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I had to agree.
“Absolutely, but it seems like you’ve done a very good job of figuring out a plan.” He had the money side of things worked out and housing too, even though some of that was still up in the air. “I think you’re doing great.”
He slouched back in the seat, smiling and looking relieved. “Really? I keep second-guessing everything and it took me a really long time to work up the nerve to apply again and to try to find scholarships. I dragged my feet on most of it.”
I scoffed, rolling my eyes dramatically and making him giggle. “You’re only twenty-five, sunshine. That’s not taking a long time doing anything.”
He was still laughing quietly as he shook his head like I was being ridiculous. “How old would I have to be to claim that, then?”
“Try almost forty.” I wasn’t worried about our age difference. I was head over heels for everything about the happy man, and his preferences made my age something that worked in our favor, but I wasn’t particularly happy about where I was in life.
His face scrunched up and he straightened to kiss my cheek. “I think you have a wonderful job, Daddy.”
“It wasn’t really the path I’d intended but I don’t mind where I’ve ended up.” Life was funny sometimes.
“Can I ask what happened, or is that an after a fourth date kind of discussion?” He was genuinely asking and it made me wonder what else he thought would happen after a fourth date.
Pushing that rabbit hole of a thought to the back of my head, I reached over and squeezed his thigh. “You may ask anything you want.”
Trying to organize my thoughts on everything, I gave up and started at the beginning. “My parents had fertility issues because a variety of things, and back when they were trying there wasn’t a lot that could be done. So I was a complete surprise when my mother turned fifty. She thought it was menopause and instead it was me.”
Addison was trying not to laugh but his eyes were the size of saucers. “Really?”
“Yep. When she thought she was gaining weight because of the change as she called it, she went to the doctor and got the surprise of her life.” My father had giggled over that to the day he died but he’d had a ridiculous sense of humor.
He’d have loved Addison, princess dresses and all.
“But that meant that by the time I was graduating high school they were retired, and well, old.” There was no other way to put it.
They’d done their best to save so money hadn’t been an issue but there were a lot of other things that went with getting older. “Between them needing help around the house and going to doctors’ appointments and a skin cancer scare with my father, I knew going to college and leaving home just wasn’t an option.”
I’d never been angry about that but it’d just sucked up my twenties. When I should’ve been figuring out my own kinks and questions, I’d been helping to pick out doctors and redoing the bathroom so my mother wouldn’t fall again in the tub.
“Are they…” He paused, not sure how to ask the obvious question.
I nodded, the sting of that had finally faded so it was easier to answer. “A few years ago. They died within six months of each other and both had very long lives.”
There was no getting frustrated over that either without looking like a complete and utter asshole, so I didn’t focus on that part. “I took jobs that kept me close to home, commercial driving at first and slowly found my way to what I do now. I actually like it.”
But I wasn’t sure what I would’ve done if I’d gone down a different path.
“I like your job too.” He kissed my cheek, looking delightfully sweet, which probably meant he was thinking about something naughty. “It brought you to me.”
“And it brought you cookies.” That had more giggles escaping from my sunshine and got an excited nod.
“But you made sure I ate veggies too.” He cuddled up close, resting his head on my shoulder. “I knew you were a Daddy the first time you came over. I’m so glad I was right.”
Me too.
“But now Daddy says it’s time for food.” Or we’d get distracted and there was only so many times I could wave off the waitress without moving from the cute category to the pain in the ass customer one.
Still giggling, Addison sat up and reached for the menu. “Then we get to go home and have grown-up fun.”
I wasn’t sure if that was a subtle reference to the spanking or something else naughty he had on the brain, but I had a feeling he’d tell me sooner or later.
Addison was the master of good communication… especially when he thought it would get him what he wanted.
Chapter 7
