CHAPTER 2
This was their third meeting with Craig and Derek to discuss his future with Heaven Leigh. His professional future, of course. Their personal future was set in stone, as far as he was concerned. He’d never been happier in a relationship.
Heaven Leigh was perfect for him. They fit the way two puzzle pieces fit, and every day he found new things to love about her.
The work side of his life, however, was a bit stressful to manage, and he was very much hoping that would change soon. Angel was used to adapting and working with what he had, but there were certain things that were essential for a chocolatier to really indulge his creativity.
Those things were lacking at Rawhide Ranch, and it had made his job a struggle. He managed but his creations were limited, and everything took him much longer than it should. Space was the biggest issue.
When he’d first been hired onto the Ranch, it hadn’t been a planned situation. Derek hadn’t looked around and decided that he needed to fill a space with a master of chocolate. Rather he’d seen Angel’s work and decided that it would be amazing to have someone with those skills on board.
Because of that, finding space for him to work hadn’t been easy. They had eventually rearranged the main kitchen enough to provide a nook for Angel. It was small, and tight, but it did have the bare minimum basics he needed to make his chocolate art.
“It’s just temporary,” Derek had assured him. “I know it’s not what you’re used to, and I’ve got some ideas. So, if you can just be patient for a little while, I know we can work things out.”
Angel was known for his patience and good humor. He started work and adapted to the situation as best he could without regrets. Living and working someplace where kink was so openly celebrated was amazing, and well worth the extra trouble.
However, things were always moving at Rawhide. There were always new plans on the horizon and “temporary” was a matter of perspective. Moving Angel had been pushed back because of much more essential plans, and while he understood… the addition of Heaven Leigh had made his need for a new environment even more necessary.
His Little girl was a huge help, and he wouldn’t give up a second of their time together. Working with her brightened every day, but his tiny space barely fit one person comfortably. Two was really pushing it. And… working with him had reminded Heaven Leigh of how much she loved to bake.
She wanted to dive back into the career that had made her wealthy and famous, but it was simply impossible. Unless she wanted to use the kitchen in the middle of the night, which she did when the itch overcame her, there was no time or space for her. But luckily there was a solution on the horizon.
Master Derek had acquired a neighboring ranch not too long ago, with the intention of creating a gated community for Rawhide-approved people. This mostly included employees and residents of Rawhide who loved the safety of a vetted, secure environment, but needed more space, more privacy, or less chaos.
When Derek wanted something done, things moved fast. The community, Rawhide Ridge, already had some houses, in varying sizes and styles, built and occupied, but there were also tons of empty parcels just waiting to be filled.
Angel hadn’t been terribly interested when he’d first heard of the plan. He had simple needs, and his two-bedroom apartment suited him fine. He was close to his work, the small space was easy to keep up with, and he had the spare bedroom for his models.
Things had gotten a little tighter when Heaven moved in. He’d needed to rearrange some things to make room for her belongings, but it was still working for the moment because she hadn’t brought much to the Ranch with her.
Moving might be in their future, but he hadn’t even begun to consider it—and then Master Derek had approached him with a suggestion.
They’d met in this very same office, and Derek had gotten right to the point. “You know about Rawhide Ridge, I’m sure. How would you feel about moving over there?”
Angel hesitated and then took a seat. “I’m not really in the market for a house right now. The apartment is comfortable enough for us.”
Derek waved the comment away. “I’m not talking about living quarters. I’m talking about selling you land for a shop of your own. You’ve been looking for more space and I think this is exactly the solution we need.”
Angel frowned, tilting his head. “We certainly need space to work, but I assumed we’d be here, on the grounds, where it wouldn’t be hard to move things into the main building for events, and guests could shop.”
“I understand, and that is a possibility, but hear me out. What I’m picturing is a unique shopping area for people who live there. We already have Dr. Nelson running the Urgent Care clinic and Robyn’s B it had just come out of left field. “Well, we, Heaven and I, had been planning a proposal that included a storefront, but we haven’t really worked out the logistics. Baking, and chocolate making, and running a store too is going to be a large project, and I insist that she still has time to be Little when she needs it.”
Derek nodded as if it went without saying, but then he said it anyway. “Of course. Little is an important part of her. Whatever plans we work out need to figure that into the equation.”
“Right, so what we had considered was a shop with very limited hours. Maybe just a couple in the afternoons, or just on the weekend. That works for here, but maybe not for a shopping area where people will expect a bigger window. It will only be the two of us after all.”
“I’ve got some ideas about that. You remember how hard Heaven Leigh struggled with having to live under Littles rules all the time? She’s not the only one who chafes at those restrictions and has the need for some adult space. But obviously I can’t have unsupervised Littles running all over the Ranch—it’s just not feasible.”
