Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 45138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
She smiled. “What are we going to do?”
“Plan your new nursery,” he announced. “I have ideas, but I want to run them by you before I start buying furniture and picking out paint samples.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “Yep. How does that plan sound to you?”
“Amazing.” She clapped her hands together. She probably would have bounced if he hadn’t been holding a cup of hot coffee, but luckily she stopped herself.
Even luckier, she looked excited and eager.
Thank God.
Chapter Seventeen
CC wished the nursery furniture she’d fallen in love with had been in stock. Waiting was so hard. She stood in the empty room they’d decided to turn into a nursery and spun in a small circle, trying to imagine what everything would look like when the crib and other items arrived.
“I think you chose the perfect color, Pumpkin,” her Daddy complimented from the doorway behind her as she finished her rotation.
“Hi, Daddy! I love this color of pink. I can’t wait to put the stuffie stickers on the walls. Are you sure we have to wait?” she asked, twisting around to face him as he lounged against the entryway.
“Those big adhesive pictures will fall off if we have to move them around when the furniture gets here. I think it’s better if we wait,” he suggested.
“I know. I really want to see them. The furniture place had so many cute decals to choose from, but I love the huge teddy bear and the funny zebra ones. They have the best expressions,” CC said wistfully, looking at the closet where he’d stored the stickers.
“I know,” Hunter sympathized with her. “Maybe I have something to make the wait easier.”
“A sticker book for me to play with?” she asked eagerly.
Her Daddy laughed and pushed away from the doorway to reveal a black-and-white stuffie he’d hidden from her view. “I’m afraid he’s not a sticker but maybe soft fur would be better to cuddle?”
CC ran across the carpet to pet the velvety zebra. “Is it mine?”
“Yes, Pumpkin. It’s to keep you company while we wait for the nursery to be complete. I think he needs a name. What are you going to call him?”
“Mmm…” CC reached for the stuffie to examine it closely. She turned it around, tracing one finger over a colored band before looking deep into the zebra’s eyes. A name popped into her head.
“Zigzag,” she announced.
“Perfect. That’s exactly what I thought when I picked him out at the store.”
“Really?”
“Cross my heart, Pumpkin,” her Daddy promised as he drew the pattern over his heart.
“He’s really squishable.”
“One of his finest qualities,” he agreed with a nod. “I have an idea. We both have the evening off. Would you like to take Zigzag on an adventure? We could go to the park to swing or would you rather go get tacos for dinner?”
“Tacos!” CC answered immediately before adding, “I’d like to go to the park, too, Daddy. Could we do both?”
“We can see how much time we have before your bedtime. Maybe we can squeeze in two activities. We’ll go eat first and then check the time. No fussing if we have to skip the park tonight, Pumpkin. We’ll put that on our list to do soon. Okay?”
CC nodded so fast she felt like one of those bobblehead dolls. “I promise! I’ll be good.”
“That’s my sweet Little girl. Let’s go,” her Daddy invited, holding out his hand.
“Yay!” she cheered as she meshed her fingers with his before hesitating. “I’ll feel funny going into the restaurant carrying Zigzag.”
“Let’s put Zigzag in a gift bag. Then everyone will think he’s the cutest present.”
“Good idea! Then he can peek out the top and see what’s going on.”
Five minutes later, CC was clutching a large metallic blue sack containing one excited zebra as she climbed into the passenger seat and leaned back so her Daddy could buckle her safely in place. Once on the way, she chattered about the customers and cats at work that day as Hunter negotiated the busy streets. He pulled into the parking lot of a packed Mexican restaurant and found a space for the car.
“It looks like everyone had the same idea today, Pumpkin,” he commented as he helped her from the car.
“I love this place. They have the best margaritas,” CC informed him.
“They do, huh? Daddy won’t drink because he’s driving his precious cargo. I don’t think a tired Little girl needs an alcoholic drink tonight either. You had a long day at work.”
“But…”
“Daddy makes the rules,” he said firmly. “Maybe another night. Hold on to Zigzag. We don’t want to lose him in the crowd.”
CC wrinkled her nose. She knew her Daddy was trying to distract her by mentioning Zigzag. Looking around as they entered the busy restaurant, CC tried not to notice how delicious the limey drinks on practically every table looked. She really wanted one.