Page 2 of A Daddy for Christmas 3: Matty

“That looks fun. Can I try?” Seemed a lot more fun than sitting around a hotel room waiting. And the door shut behind me. I didn’t have a key, so I hoped these guys would hang out with me until Drake came back.

“Sure. I’m Donny. This is Kay.” The other one looked like a businessman. They were an odd combo, but they didn’t look too different from me and Drake. Not really.

“I’m Matty.”

“We have a Matty in our band. He plays guitar. Do you know him?” So he was in a band. I shouldn’t be surprised. But he wasn’t in Drake’s band. And he wasn’t in Mr. Jinkee’s band. And…

“No.” I didn’t know any other Mattys. “I’m a dancer.” My internal little wanted them to like me. Wanted them to play with me. I did a classic pirouette, ending with a front Cambré. I was sure it wasn’t perfect, but they’d hardly know that.

“You ballet? That’s cool.” Donny’s eyes were wide and obviously impressed.

But I couldn’t lie, either. “Not really. I’m a pole dancer. Watch.” Because the truth was, I’d never dance proper ballet again. But I could tear it up on the pole. And I was determined to show them. I bent backwards in a walkover, bringing my legs over my head, and standing. It was a move I used often to get on and off the pole.

Donny’s expression changed from awe to angry. “Um…the bands are on this floor.”

Ah…no one told him I’d be here, and he was worried. Maybe he thought I was the paid entertainment or something. “I know.” I stuck my tongue out at him. I had every right to be here, too. “My daddy is in a band. Star Fly. He’s here to sign papers with Mr. Jinkee.”

That instantly put him at ease. “Oh. That makes sense.” He shook the handlebars of the bike. “You can race Kay. All the way to the end and back again.” He pointed down the hall.

I threw my hand in the air and leapt forward. This was going to be fun. “Thank you.” I stopped in front of the bike and did a classic plie as I grabbed the handlebar.

Donny gave us directions as we lined up, but I didn’t pay much attention. It wasn’t that hard. When he said go, we’d go. And when he said, “Ready, set, go,” I took off, tearing down the hall and screaming at the top of my lungs.

“What’s going on here?” Drake’s deep voice suddenly boomed down the hall. Uh-oh.

“We’re racing, Daddy.” I zoomed back toward Donny with Kay right behind me. Donny jumped up and down, while Mr. Jinkee laughed. A bunch of other guys were in the hall now, thankfully standing out of the way.

Then I almost ran over one of them as I zoomed by. “Soooorry…”

“Matty wins.” Donny threw his hand in the air, and I hooted wildly.

“Donavan? What the hell?” Another man stepped out into the hall, and he looked grumpier than Daddy Drake. Was he Donny’s daddy?

“We’re having some fun. You want to try?” Donny asked him.

The grump shook his head. “This is crazy. This is a hotel, not a drag strip. You can’t go racing around and disturbing people. Why should I have to say this to you? And where did you pick up this guy? Three isn’t enough for you?” He waved at me. What the hell?

Drake stomped across the hall and looked me over. “He’s with me.” He rubbed my arms as if checking for injuries. I stood and he glanced down my body.

“Daddy Drake. That was so fun. I was going so fast. Like flying.” I motioned with my hand like a plane flying and spun around to show him.

“Matty, you don’t want to get your new friends in trouble, do you?” Drake smirked, and I wasn’t sure if he was mad or not, but I didn’t want Donny and Kay to be in trouble.

“Sorry, Kay. Sorry, Donny. I won’t be so loud.”

Mr. Jinkee waved his hand around. “We have the entire floor. Relax. They’re not hurting anything or bothering anyone.” He was the big boss, so if he said it was okay, then it was. After that, it was chaos with everyone wanting to try the bikes. Everyone who wanted got a turn racing.

Drake wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we watched them play. “You seem to find trouble wherever you go, baby-boy.”

I turned my face up to him. “Not trouble. Fun.”

“If you say so.”

“So.” I stuck my tongue out. “I like my new friends. Donny and Kay are fun. Do you know them?”

“Donny is the lawyer for Jinx and Midnight Hunt. He’s here to work on our contracts, not play with littles like you.” He pinched my cheek. “And Kay is the lead for Bramble Punk.”

“Oh. He’s a rock star. Like you.”