Angel snorted. “It definitely isn’t. They get in enough trouble while supervised.” His whole career revolved around making chocolate and Littles couldn’t resist the lure of chocolate. On more than one occasion, he’d had to rescue desserts before they were ready to be served.
“Right. So, some of these shops, like yours for instance, could occasionally provide part-time jobs for Littles who need to step out and be adult for a while. Because they are in a safe gated community under our authority, they’d be handled by the usual Ranch rules.”
The usual Ranch rules included being disciplined for bad behavior, which would, conceivably, become Angel’s responsibility as their boss. “That sounds complicated. Traveling back and forth alone would…”
“Won’t be a problem. Once things are up and running in the commercial area, we’re going to set up a shuttle schedule. It will leave from the main building and go directly to the Ridge without stopping. That way security and safety are always maintained, and guests will be able to visit for shopping. It’s the only way to do it. Anything else would make security at the gate a nightmare.”
That did solve a few problems. He wasn’t sure how he felt about staffing with Littles though. It had worked well with Heaven, but… “I don’t know. It kind of sounds like then I’d be making chocolate and babysitting all at the same time.”
Derek sighed and settled back in his seat. “You’re under no obligation, of course, and I can’t guarantee that they’ll never get in trouble. You know how Littles are. But we would impress upon them the importance of remaining in adult headspace while working, and of course we’d be careful about who received permission to work. That should cut down on the shenanigans. We do have Littles who are quite responsible when in adult mode.”
“Hmm.” It was a lot to consider. “I’ll need to discuss all of this with Heaven.”
“Of course, but think it over. It would solve more than one problem. I’ve been trying to figure out where to set you up on the grounds, and it’s difficult. Placing you on Rawhide Ridge will get you out of the kitchen a lot faster.”
Angel knew a bribe when he heard one, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t tempting. “I suppose we’d have a bigger space there, which would give us more freedom with how we wanted to set things up…”
“Yes, complete freedom, within reason. After all, the land will be yours, and you’ll be designing the building to your specifications. There’s no reason you can’t have exactly what you want.”
It was… a dream, and he’d left the office torn, but after a few hours of considering the situation, he’d decided he was leaning toward yes. When he’d brought it to Heaven Leigh, he was ready to try to sell her on the idea.
He knew it was ahead of their schedule. She still had aspects of her old life to wrap up. That was taking longer than expected because she kept getting overwhelmed when she thought about letting go. Ideally, they would have been moved to a new workspace, and then the shop could have come later, when they were ready.
But this was an opportunity that had to be discussed. So he’d presented the situation to her that evening, and to his surprise, she jumped at it. He hadn’t needed to convince her at all.
Her agreement had been the first step in a fairly lengthy process. It had taken them only a few days to decide exactly what they wanted and draw up some basic plans before they met with the contractor. The drawings were just to give him an idea of what they wanted, but what was feasible was a whole different story.
While Heaven had been in many bakeries, and Angel had been in many candy and chocolate shops over the years, they were both only familiar with the end results of a working business. Neither of them had been involved in building one from the ground up. So, they could plan out what they wanted and needed, but all the nitty gritty of creating that space was a little beyond them.
At least Angel was a decent draftsman. Having aphantasia made picturing completed chocolate creations difficult. He understood that other people were able to form mental pictures of things, and hold them in their head to examine, but all he could manage were flashes that didn’t last long. Very early on, he’d realized he needed visuals for anything complicated.
So, he’d learned to draw up decent, though amateur, plans, which he used to create models. He built everything on a small scale, with crafting supplies, and then took pictures to use as a reference for later. It meant he was able to give the contractor a very exact idea of what they were looking for.
He thought it would be good enough to start work, but he was very wrong. He left the first meeting feeling as though he’d been incredibly na?ve about the whole process.
There were laws and regulations, safety factors to be considered, and once they’d sorted out a workable plan, it was time to meet with an architect and then a structural engineer. Angel’s amateur layouts had to be translated to professional blueprints. But finally, here they were, in Derek’s office with a tube of rolled floorplans, ready to put everything in motion.
He couldn’t blame Heaven Leigh for being anxious. It had been months getting here, and his insides were twisting with nerves too. He felt an odd reluctance as he passed the tube over, holding on just a second too long, as if his hand didn’t want to let them go.
Everything was going to change now. It would all be good changes, he was sure of that, but it was still difficult. But as Craig took the plans, Angel felt Heaven’s hand settle on his knee, and that helped. He turned to flash her a smile, while the contractor unrolled the blueprints.
After a few minutes of careful inspection, Craig nodded. “Everything looks great here. I think the small shifts will solve any problems with the floor drains. We’ve definitely got plenty of space to work with. I do have to admit I’m not familiar with a lot of the specialty equipment you’ve listed. I can do some research on companies that sell?—”
Heaven Leigh’s voice cut across his. “I can handle that. I know exactly what we need and where to get it.”
