off. This was a friend I’d never heard of before, and he had never stayed at anyone’s house, to my knowledge, since I’d known him. Why now? “How come you’re having a slumber party tonight?”
“My building needed to be fumigated again. Some of the tenants are not the cleanest, so I’m out for a few days and Rowan invited me. He has a spare room and everything.”
Fumigated…again. I hadn’t seen any roaches or anything when I’d been at Ridge’s apartment, but he was the opposite of not the cleanest, and if he had them, they had just arrived. “I hope you didn’t get any bugs in your place because of the others’ habits.”
“No. Never even one, but I gather some of the other tenants were seriously overrun after 4A moved out and left a hoarding situation. They couldn’t even get in there to inspect it because the front hallway was piled so high.”
“I see.” Why didn’t he come to stay with me? I hated that he might not feel comfortable enough to do so. But this was not the time I could broach it. “How was your day?”
We chatted for a little while longer before I heard his friend saying dinner was ready. “I’d better let you go, Ridge. Do you have everything you need?”
“Yes, Daddy.” Rowan must be someone he felt comfortable with, another little. “Thank you. You sleep good.”
“You, too, my sweet boy. I’m here anytime you need me.”
“Night, Daddy.”
After he hung up, I stared at the phone for a while, mulling over the situation. And what bothered me about it. Of course, I was glad he had friends he could rely on when a situation arose, but I couldn’t get past wondering why he’d chosen a friend over me? He did stay at my place sometimes, but usually only one night at a time, now that I thought of it, and I thought our relationship was strong enough that he’d feel comfortable enough to know he’d be welcome anytime. For any length of time now.
And what about the building? Every time I picked him up at his apartment or we spent the night there, I was aware of more issues with his residence. Now bugs? What next, rats? I wished with all my heart that I could protect him from the evils of the world, but until he was ready, I could not even suggest what I really wanted. To have him under my roof all the time.
Glancing at the clock, I saw it was just after ten, and our set generally were night owls. I needed to vent to someone or ask advice, so I called Jovan.
