Sweet Tooth (Little Cakes, #11)(29)

He loved the smile she graced him with as she let him help her into the truck.

Even though the farm was in the rural section of town, it wasn’t too far. Tom drove safely but quickly through the streets to get to the strip center containing so many different stores. Pulling up at the back door, he jumped out and came around to help her. To his delight, even in a rush, she followed his rules and waited for him to open her door and scoop her out of the truck.

“Go have a good day. I’ll pick you back up when you’re finished and we’ll talk more.”

Elizabeth nodded and turned to walk into the store. She got to the door and whirled to come back to leap into his arms. “I’m falling in love with you, Daddy.”

“I’m falling in love with you, Little girl. Go work. Call when you’re done. We’ll talk tonight.”

She pressed her lips against his in a sweet kiss. Wanting a hundred more, Tom let her squirm to the ground when she drew back. He watched her dash to the door and disappear with a wave.

Brushing his fingers through his hair, Tom jumped back into the truck and headed back toward the farm. He’d be behind in his deliveries, but he’d make up the time somehow so he could spend as many minutes as possible with Elizabeth.





“Hi, Bunny!” Tom greeted his Little girl, grateful she’d answered his call.

“Hi, Tom. We’re finishing up here for the day and I’ll be ready to leave in about thirty minutes.”

“I’m glad you’re almost finished for the day. I’ll make one more delivery and then pick you up. I’ll have two more deliveries to make. Do you mind riding along with me?”

“Not at all. I’d love to see what you do all day.”

“I’ll be at your front door in twenty-nine minutes.”

“That’s very precise,” she said with a laugh.

“I don’t want to miss a second of time that I could be with you. See you soon!”

Tom looked at his schedule. He’d been lucky so far today, and everything had run like clockwork. It never did that. Perhaps he had his own good luck charm.

After driving to the rear entrance of a pizzeria, Tom loaded their order on his dolly. Buzzing for entrance, he waited for someone to answer. A few seconds passed by and he heard nothing from inside. Abandoning the crates, he walked around the store and looked into the darkened interior. Whoa. They weren’t open.

There was a small sign on the door announcing the shop was closing permanently two days earlier. Tom’s path never took him in front of the pizza shop. He’d had no idea this was coming and none of the employees had mentioned it. Apparently his delivery luck for the day had run out.

Retracing his steps, Tom reloaded the crates of produce and closed up the back. He climbed into the cab and called his dad.

“Bad news.”

“Your Little’s gone?” His dad sounded upset.

“No, Dad. She’s okay. Elizabeth just got spooked last night. Mom helped a lot. I owe Mom a few gazillion thank you’s for sharing her story with Elizabeth.”

“Your mom and I would do anything for you, Tom. I hope you know that. We’re also very excited that you’ve found your Little. Congratulations. She seems amazing.”

“She is incredible, Dad.”

“So, what’s the bad news?”

“The Golden Crust is closed. There’s a sign on the door and no one around. Did they cancel their order with you?”

“No. Let me pull it up on the computer.”

“Thanks, Dad. You may wish to check if they have an outstanding balance,” Tom advised, expecting the worst.

He heard a murmur of voices and knew his mom was in the office with his father. A few seconds later, she came onto the line.

“Elizabeth is okay?” she asked without any pleasantries.

“Thanks to you,” Tom answered simply.

“I just checked where I would have gone if my heart was breaking. You have a nursery in your home?” she probed.

“I do. Thank you for talking to her. I’m going to make sure she gets some time to spend with other Littles. I don’t think she’s had that opportunity.”

“That would be good for her. If she has any questions, I’ll be glad to talk to her more.”

“Thanks, Mom. I think she’ll be ready for that eventually. Right now, she needs to get comfortable with others knowing she’s Little,” Tom suggested.

“You know her best. I really like her, Tom. You chose well. I hope you’re as happy as your father and I are.”

“I’ll be an extremely lucky man when that wish comes true. I’m going to make sure it does.”

“You do that. Drive safely. We’ll deal with the Golden Crust.”

Tom saw his phone disconnect, and he smiled at the device. If there were awards for great parents, his would get first place. They’d never been like his friends’ parents for many reasons. Their family was close and actually enjoyed each other’s company.

There had been something more that he’d not understood until he’d matured and grasped his own dominance. His mom was a force to behold—strong, hardworking, and tender, all wrapped into one. And his father? Tom stopped to consider what adjectives he’d use to describe him and kept coming back to the same ones, just with an entirely difference essence—a Daddy instead of a Little. He appreciated that his folks lived their own truth while raising their children to make their own choices in life.