Just Sign Here - Cara Dee Page 0,56

at the screen quickly to see a message from Peyton.

“Just a second, Trent,” I said.

Then I read the message.

I had my asshole waxed, which fucking hurt, and now I’m looking at the new table, and I can’t stop bawling because I miss you—and because my ass hurts so goddamn much!

“What on earth?” I blurted out. It was too much to process.

“What?” Trent asked.

“I, uh…” I cleared my throat, and images flashed by in my mind. Images of Peyton getting waxed, images of him being upset. Christ. “I believe I just received the magic words.”

Trent barked out a howling laugh.

Goodness, his text had actually flustered me. I was incredibly torn between worry and arousal, so I just stood there.

“I think I have to go,” I said.

“Yeah, no shit.” Trent was still laughing. “Let me know if you want us to take Jules.”

Oh no, I couldn’t possibly. She missed Peyton too much. I suspected he missed her a great deal too.

A moment later, I wrapped up the call with my cousin and took a deep breath.

Go to him.

“Julia!” I called. “Let’s pack our bags—we’re going to Seattle!”

When timing was everything, I gave Mathis free rein to get me where I needed to be, and he orchestrated our East Coast departure like the professional he was. The flights out of Boston required too many transfers or didn’t depart soon enough, so he managed to get a private jet for Julia and me to take us to New York, where we ran straight through security, paused quickly to buy something for Peyton’s family, then bolted to the gate for a four-o’clock takeoff.

We were the last to board the plane, and as soon as we made it to our seats in business, we collapsed in laughter—mine a lot more breathless than hers.

“You runned so fast, Daddy,” she giggled.

“Daddy’s a little out of shape,” I admitted. Jesus Christ. I swallowed dryly and buckled us in, then shrugged out of my suit jacket and helped her take off her shoes and windbreaker. “I wonder how many things we forgot to pack.”

It didn’t matter. We had clothes for two days, and whatever else we needed, we could buy.

Her toothbrush.

Yep, I’d forgotten to pack her toothbrush. Oh, whatever.

As soon as we were in the air, I gained access to the Wi-Fi and had probably never been so grateful for Mathis. He’d texted me to say he’d arranged for a car to pick us up at the airport in Seattle, and it would take us straight to Peyton’s hometown.

With the time difference, we should be in the small town of Camassia Cove around nine PM.

Julia crawled up in my lap and hauled out the screen from the armrest pocket, and I sent Peyton another text. He hadn’t responded to my previous ones when I’d tried to check in with him.

Thinking about you, love. I was serious about the aloe cooling gel. It helps.

“You’re cuddlier lately.” I kissed the top of Julia’s head.

“You’re a good pillow.” She patted my stomach.

I widened my eyes at her, not that she noticed. “Young lady, I’ve gained two pounds, not two tons.”

“Okay,” she laughed and shrugged.

What a fucking brat. I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. Clearly, I was starting a new exercise regimen when we got home again.

There was no need to help her choose a movie. She’d become well-traveled and knew how to work any tablet, screen, and laptop to find the apps with streaming services.

She’d calmed down a lot too, and I was beginning to wonder if it was only her. I was happier and not as tired anymore. She picked up on that, surely.

“What is it that you and Peyton whisper to each other sometimes?” I asked.

It hadn’t been a one-time thing by the pool in Nassau. They’d done it at the airport in Miami too, and yesterday when they were on the phone, Julia had lowered her voice to a whisper.

“It’s a secret,” she replied, pushing the icon for The LEGO Movie. “He say he miss me, I say really, and he go like this—” she nodded “—and I say me too cuz I miss him too when he’s gone. It’s our secret, and it’s okay because best fwriends have secrets.”

“My sweet child.” I hugged her to me, overwhelmed by the love I felt. “One day, I’m going to teach you the concept of secrecy, but not today.”

“Okay, but quiet now, Daddy.” She wrestled her headphones out of her backpack and put them on.

Yeah, quiet now, Daddy.

Sorry, I