He nodded. “Do you know what the delivery turnaround is? Are these custom items or…”
Heaven Leigh was firmly in professional mode. Not an inch of Little girl was showing, as she walked Craig through everything. This was the woman the public had seen when she’d been doing her baking shows and fronting a national brand.
God, she’s amazing , Angel thought, watching her with a sense of awe. So strong and confident as she gave Craig the exact details he needed.
Angel tuned out the discussion for a moment, the details didn’t need his input, most of his own equipment would come from the same companies and could be ordered at the same time.
“What do you think, Dad—uh, Angel?” The brief stumble had a slight flush rising on her skin.
He was so used to hearing her call him Daddy, so used to hearing Daddy as a normal title around the Ranch, that for a second, he didn’t understand the problem. He’d forgotten that things were different in the outside world, but he also knew Craig wouldn’t be allowed on the property if it was going to be an issue.
Derek reassured them both, “Don’t worry, Craig is known for his discretion, Heaven Leigh. You don’t need to act any different around him.”
She still looked embarrassed, and Angel figured it was best to move the conversation along. “This all looks great, so we do have a timeline on when we can get started?”
Craig, who hadn’t seemed fazed by anything so far, nodded. “How does now sound?”
“Now?” Angel’s eyebrows shot up.
“Well, this week anyway. Mr. Hawkins likes things to move quickly, and I knew we’d be finalizing plans this week, so I’ve got you scheduled in already.”
A smile spread across Angel’s face. It was finally happening. There were so many creations he’d been itching to make but simply couldn’t have managed in his tiny corner. The idea of having all that room… it couldn’t happen soon enough. “That sounds perfect.”
“Great! We’ll keep you up-to-date on everything. Expect me to check in with you in a few weeks, and then more often as things progress. We’ll want you to visit the site once we get the basic structure together before we start building the interior walls.”
Heaven Leigh tilted her head and asked, “Why?” before he could.
“Well, sometimes a space feels different on paper. There’s nothing like being able to walk around the rooms, to really get an idea of what you’ll be living with. We’ll mark the floors so you can feel the layout. That way if something doesn’t seem right, we can make the adjustments without too much trouble. Once those interior walls go in, moving things is a lot harder.”
That made perfect sense to Angel, and he loved the idea of one last check. “And if we do want to change anything? Will that set the completion date back much?”
Craig shook his head. “Not if you make those corrections before things go in. Afterward?” He laughed, and it had a slightly frustrated edge to it. “It will definitely hold us up.”
Angel got the message. “Right. All changes should be made early.” He looked over at Heaven and grinned. “Looks like things are finally moving, chiquita .”
Her blue eyes seemed to sparkle as she nodded with enthusiasm. “I can’t wait to have my own kitchen again.” She started to say something else, took a breath, and then in a hesitant voice continued, “I know there’s probably going to be delays, and things you can’t control, but do you have an estimate of how long it will all take?”
Angel could practically feel her cringing, as if afraid of the answer. And he was right there with her. Starting a building from the ground up was bound to take longer than just renovating one that existed, but he had no idea what they were looking at for a timeline.
Craig didn’t answer immediately. His brow furrowed, he focused on the plans again with a fierce look of concentration. “Well, without figuring in any delays, assuming we can get started this week, and that all our shipments arrive on time…” He spoke slowly, dragging out every word while Angel and Heaven held their breaths.
“I’d say… we’re looking at about three months. That might be a little optimistic,” he added hastily. “But Mr. Hawkins has made it clear that Rawhide Ridge is a priority. We’ve already got the permits together. I’ve put my whole crew to work there, and so far, things have been moving smoothly.”
Angel reeled in his seat. Only three months? He’d been worried it would take a year to finish.
Heaven’s wide eyes said she was equally surprised. “Three months?”
“Yes, if you absolutely want us to finish sooner, it’s going to run up the overtime bill, and I refuse to cut corners on safety, so at most I’d be able to speed things up by maybe a week. Not worth the cost, in my opinion.” His shrug made it clear he thought trying to rush would be a dumb decision.
“No, no. Three months is fine,” Angel assured him. He’d already waited far longer than that. He could certainly survive twelve more weeks. “I think we’re both a little surprised that it could be done so quickly.”
“Well, there’s no guarantee. Like I said, things happen. There could be delays,” Craig warned them.
“There always are,” Heaven said, laughing. “But three months is faster than I expected, so if we’re anywhere close to that I’ll be thrilled.”
“Don’t forget that this is just for the construction aspects too. The cosmetics will add a couple more weeks, at least, depending on the details. Painting, appliances, shelves and cases—that will all take time.”
