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She let out a breath as her eyes watered and screwed up her courage.
“Daddy, I worry.”
“I know. You’re my little worry bug. What are you worried about right now?”
Sable bit her lip hard, not wanting to tell him because it was so mortifying. But he already knew she was a mess. Would he really abandon her if he realized it was bigger mess than he thought? He dealt with giant piles of dirt and shit all day, would she really be able to scare him?
But she was supposed to be soft and pretty and smell good. Most of the time, except when they played together in the dirt. Still, she didn’t want to be a manure pile masquerading as a woman.
“I worry that if I really disappoint you or once you get to know me better, you won’t want me anymore.”
“Oh, baby, that is a big worry. No wonder you’re upset.”
He held her tighter and rubbed her back and she blinked back tears because she didn’t want to ruin her makeup and have to start all over again. After a minute, he separated them and then bounced her on his knees. She couldn’t help laughing, even if it sounded like more of a hiccup because she was choked with unshed tears.
“Can I let you in on a little secret?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
She wished he would. Sable felt like he knew so many and she knew almost none. It was annoying and comforting at the same time.
“I know you’re not perfect, baby.”
“What?”
“I mean, you’re pretty close, what with being smart and hard-working and gorgeous and secretly sweet and absolutely filthy in bed with just the right amount of sass and stubbornness. But no one is perfect.”
He reached out and tucked a loose curl behind her ear and then cupped her cheek. Sable leaned into the heat of him and he didn’t disappoint, staying steady and true.
“I’m sure you have habits that will annoy me and I’m sure you’ll find things about me you aren’t thrilled with. That’s just how people are. No matter how much you love someone, they’re not always going to be perfect all the time. But I’m dead certain that how you load the dishwasher and the way I sing off key are pretty minor when you compare them to the bigger stuff. Like how we’re both kinky as fuck. And loyal. And we both feel like it’s important to give back to the community. And we both like doing a day’s hard work. And I don’t see any of that changing. Do you?”
She shook her head, because no, those things were pretty well ingrained in her and she couldn’t imagine shedding them if she wanted to. And she couldn’t imagine Jethro waking up one morning and not wanting to be Clover City’s best Santa or deciding he was over running the garden center. It wouldn’t happen.
“Then I can’t think of any reasons I’d fall out of love with you. And I’ll tell you that whenever you need to hear it.”
“’Kay.”
“You feel a little better now? A little lighter?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
And Sable wasn’t just saying that. She’d probably fret about it until the day she died but maybe if Jethro could hold a little smidgen of that worry with every kind thing he said to her or every time he accepted her just the way she was then maybe, maybe, it wouldn’t drag on her quite so much.
He kissed her on the tip of her nose and she wrinkled it as she swatted at his chest.
“Daddy!” she protested, but she wasn’t actually annoyed.
“Let’s get to this shindig, then, little miss.”
