“Do you think you can make a decision in a week?” Tobias asks.
“Maybe?” I reply honestly. “I don’t actually know, but I can try.”
Daddy kisses my forehead and hugs me close to him. “It’s okay if you can’t.”
“Well, I’m going to go for now,” Aiden replies. “I can see that I’m no longer needed here.”
“Aiden, I’m sorry,” I whisper as he stands up.
“Sorry for what?”
“Sorry for making you worry so much. I didn’t mean to.”
Aiden bends down and kisses my forehead. “I know you didn’t, and I’m not mad at you. But let’s not keep secrets from each other from now on, alright? Not unless they are for birthdays or Christmas.”
“Okay.” I nod.
Aiden walks out of the house, and I turn to Daddy.
“How are you feeling?” he asks.
“Tired,” I mumble.
“Do you want to go take a nap?”
I shake my head. I don’t want to be away from him right now.
“Do you want to go sit out on the porch and rock in the rocking chair with me?” he asks.
“Please?”
Daddy picks me up, walks out of the house, then sits down on the rocking chair, and holds me close.
“What do you want to do for the rest of the day?” Daddy asks.
“Nothing,” I murmur as I snuggle into his body. “Just be with you.”
Because if I do leave, then I want to spend as much time with him as I can.
“I do want you to know that I have some work the day after tomorrow,” he gently says. “I can’t get out of it, so you will be on your own for a couple of hours.”
I pout. “Really?”
He nods. “I know, Little One, but there isn’t anything I can do about it. It’s only going to be for a couple of hours, so you don’t have to worry about it too much.”
“Couple of hours is too much,” I grumble.
Daddy chuckles and holds me tighter.
“I do have something I want to suggest,” he says.
I hum.
“Another woman who lives here at the lodge wants to meet with you when I have to work. Do you think you could meet her?” Tobias asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know her.”
“She doesn’t know you either, but she wants to make friends with you.”
