I wrap my arms around her and pull her in for a hug. “I was a little sad waking up by myself today.”
“It wasn’t my favorite.” She places a quick kiss on my cheek.
“I had no one to snuggle into my pillow and steal it, or put their cold toes on me this morning,” I say to Lily.
“Betause I was not thewe!” She giggles. “You can sweep ova tonight?”
I look at Aubrey. “We could probably arrange that, but I came to find you to tell you that I have to go out of town tomorrow.”
Aubrey’s eyes widen slightly when I tell her. “Where are you going?”
“I have to go down to film content for a boutique hotel in Boston. It’s just one night. Wyatt is on shift tomorrow night so if you need anything you can just call him. And I already asked him to do a few drive-bys for me just to make sure.”
“Oh okay.” She pouts.
Leaning in to whisper in her ear, “Do you want to come? I’ll be busy during the day because I’m filming and photographing the hotel, so it won’t be like last time but you guys could do something fun on your own.”
“No, that’s okay. Emma called me this morning to ask if I’d help her with the wedding coming up. I think she’s a little nervous to host it, especially with the whole wedding party staying on site. She was bribing me before she even finished asking me.” She laughs.
“Well I hope you milked that for all it’s worth.”
“I traded my help for a dozen donuts and childcare from Anna. So tomorrow we’re planning and going over some of the details when we have a meeting with the bride on a video call.”
“A dozen donuts from Violet is well worth it. I bet you’ll have fun. You’re so good at planning the events here.” I let her go and step into the pig pen with Lily.
“That was actually Emma’s opening line.” She raises a brow at me. “Did you talk to her?”
“Nope, not me.” I shake my head.
“She told me that she wants this to be a trial run to see if I like event planning and then she’d like to offer me a job to be the inn’s event planner.” She fidgets with her hands, nervously.
“I think you’d be great at that. Do you want to do something like that?”
“Before Jack and Lily I wanted to go to school for hospitality. I love planning fun events and when I get to do it with other people’s money, all the better. Plus what better job than to be surrounded by love all the time.” The dreamy look in her eyes makes me want to pull her in and kiss her senseless until she realizes she can do whatever makes her happy. “But. I never got the chance. So maybe this is it?”
“I think you’d be a great planner for the inn. Emma likes to do a lot of themed weekends and you were great with the Easter event, plus I think you’d be great at tying in the farm for the events. You could do something at the inn for the apple blossom photos we’re doing soon and tie in the two businesses. Makeeveryone money. And you know I’d love to feature anything you do on the blog.”
“You really think so?”
I stand, taking her hands in mine. “I know so. You’re amazingly talented and will do amazing things for Emma and the inn.” I kiss her on the forehead, trying to keep it PG around Lily.
She gives me a smile worth a million dollars. “Thank you, Cooper.”
“Coopa! Wanna go pway puzzles wif me?” Lily tugs on my pant leg.
“Sounds great, but did you finish your morning animal chores?” I raise my brow, taking in her face as she fidgets just like her mother.
“No,” she admits softly.
“Well then, sounds like we have some work to do before we get to play.” I open the gate, letting her out of the pen. “What’s first on the chore list?”
“Feed da piggies.” She takes off to the small storage room that houses the feed.
Following behind her, I reach in and grab the bag to carry over to the pen while she gets the cup to scoop it out. Tommy gave her the job of morning chores with the animals because she loves them so much and Aubrey thought it would teach her a little responsibility.
So in the feed room is a little chore chart and each task she completes, she gets to put a sticker in a square. For small children, I’ve learned, this is the most phenomenal form of payment. But in addition when she gets a week’s worth of stars, she brings her chart to Tommy and he gives her some cash to tuck away in a piggy bank he got her.
It’s been going really well and she’s almost independent at a few of the small chores, like filling the pig’s water.
