“Ha,” she says with a huff. “I feel like my parents are only proud of me for a minute. Then they’re pushing me toward the next goal.”
“That’s not true,” I argue.
“It is,” she says, rubbing her face with exhaustion. “It’s like…they want the best for me. I know that. They see my potential, and I love them for that. But they never let me rest. There is always another mountain to climb. More to strive for. And that’s only so inspiring until it becomes draining.”
“I understand,” I say, softly touching her back. “I hope this restaurant isyourdream.”
“It is. I’m doing this for me.”
“But…” I reply, sensing there is more.
She stares at the screen of industrial mixers and blenders. “I can’t stop thinking about the girl who once imagined having a restaurant all her own. The girl who felt like the world was against her. Like she’d have to work twice as hard as everyone to accomplish what others had. And now here I am. Shopping for knives and bowls, wondering…do I really deserve this? Am I good enough?”
“You know you’re good enough, Freya,” I say with conviction.
“I wish I did.”
Taking her chin in my hand, I turn her to face me. “I’m telling you. You are.”
Her eyes grow moist, and I hope I’m getting through to her. It kills me to think she doubts herself so much. Someone so hardworking, so talented, and so genuinely good should not be plagued with so much insecurity.
Here I am, having to do nothing to earn my praise, and meanwhile she’s working her ass off for it and doubts herself in the end. It’s mind-boggling.
I won’t rest until she believes it.
Blinking away the moisture, she smiles sadly at me. “Heart of gold,” she mouths.
My expression hardens, making her giggle. Slamming the laptop shut and tossing it to the side, I reach for her before she can scurry away. With a gentle grip around her arm, I pull her across my lap. She squeals and squirms in nothing but one of Archer’s oversized shirts and her underwear.
I tickle her playfully around her rib cage, and she laughs even louder.
“Are you going to stop telling me I have a heart of gold?” I ask.
“No,” she mumbles before laughing again as I pinch her on the ass.
“What about now?” I ask.
Turning up toward me, she meets my eyes with her wild black hair over her face. “Only someone with a heart of gold would tickle me when I deserve a spanking.”
My jaw drops, and she squeals with laughter. Try as I might to smack her ass, I can’t. I don’t want to hurt her, which is annoying because I think it proves her point.
After another weak attempt to show her my hard side, I softly rub her ass, squeezing her where I pinched her.
As she gazes up at me with lust in her eyes, I shake my head and quickly pull my hand away.
“Don’t even think about it,” I say in a scolding tone. “You need a rest.”
She huffs with annoyance before climbing off my lap and nuzzling herself under my arm. I brush her hair out of her face and kiss her forehead.
“What are you thinking about?” I ask when things grow quiet.
“Oh, nothing,” she replies with a big exhale. “Just about sitting here…maybe watching TV or reading a book…”
“And?” I ask with a laugh.
She turns her face up to stare into my eyes, and it suddenly clicks. She’s thinking about meusingher.
“Oh,” I reply softly. “Is that something you think you’d like?”