Still… under four months for their very own bakery and chocolate shop. One designed to their exact specifications. It was like a dream come true.
They left the office feeling a little shellshocked, but extremely happy. Heaven Leigh had a bounce in her step. “Can you believe it will be done that fast? It’s nothing but dirt and brush now, and in just a few weeks…”
He pulled her against him, wrapping an arm around her waist as they walked. “Honestly, I’m glad you asked. I was afraid to do it. If he’d said we were looking at half a year or more, I probably would have…” He trailed off, frowning. “I’m not sure what I’d have done. Maybe thrown myself on the floor in a full tantrum.”
His girl looked up at him and snorted. “You’re silly, Daddy. There are some Doms I could see having a tantrum like that, but not you.”
“No?” He laughed and shook his head. “You have no idea how tempted I’ve been a few times. I love it here. There’s something magical about living in a place where everything is so open, but my head is full of elaborate ideas that I really want to try and I just… can’t. Not in the current situation.”
Heaven Leigh sighed, letting her head bump against his shoulder. “I know how you feel. When I dropped everything and came here, I thought…” She trailed off and sighed again. “I thought I’d be happy to leave everything behind. It hurt to even be in a kitchen, let alone bake. I just—I just wanted to experience a childhood and let other people take care of me, but it’s not enough.”
She stopped short and turned to him. A panicked look crept into her eyes. “I don’t mean you’re not enough, Daddy. You’re the most amazing thing in my life and I’m so glad we’re together now. I swear, it’s just?—”
“Heaven, mi corazón , I understand.” His tone was reassuring as he stroked her arm. “I have found so much joy in our relationship. It’s incredible how quickly we’ve built a life together and I’m looking forward to our future. But one person can’t be your whole world. It’s natural for you to want other things now that you’re healing.”
“Healing?” She sounded surprised. “I guess I have started to heal. Thanks to Rawhide. Thanks to you. You’re the best Daddy ever and exactly what I needed. I just don’t want you to think I’m not happy with you, with us, because I am. I just miss baking.”
He pressed his lips against her forehead and held them there for a second before he leaned back to look her in the eyes. “What I think is that you are slowly recovering from grief, and it’s natural for you to want to ease back into the things you enjoyed.”
“I guess that’s it—” She stopped and shook her head firmly. “This is probably a conversation for home anyway. I think I’m just emotional because things are about to change. It’s great, but a little scary.” She let out a long shuddering breath and offered him a weak smile.
Great but scary was exactly the right way to describe it, and he was in sync with her. “Why don’t we take the rest of the morning off? We can head home and talk. It sounds like you’ve got some big emotions in there.”
She was shaking her head before he finished. “I’m supposed to be in the Littles’ Wing today, remember? I promised.”
He hesitated. “Are you sure?”
Heaven Leigh’s nod was decisive. “I think I need some Little time, Daddy. And it’s going to be fun today. We’re painting portraits, and I’ve been looking forward to it.”
Sometimes you had to balance one need with another, and Angel understood that.
Heaven was already sliding into the Little headspace, and lunch was filled with excited chatter about their future. He had to keep reminding her to put food in her mouth otherwise she wouldn’t have eaten anything.
Once she finally cleared her plate, he walked her to the Littles’ Wing and got her checked in before he went to the kitchen. Surprisingly, his small area felt less cramped. The noisy chaos of banging pans and shouting didn’t distract him nearly as much as usual either.
Just knowing that a move was planned and happening made everything feel easier. He knew it wouldn’t last, that there was a lot of work ahead of them, but for the moment… the stress was gone and he was ready to get some work done.
And to celebrate his good mood, he decided to make a treat for the Littles. A chocolate dessert was always welcomed at dinner, but he had the perfect idea for something quick and fun.
Heaven Leigh didn’t get to bake much, but when she was wired, she would occasionally take advantage of the quiet kitchen. When everything was shut down and all the staff were gone for the night, she had permission from Chef Connor to use the ovens, as long as she cleaned up after herself.
Angel’s Little girl was a professional, so leaving the space pristine went without saying. And she appreciated the chance to spread out in the large resort kitchen to work. It was rarely anything fancy; there wasn’t time for that. She was just happy to spend a few hours making plain cakes and cupcakes.
While it might not have done much to relieve the creative itch, the basic baking soothed her mind. A useful way to relax, that left them with baked goods wrapped up tight and stored in the deep freeze, ready to be decorated whenever.
Angel pulled out a few long trays of cupcakes and let them defrost while he began melting chocolate for the molds. He spent the morning making little animals in different flavors of chocolate. Heaven, when she joined him in the afternoon, happily whipped up a rainbow of frostings and placed one animal on each cupcake.
It might have been a simple dessert, but he loved the way they were able to combine their skills, and he was looking forward to real collaborations once they had their own kitchen.