Page 12 of Mariah

He sighed as he chopped potatoes, the conundrum of her presence a never-ending battle in his head.

He did this every time. He could think about how pretty she was, and how sweet, and how she was absolutely nothing like Kaylie, and he could know those things were true. He could tell himself he was a better Daddy now, that he’d know better than to allow himself to get in the same situation twice. And he could daydream endlessly about what it would be like to set aside his misgivings and become Mariah’s Daddy.

In the end, common sense always won out. He came here for a job, not a Little. Deep down, he wasn’t interested in having one, no matter how much a certain little redhead made him question that decision.

It was just a birthday dinner and a cake, he told himself. It didn’t mean anything. He wouldn’t let it.

Mariah

“That was the best birthday ever!” Mariah sighed sleepily as they pulled into the city and drove toward the strip.

She’d cuddled baby cows and fed sheep and goats and chickens. She’d held bunnies and watched them hop around the grassy pen. They’d chased chickens and been chased by geese and peacocks, and they’d run around all day in fields of flowers and fresh air—something they never got to do in the city. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed it, but everything about the day had fed her soul and she’d loved spending every minute enjoying it all with the friends she’d turned into family.

Her whole body was weary with a happy sort of exhaustion, and she could have just fallen asleep right in the limo and gone to bed as soon as they were back at Utopia, but Baze kept poking her and telling her to stay awake. Apparently, he still had plans. She was thankful and excited for whatever it was, but she already had more than she could have ever imagined. Still, Baze had gone to a lot of trouble to make her day extra special, so she would enjoy and appreciate every minute even though she was dead on her feet.

They pulled up to the hotel and Baze clapped his hands to get their attention. “Okay upstairs for diaper changes, and then we need to head down to the cafeteria for dinner, dessert and a few more presents!”

At the mention of dessert, Mariah rallied. Sweets were her jam, and a birthday dessert was the best kind. When the limo stopped at the curb to unload them, she jumped out and raced inside, not waiting for her friends. They caught up to her at the elevators.

They rode up together and all hurried to get themselves changed, with Baze changing Luna.

“What’s for dinner?” Margo asked as they exited the elevator on the ground floor. “I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving,” Baze told her.

“Yup. So what’s for dinner?”

Mariah listened with interest. Would Chef Graham be working the dinner service? She hoped not. She was still mad at him and having to see him would put a dark cloud over what had been an almost perfect day.

Baze never answered Margo’s question. But he took Luna and Mariah’s hands and pulled them into the cafeteria with the rest of the girls right behind them.

Mariah stopped short when they entered. The cafeteria had been decorated while they were gone and it was covered in bright orange balloons and streamers everywhere she looked. A bouquet of orange daisies sat in a vase next to a pile of gifts. Brightly colored tablecloths adorned each table and there was a three-tier cake sitting on the buffet next to a row of silver chafing dishes.

“What the…” she whispered, looking up at Baze. “How?”

“Knox mostly,” he answered. “With a little help from Chef Graham.”

“Chef Graham?” There were those damn butterflies again. They took up residence in her belly while she searched the room. The divider between the buffet and the kitchen was open as it usually was during mealtimes, and Chef Graham was standing on the other side with a smile.

“Happy Birthday, Mariah,” he said, lifting the cover off one of the chafing dishes to reveal the most perfect looking eggs benedict she’d ever seen.

“You remembered!” she gasped. “I thought…”

“I know, and I’m sorry. I needed the morning and afternoon off to work on your cake.” He walked to the end of the buffet and she followed, getting a close-up look at the cake.

It was white, three-tiered with uneven decorative icing scrolled in orange around each tier. The top layer had messy orange flowers all around the border and Happy Birthday Mariah was written in rather sloppy handwriting in the center. It was a beautiful mess.

“You made that?” she gasped. “For me?”

“I shouldn’t have. It’s a mess. I should have just let Baze order one. I wanted to make it myself, but a baker and cake decorator I am not.”

“I love it,” she assured him. “It’s perfect… but… maybe don’t quit your day job.”

He laughed, and she thought it was the most beautiful sound she’d ever heard.

“Come on, little one, let’s get you dished up. Don’t want your eggs getting cold or your home fries getting soggy.” He made her a plate and she carried it to the table, sitting between Baze and Knox while Chef Graham dished up plates for her friends.

As she lifted the perfect bite to her lips, she knew one thing for sure. Graham Rossi was the perfect Daddy for her—even if he didn’t know it yet.