“You’re right, although they wouldn’t be bad to have in case of an emergency. Let’s stick to knocking, though.”
Happiness enveloped the room like a warm blanket, but there was still a vital piece of information I needed. “Are you gonna buy the house, Daddy?”
David smiled and tucked my hair behind my ear. It was a simple gesture, but I loved it when he did it. It made me feel cherished. “I think so, darling. Obviously, there’s more paperwork to complete, and I’ll be paying for an inspector to come out and ensure the place is safe. If it is, I already have the cash lined up and ready to go. Elena thinksthat since it’s a cash purchase, we should be able to close on the house in a matter of weeks.”
All three of us cheered.
Tristan roared the cutest, most excited roar.
“That’s amazing, David, I’m so happy for both of you.”
Excitement coursed through like never before. I couldn’t believe it. “I’m so excited, Daddy!”
I started thinking about everything that needed to be done and what I wanted to keep. My princess bed came to mind, and I instantly got sad. I knew I wouldn’t need it anymore since we had Daddy’s bed. Maybe Daddy would be okay with me putting it in my new playroom, but even that didn’t feel right. I didn’t want to sleep in a bed that wasn’t mine and Daddy’s, even if it was just for a quick nap.
“What’s wrong, princess?” I should’ve known Daddy would pick up on my mood change.
“What about my princess bed, Daddy? I thought about putting it in my new playroom, but I’d probably never use it. It’s way too small for snuggle time.”
Daddy’s face softened, and it looked like he was lost in thought. I watched with curiosity as David looked over my shoulder at Daniel. I couldn’t see Daniel since he was behind me, but as I watched David’s face, it was almost as if they were having their own silent conversation.
After a few intense seconds, David returned his attention to me with a newfound determination. “I’m not sure, princess, but I promise onceeverything settles down, we’ll see if we can get something bigger for your playroom. Does that sound okay?”
My heart was incredibly full. I had my new family, and my Daddy and I were going to have our own home.
“That sounds perfect, Daddy!”
All four of us jumped when Daniel’s phone alarm went off. “That’s dinner. Come on, David, let’s get these hungry littles fed.”
“Now that sounds like a plan!” I couldn’t agree more. There was nothing better than being surrounded by those you loved, eating delicious food.
I looked around at the men around me and smiled. I’d spent so long feeling like an outsider, like I didn’t belong, but that wasn’t the case any longer. I’d finally found the place I belonged, and it was right here with my family.
Chapter eighteen
Ellery
“Is it almost lunch time?” Tristan whined from where he was seated on my princess bed.
“Buddy, we just started working.” Tristan pouted but then turned on one of our favorite playlists and started crocheting one of his amazing stuffed toys.
It had been two weeks since we’d toured the house. Something changed that day, bringing us even closer together.
Since all four of us own our businesses and create our own working hours, we came up with a schedule that works for everyone. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Daddy stays at the apartment with me while he works on the illustrations he’s doing for Cameron.
David always loves showing me his art, but sadly, when I asked to see the book, he said he couldn’t share it until he was done, due to an agreement with Cameron. It sucked, but I understood.
I loved my days with Daddy, but Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays were becoming some of my favorites. On those days, Tristan and I got dropped off at the apartment so we could spend time together while we worked. At first, it was just Daniel who would come over and have lunch with us to make sure we ate.
Daddy always went to the club on the days he wasn’t with me at my apartment. He’d been working hard to finish the pet play mural before the room’s grand opening in a few weeks. When Daddy found out Daniel was spending his lunch break with us, he decided he wanted to join us too.
At first, I was excited to spend more time with Daddy, but then I thought about what Jack and Maggie had said at the club. He said he set alarms for lunch, but this way we knew for sure Daddy was getting plenty of time to eat and take a break. I made sure of it. He might be the Daddy, but even Daddies needed care.
Daddy and I were a perfect match. We both loved our craft to the point of obsession. I often forgot to eat and take breaks while sewing, so I was in no place to judge. I was just thankful we were here to take care of each other.
All four of us had begun to build a routine together. It was amazing. My family and I were never really close, and when we did spend time together, it was forced and awkward. Everything between the four of us was as natural as breathing.
For the first time in my life, I had a real family. Daddy and Daniel took turns bringing everyone lunch, and Tristan and I always handled cleanup. After the first few times, we all got so caught up spendingtime together that we forgot to get back to work. Daniel always set a timer for when lunch was over after that, to keep us on schedule.
