Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
“Can you stay with me?” she asked.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
Ellie came running toward them with Tarson, the Little Cakes baker, on her heels. Ellie looked like she was going to cry. Tarson’s brows were furrowed in his most serious expression.
“Do you know what’s going on?” Ellie asked as she got closer.
Mateo wrapped his arms around Nora and held her back against his front. She appreciated his support, both the physical and the emotional. “Apparently there’s a bomb threat.”
Ellie’s eyes widened further. “The police told us to evacuate, but they didn’t say why.”
Tarson, who had flour sprinkled all over his apron, glanced around. “Ah, here comes your Daddy,” he said to Ellie. “I’m going to go check on Daisy.”
Nora was still learning all the names of the shop owners, but she remembered Daisy was the owner of Blooms by Daisy on the corner of the strip, and Tarson was her boyfriend. He would be anxious to get to her and reassure her.
Wait… Had he said Ellie’s Daddy was coming?
“Daddy,” Ellie cried out without a care in the world for who might hear her as the man with dark hair and green eyes approached at a jog. Nora had known the owner of the strip, the man Nora was renting her property from, was with Ellie, but she hadn’t realized he was her Daddy. How many of the women she’d met in the strip were Little? It was mindboggling. She’d only known Littles and Daddies existed outside of books for a short time. Apparently far more people in town were in age-play relationships than she’d thought possible.
Garrett hurried toward Ellie. It was reasonable that he would be concerned about not only his Little girl but the building.
Ellie threw herself at him as he reached them. “It’s so scary. What if there really is a bomb?”
Nora was shaking in Mateo’s embrace. His employees were also gathered outside, and Nora was surprised he’d come directly to her instead of worrying about his own business.
She turned in his arms and looked down into his eyes. “I’ll be okay,” she lied. “You should go make sure your employees are taken care of.”
He shook his head and ran his hands up and down her back. “I’m right where I need to be, Angel.”
She shivered as he called her by that nickname, wondering why he would call her that. He barely knew her. “But…” She looked around at all the people in a panic talking among themselves as they stood across the street from the shops, concerned looks on their faces.
“I can’t read your expression, Angel. What are you thinking?” Mateo asked.
“I’m wondering how many of these people have Daddies. It seems like a lot of them,” she muttered under her breath.
He kissed her shoulder. “You’re perceptive, Little one. There are a lot of people in town in age-play relationships. Maybe they just feel comfortable outing themselves in this town because so many others do.”
“Ellie and Garrett didn’t even try to hide it,” she whispered back.
“Nope. They can be discreet when necessary, but in an emergency, Little girls just want their Daddies, don’t you think?”
“Yeah. I guess so.” She certainly liked the fact that Mateo was with her. His arms were very reassuring. Could he really be her Daddy though?
Two officers got out of the canine patrol car with a German Shepherd. The three of them immediately rushed into Nora’s new store.
Her heart beat so fast. “What are they doing?”
“Bomb-sniffing dogs, I presume. If there’s anything in your shop, they will find it.”
“That’s so scary, and why would there be a bomb in Craftastic?”
“I don’t know, Angel.”
A female police officer approached them. “Are you Nora Bancroft, the owner of Craftastic?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am.” Nora stiffened. This couldn’t be happening.
The officer held out her hand. “I’m Officer Avery Reynolds. Do you have any idea who would call in a bomb threat for your shop, ma’am?”
Nora shook her head. “No. I don’t have any enemies that I’m aware of.”
Avery glanced over her shoulder and waved toward the officers coming back out with the dog. They shook their heads. Avery visibly relaxed, her shoulders lowering. “Good news. Kaiser didn’t find anything.”
“That is good,” Mateo said, “but who would call in a false bomb threat?”
“That’s what we’ll be investigating,” Officer Reynolds said.
“My shop just opened a week ago,” Nora murmured, shocked at the implications.
“Any ex-boyfriends or husbands that might not want you to succeed?” the officer asked.
Nora shook her head. “I don’t have any exes,” she whispered as her face heated at the admission.
Mateo kept his arms around her. “None?” he asked.
She turned her head to look at him.
His brows were lifted.
“Even someone from a few years ago that might be holding a grudge?” the officer added.
Nora was embarrassed and frustrated, which was probably why she couldn’t hold her tongue. “I’m six-three. Men are intimidated by me. The few men I’ve dated never called me for a second date, and it’s been a long time since the last man ghosted me. There’s no way any man from my past is holding a grudge.”