Page 38 of Finding Little Fiera

She didn’t have to sneak coffee from the cafeteria. She didn’t have to stay by herself in the main lodge. She wasn’t alone. She was spending the day with her Daddy.

He laced his fingers loosely with hers under the blanket, casual as anything. She squeezed back.

Yes. She wanted to be seen with this man. At least for now, he was hers.

Chapter Thirteen

She hadn’t made it five steps into the lodge before the smell of bacon, pancakes, and syrup wrapped around Fiera like a hug she hadn’t known she needed. Her stomach growled in response.

Mace’s warm, steady hand settled at the small of her back as he guided her toward the serving line. “All right, firefly. What’s it gonna be?”

She spotted the pancakes first. Golden, fluffy, and stacked like little edible clouds. Her mouth watered.

“Pancakes,” she said instantly.

He didn’t even blink. “You can have pancakes.”

Her heart leapt. “Yay!”

“But,” he went on, reaching for a plate, “you’re also gonna have somethin’ that sticks to your ribs.”

She should have known it was too good to be true. She tried not to pout but failed. “Daddy,” she whined dramatically, “pancakes will stick to ribs. Everyone knows how sticky syrup is.”

He angled his head down at her. “Eggs.”

She sighed. “Fine.”

“And ham.”

She gasped. “This is tyranny.”

His lips twitched. “Scrambled or over easy?”

“Scrambled,” she muttered, shuffling forward in line.

He loaded her plate with two pancakes, a scoop of scrambled eggs, and a thick slice of fried ham. “See, balanced and delicious.”

She pretended to be angry that he was being so bossy, but she wasn’t. To have a Daddy who ate with her and actually cared what she was eating was a dream she’d never thought would come true. But it had. Temporarily.

Mine

Her brain kept whispering her claim again and again. When he got her juice instead of soda. When he carried it toward the tables instead of letting her juggle it.

A voice called out, “Over here!” When she followed the sound, she spotted Sadie waving wildly from a corner table.

Wren and Daisy were already digging into their food, eyes bright with mischief.

Fiera slid into the chair between Sadie and Master Mace. She was hyperaware of his knee brushing against hers under the table when he insisted on tucking a napkin into her shirt like a bib so she wouldn’t get syrup all over her.

Sadie leaned in immediately. “Okay, first of all… the piggyback race? Iconic.”

Fiera blinked. “Piggies are gonna race?”

Sadie nodded vigorously right back at her even as Wren shook her head just as enthusiastically. Daisy giggled, and when her Daddy chuckled, Fiera’s confusion grew and had her throwing her hands up.

“I declare a do over! Are piggies racing or not?”

Sadie giggled and made circles with her head until Fiera’s narrowing eyes had her straightening “Sorry.” She took a deep breath. “Didn’t you read your schedule for today?”