Page 7 of Daddy’s Pursuit (The Daddy Guard #1)

Chapter Seven

Jack couldn’t help but grin as he put his hand on the Little’s back and another on her arm, steadying her as they walked to the patio.

It was evident the cutie had just made herself sick on the teeter-totter. She wasn’t the first Little around there to do that. She wouldn’t be the last, either.

He stopped in front of a wicker chair and helped her ease down onto the cushion. “Come on. Let’s just sit right here and get your bearings back.” He handed her the bottle of water he’d been holding for himself. “I haven’t opened this yet. Go ahead. I’ll get me another one.”

The Little looked up at him with an appreciative glance, accepted the water, and took a sip.

Man, even though she was clearly feeling ill and a tad green, she was still gorgeous.

She was tall, had green eyes, and light brown hair.

He wasn’t one to body shame anyone, but she was a bit thin.

That might just be her natural build, he thought, in which case she was perfect.

But he suspected it might be borne of a lack of proper nutrition.

If that that were the case, he’d have to do something about it.

Right now, though, they had other concerns.

“I’m better now,” she said after a few moments.

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Just thought I was gonna barf for a minute there.”

Jack laughed. “We’d hate for you to barf.”

She giggled.

“Jack Daddy!” Elena ran up to him, threw her arms around him, and said, “I didn’t know you were coming tonight. Are you here to help Uncle Trevon keep us safe?”

He nodded. “I sure am, honey. Though I don’t think Trevon needs much help.”

Jack watched as Elena looked at the other woman and said, “This is Uncle Jack Kimble. But some of us call him Jack Daddy, because it sounds funny.” She giggled. “It suits him, too.”

“Hi, Jack Daddy. Or Uncle Jack. Which do you prefer?” the other Little asked.

“I’m just fine with whatever you prefer,” he said. “But what’s your name?”

She stood up from the chair, extended her hand, and said, “My name is Iris Dawson. Pleased to meet you, Jack Daddy.”

He chuckled again. For a moment, he was paralyzed by the woman who stood before him. A lot of Littles came and went through the nursery. There was no shortage of cuties around Auntie Athena’s. But Iris might have been the cutest, most adorable Little that Jack had ever laid eyes on.

An old familiar stirring roared to life deep within him.

He spent so much time longing for a cutie of his own.

Yet he wasn’t some hopeless romantic. He didn’t latch onto every pretty woman that came through there.

His job had hardened him too much for that sort of thing—which was just one more reason why maybe it was time to let the badge go…

With Iris, his imagination had kicked into overdrive. He felt a magnetic pull toward her unlike anything he’d ever experienced.

Could this be his Little? Was Iris Dawson the one he’d been searching for?

Those questions were still swirling around in his brain when Elena said, “Hey! Jocelyn and Graham are here!”

Without looking over his shoulder, Jack knew she was talking about Jocelyn Chambers and Graham Wells. The woman and man were regulars there at the nursery.

“Wait until you meet them. They’re so much fun!” Elena took Iris’s hand and said, “Come on!”

It seemed, though, that Iris was just as hesitant to leave Jack as he was for her to go. Their gazes lingered on one another for a moment, even as she was being pulled away by Elena.

“Goodbye, Jack Daddy. It was nice meeting you,” she called back.

“Nice meeting you, too,” he replied. “I’ll find you in a bit.”

He wasn’t sure why he added that last part. She might not want him to seek her out. But that fear was erased when she grinned and said, “I can’t wait!”

Smiling, Jack couldn’t help but wonder if maybe she felt that same magnetic pull that he did.

He quickly dismissed the notion, though.

There was no reason to get so far ahead of himself.

Iris was just a cute Little. That was all.

There was most likely nothing more to their brief encounter than the typical politeness of two people meeting for the first time.

He was so lost in thought, mulling it over, that he didn’t even realize Athena had approached and was standing next to him until she spoke.

“She’s adorable.”

He tried not to show that he was shocked by her sudden presence, but apparently, she noticed it anyway.

Laughing, she said, “Did I actually sneak up on you?”

“That’s not good in my line of work. Means I’m losing my edge and getting soft.”

She was still grinning wide. “I think it means you’re captivated by Little Miss Iris and her charm. But, since you brought it up, let’s talk about your line of work.”

“What do you mean?”

“Have you given any more thought to retiring?”

“I’m only forty-two.”

“Yet you still have twenty years on the force under your belt. With a job as stressful as that, twenty is enough.”

His mind flashed back to the last conversation they’d had. Sitting on that very patio one beautiful spring night, he’d shared his soul, voicing for the first time to another person that he had serious doubts about his profession.

Doubts about the policies.

Doubts about the difference he made—or if he ever made one at all.

Doubts about everything that went with the badge.

It had felt good to get it all out, but it was just talk. Nothing would come of it.

Right?

“I can’t yet. Financially. Besides… I have to get Frank off the streets.”

He looked over to see Athena nodding. For a moment, he thought she’d say something else about Frank Holloway. But instead, she said, “Little Iris sure is a cutie, huh?”

Jack turned to face Athena. He thought of lying but pulled back from it. He hated dishonesty. The truth was always easier.

“I did notice she’s quite adorable.”

“Did you notice anything else?”

He shook his head and waited for Athena to explain why she’d asked that.

“Something is off. I’m not saying she’s shady or anything like that. I’m saying she’s… desperate, maybe. Like she’s in some sort of trouble.”

Jack cast a glance behind him, watching Iris and the other Littles hugging before scurrying back into the yard toward the play structure. Turning back to Athena, he said, “Do I need to step in?”

Athena shook her head. “No. At least, I don’t think it’s something she needs the police for. I think it’s more… financial desperation. I’m concerned about her.”

The Bigs continued to stand there on the covered patio, looking at one another while the fan attached to the pergola’s ceiling turned lazy circles above them.

“You know how it can be. Desperate finances can make people do desperate things. I don’t want to see her getting hurt.

” Athena paused, seemingly reflecting on how she wanted to phrase her next statement.

“Plus, I want to make sure she has enough to eat. I’ll not have a Little going hungry if I can do anything about it. ”

Jack knew that to be true. He’d seen her bend over backward to help Littles in need. She truly loved and cared for them and didn’t expect a thing in return. That was just her nature.

“Do you want me to do a welfare check?” Jack asked.

Athena wouldn’t have to twist his arm very hard. She had good instincts. If she suspected Iris was in a tough situation, then Iris was probably in a tough situation.

“Could it be a discreet welfare check? I don’t want to alarm her. Or make her think we’re prying.”

Jack laughed. “We are prying.”

This drew a quiet laugh from Athena, as well. “True. But I’d rather her not know. Our motives are pure. But there’s no reason to make her feel uncomfortable.”

He nodded in agreement. “Tell you what. I’ll poke around later when I leave here. But you know me—I’ll be discreet.”

Athena smirked as she arched an eyebrow. “No jumping over fences or being chased by pitbulls?”

Jack groaned. “You know about that?”

“It made the news. That’s tough to do in a town like L.A. Good job.”

He just groaned again, shook his head, and laughed.

He had one hell of a job, that was for sure.

But it was never boring.