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“Well… as long as it’s just the three of us…” It was clear the idea of an adventure was winning Hayleigh over, although Allie couldn’t help but wonder if she was more excited about the cookies or getting caught.
Truth be told, Allie was just as excited by both.
For the first time since they’d begun the conversation, Sadie looked sheepish. “I may have invited afewmore people to join us.”
Just as the words were leaving her mouth, another group of Littles burst into the indoor playground. They glanced around, then made a beeline for the far end when they spotted Sadie.
“All right!” A redhead with curls as tight and bouncy as Michelle’s rubbed her hands together, her eyes sparkling. “Let’s get this prank started.”
“Shhh. Keep your voice down, Wren. You wanna get us caught before we even get started?” Sadie looked around, and Allie couldn’t help but think thatshewas the one who was going to get them caught, since it was obvious she was up to something.
But none of the adults seemed to be paying them any mind, so Allie kept her mouth shut. Sadie went around the group, introducing everyone. Most of the Littles looked excited by the prospect of a cookie heist, but there were a couple who definitely seemed to be having their doubts.
“All right, you guys. Here’s the plan…”
Nick
Despite all of Michelle’s assurances that she was just fine, Nick couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that there was something she wasn’t telling him. It nagged at the back of his mind all morning while he worked, until he finally gave up and went to track her down.
It took him half an hour to find her, because she was in the last place he’d expected her to be. Using the key they’d given him the night before, he opened the door to their hotel room, just to check and see if she was taking a nap.
He certainly hadn’t expected to find her pacing back and forth, a worried, almost panicked look on her face.
A look which only grew more panicked when the door opened. But when she saw him, her shoulders drooped and a relieved smile smoothed away the stress lines in her forehead. “Oh, Nick. I thought you were Allie.”
“And why would you be so upset about seeing our little girl?” Determined to get to the bottom of this once and for all, he closed the door behind him and leaned back against it, his arms crossed.
“I wasn’t upset.” Her gaze darted from side to side, and it was clear she was becoming agitated again. “I just wasn’t expecting her, that’s all.”
“My sweet pet. Haven’t I warned you about lying to me?”
“I’m not lying!”
“I saw the look on your face when I walked in, Michelle. You have about five seconds to start talking to me about what’s going on if you don’t want to spend the rest of the day with a bottom as sore inside as it is out.”
That got her attention. Eyes wide, she threw her hands behind her, as if that would somehow protect her from the punishment she was dangerously close to earning. “That’s not fair!”
“On the contrary, I think it’s entirely fair to expect you not to lie to my face, little girl. Something is going on with you, and I want to know what it is.”
“I don’tknow!” The words seemed to burst out of her, and to his horror, tears filled her eyes. “I can’t tell you what’s wrong, because I don’t know, and it’s making me feel like a crazy person.”
Before he could respond, a buzzing noise came from her pocket. With an impressive snarl, she jerked her phone free and hit the button to answer the call. “Hello?”
“Michelle?” Derek’s voice came through loud and clear, even though she didn’t have him on speaker phone.
“Um, yes? Speaking.” Judging by the confused look on her face, she hadn’t placed the voice on the other end just yet.
“Michelle, it’s Derek Hawkins. I have a group of very naughty Littles in my office right now, and your Allie appears to be one of them. Would you mind coming down so I can explain? Oh, and bring Nick with you, please.”
“Oh, uh, sure. We’ll be right there.” Sighing heavily, she stuffed the phone back in her pocket. “Guess this is going to have to wait. We have to go to Derek’s office. Allie seems to have gotten herself in trouble.”
It was clear from the tone of her voice and the irritation stamped all over her face that she wasn’t in the mood to be the one in charge just then. Wasn’t it lucky for her, then, that he was there? “Why don’t I take the lead on this one, darlin’? You and I have our own unfinished business anyway, and I want you in the right headspace when we talk later.”
Relief washed over her features, and for a moment the worried lines between her brows disappeared. But they returned with a vengeance, and she shook her head. “No, I can’t just pass Allie off to you when I don’t feel like dealing with her.”
“First of all, that’s not what you’re doing. You’re leaning on your Sir and allowing him to take some of the burden off you.”
“Allie isn’t a burden.”
