Just Sign Here - Cara Dee Page 0,21
few shorter trips to Portland, San Jose, and San Diego.
Peyton and Julia woke me up with breakfast in bed, her crawling all over me, asking if she could blow out the candle on my English muffin, and Peyton sitting on the edge of the bed with amusement brimming in his eyes.
“Remember what we were going to do, Julia?” Peyton asked.
She perked up and cocked her head.
Peyton flashed me a slight grin and leaned closer. Closer, closer, closer. Until he brushed his lips to my cheek and whispered in my ear, “Happy birthday, Daddy.”
I swallowed hard and felt like a ball of fire had just been dropped on me. It was instantly squashed by Julia landing a wet kiss to my other cheek and exclaiming, “Happ’birfday, Daddy!” but it didn’t stop me from seeking out Peyton’s thigh. I spread my duvet so it covered his leg, and then I dropped kisses over Julia’s adorable face while I stroked the inside of Peyton’s thigh, as high up as I dared to go.
“You two are amazing,” I murmured. “Thank you for this.”
Julia grinned goofily but then declared that this was boring and she wanted “real breakfast.”
“Out there!” She pointed toward the living room. “Can’t eat here, Daddy.”
“I can’t? Oh, I see.” I chuckled and nodded in thanks when Peyton took the tray from me. “Well, let’s have breakfast out there, then.”
My birthday marked the end of my touring the West Coast for a while, and we headed for the airport the following evening—after we’d picked up Peyton’s first bespoke suit.
He looked like I needed to fuck his brains out.
We boarded a red-eye without Mathis, because he was the only one who wanted a layover—specifically in Denver, where he had friends. But he didn’t have to be outside my building until Monday, so he could make his way home however he wanted.
Julia was as calm as ever when we flew, and she slept most of the way. But Cathryn and I knew it wouldn’t last long. The time difference was too much for Julia on this route, and we prepared ourselves for an epic tantrum.
“Are we in a hurry?” Peyton blinked blearily as we deplaned.
He was starting to look like a seasoned traveler, although the neck pillow around his neck could take a hike.
“If we’re lucky, she won’t throw a fit until we get home,” I said. I carried Julia toward baggage claim, quick strides to stay ahead, and Cathryn told us to head straight for the cabstand while she grabbed our bags.
“Daddy,” Julia whined.
“I know, darling. We’re almost home.” I side-eyed Peyton and shook my head in amusement. “Are you going to take that off? You look ridiculous.”
He scowled, then stroked the pillow lovingly. “I love my neck pillow. Julia likes it too. Don’t you, sweetheart?”
“No!” she snarled.
The face Peyton made was the very definition of “Yikes.”
I grinned and kissed her cheek.
“Haters,” Peyton muttered. “I’ll go help Cathryn instead. Bye.”
“Bye-bye.” Julia waved.
I laughed and aimed for the exit.
It was a crisp morning in Boston, and it felt nice to be home. Summer was on its way here too, but we were in no rush.
“It’s nice to be home, isn’t it?” I murmured against Julia’s hair. She’d buried her face against my neck and let out an occasional complaint to remind me of her presence. “I think we need McDonald’s today, too. Don’t you?”
“Yeah,” she whined. “I’m sleepy, Daddy.”
“We’ll take a nap on the couch with some movies when we get home,” I promised. “Then I believe your toys have missed you.”
She sniffled and nodded.
When Cathryn and Peyton emerged from the airport, I told him to grab us a cab so I could relieve Cathryn of the luggage and Julia’s booster seat.
“Get one for Cathryn too, please,” I added.
“Yes, sir.” Peyton walked over to the line for cabs.
After Cathryn had returned the cart, she let out a big sigh and smiled tiredly.
“Looking forward to a weekend off?” I asked knowingly.
She chuckled. “Yes and no. I know I’ll just have to start cleaning the house. The odds of Tom having done much are not in my favor, and the boys probably need me to go restock the cupboards.”
I winced in sympathy. “I’ve told you to use my cleaning service,” I reminded. “Use my delivery service too. In fact, I’ll tell Peyton to put in a request as soon as we get home. Don’t argue with me.”
She smashed her lips shut and gave me a frustrated look.
I smiled.
I liked to win.
A weekend in Boston turned out