“No. Everything is fine.”
“No cancellations?”
“No.” Essie lifted her reader and pretended to read.
“Okay, Little girl. Talk to me. What’s going on?” Zander demanded.
“Nothing. Did you have a pleasant visit with Cynthia?”
“Oh, I guess Sara told you I dated Cynthia years ago?” Zander asked.
“Did you? I bet you enjoyed getting caught up with her. Or maybe you’ve always stayed in touch?” Essie tried not to glare at him and failed. If she’d had laser beams for eyes, he would be toast. That thought cheered her up a bit.
“Cynthia hasn’t lived in town for several years. She’s recently divorced and is trying to land on her feet. Riding horses has always been a passion of hers. She’s living in an apartment now, so she would need somewhere to board a horse if she bought one.”
“Youdidhave a great visit, didn’t you?” Essie snapped.
“Watch the attitude, Little girl. Why are you mad at me? Would you like me to tell Cynthia I don’t want her coming to my estate?”
“Yes. I would like you to tell your ex to jump off a steep cliff!” Essie set down her reader and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Both relieved she’d gotten that off her chest and worried about how he’d respond, Essie watched his face carefully.
“Okay. I’ll do that.” Zander smiled at her when her jaw dropped open in shock.
“You will?”
“Of course. Cynthia is nothing to me. You, on the other hand, mean everything. If she bothers you, I’ll stay far away from her.”
Zander walked forward. He scooped Essie up in his arms and sat down in her spot, holding her on his lap. “I love you, Little girl. Not anyone else.”
Tears gathered in her eyes as she blinked at his declaration. Cynthia’s appearance had completely rattled her. Now hope swooped in to replace her fright that she’d lose Zander. “You love me?” she repeated.Did he really mean that?
“I love you, Essie. I knew you were special when we were kids. Thank goodness, we navigated through that silliness from our mothers. I can’t imagine not having you in my life.”
She shook her head. “I can’t either. I got so angry at Cynthia because I was sure I fell harder for you than you could have.”
“Does that mean you have something to tell me?”
“Oh! Yes! I love you, Zander Templeton.”
Zander pulled her close and kissed her with scorching heat. They both breathed heavily when he leaned back. “Could you say that again, but call me Daddy?”
“I love you, Daddy,” she told him with a big smile. His big grin showed his enjoyment at hearing her say both names.
“And I love you, my precious Little girl.”
Essie pressed a kiss to his lips to reward him. She felt like an idiot for having gotten pissed off for no good reason. “I’m sorry I doubted you.”
“I’d like us to make a pact.”
“About what?” she asked.
“How about if we promise each other to talk through anything that’s bothering us? Like if I believe you’re working too hard, or you think I’m interested in someone I knew wasn’t right years ago.”
“I didn’t want to make you mad. Or worse yet, put the idea into your brain.”
“One, I promise to never get angry if you’re worried about something. A Little girl shouldn’t waste a moment fretting. And two, I hope you realize I’m not that easily led that bringing up a topic would make me turn my back on you and our relationship.”
“Well, if you put it like that…. My reasons for being upset are silly.”
