Page 18 of Grumpmas

Affection.

Faith had opened me up like a gift, giving me the time and tender care I had been missing when I hadn’t realized I needed it. She was an incredible child. I couldn’t let her down.

“Come with me, kid.” I took her hand in mine.

Faith let me guide her toward the kitchen. Her long waves of brown bounced with each step she took, and her cheeks were rosy from being seated by the fireplace. She hadplaced her trust in me, which few people did because I could be extremely grumpy. Especially if someone got on my bad side.

Faith asked, “What are we doing?”

Every tear was gone. Good. All Faith needed was a distraction to forget all about her egotistical jerk of a dad.

“I have a special surprise for you,” I replied.

“Seriously?” Faith opened her mouth into a giganticO,and her eyes twinkled.

“Yep.” I popped theP.

I grabbed a green sticky note along with a pen and wrote numbers onto the paper.

“Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!” Faith bounced up and down in excitement.

I couldn’t help a chuckle escaping me because Faith was a freaking cutie pie. I wanted to buy her every single one of her favorite baked goods. Within an hour, this little girl had me wrapped around her damn finger.

Crap.I was in trouble.

Faith was not only good at games; she was a heart bandit disguised as a sweet angel. She took me under her wing and robbed me blind. The moment I walked through the door of her house, she stole my ticker and wouldn’t give the damn thing back.

“On this sticky note is a special number to reach me,” I explained as I leaned in close and stuck the paper on the fridge. “Call me anytime.”

Faith’s eyes went wide. “Even in the middle of the night?”

“Yes.” I smiled and tapped her nose. “Even when the moon is shining up high in the sky.”

Faith hesitated. “I don’t know...”

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Mommy will be angry if she finds out,” Faith replied.

I shrugged. “Why?”

“Because I’m supposed to be in bed.”

Figures. Momzilla.

I waved my hands as if Noelle were no big deal. “I’m sure Mommy will understand because she cares about you, and I do too.”

Faith admired my number and whispered, “Thanks, Mr. Timber.”

“No problem, kiddo.” I opened the refrigerator door. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Let’s see what we’ve got to eat.”

I pulled some weird beans out of the packed fridge, but Faith shook her head. “I hate the taste of those. Mommy enjoys them because they are healthy.”

Fair enough. I put the crap Faith didn’t want back on the shelf. Those brown beans resembled rabbit shit.

“Next up...” I popped off the lid of some noodles with tomato sauce. “Spaghetti with no meatballs.”

Faith smelled the leftovers and made a gross face. “Yuck.”