Page 13 of His Little Pumpkin (Alphas Fall Hard Collection #2)
ELDON
E verything is the same and yet not the same at all as I move around the kitchen, loading the dishwasher and scrubbing pots and pans as I clean up after lunch. At this point, the cleaning is a meditative ritual, one that I’ll do all again after dinner.
But now I know that Laura is waiting for me at home, probably either rearranging things around the house – I think my sweet girl is a homebody for whom domestic puttering is rejuvenating – or doing some of her computer work.
I’m so grateful that she has a home now, a place to be herself.
I start the dishwasher, then put away the pots that have been drying in the rack. I’m almost finished wiping down the counters when the side door opens.
It’s Laura. “Hey, Pumpkin.” I pull her into my arms, but after a quick hug, she steps away.
“The owner of that computer store paid me today.”
I smile, trying to keep my voice casual. “Oh? That’s great.”
There’s a tension in her pretty features. “Yeah. But along with the payment was a note of apology that sounded kind of…desperate.”
I wave her over to join me, sitting down at the table. “I will never lie to you, Laura. Yes, I made a call. An old friend of mine has a cousin in Oakton, and I asked had him drop by and tell the guy that he should pay you for your work.”
Her bottom lip wobbles. “Why… Why would you do that?”
I squeeze her hand gently. She doesn’t squeeze back. “I believe people should pay their debts in a timely fashion. If he wasn’t in a position to pay you right away, he should’ve said so. Or at least paid half. Not just drop off the planet like that.”
She nods silently.
“I’m also…” Do not use the word ferociously, even though it’s true.
“ Slightly angry with him for putting you in such a terrible spot. I never want you to feel lost like that again.” I smile gently.
“I want you to stay with me as long as you’re happy to, of course.
But I don’t want you to feel it’s your only option. I want you to choose me.”
Laura’s teeth sink into her bottom lip, and it’s physically difficult to stop myself from leaning in and kissing her.
“Why didn’t you ask me before you did that?”
My eyes drop to the table for a moment. “I…didn’t want to disturb you while you were in the tub?” She doesn’t laugh at my weak joke. “You’re right, pumpkin. I should have. It just felt like… I dunno. One person correcting another’s bad behavior, man to man. That kind of thing.”
My chin lifts to meet her eyes. “Shoot. Now that I say it out loud, I realize I was wrong. It was your business, and I should have asked you first. I shouldn’t have interfered with your work. I’m sorry.”
Laura freezes for what feels like a full minute, simply staring dully into my eyes. Then she stands. “I have some work to do, back at…your house. See you in a bit.”
I jump to my feet. “Shall I pack you some food?”
“No thanks. I’m not hungry.”
She walks away. She’s careful not to slam the heavy door on the way out, but her quiet energy and careful methodical movements make me feel even more like a total asshole.
Yes, Laura is my sweet baby. Yes, I want to love and protect and care for her. But it has to be on her terms, with her decisions. Her boundaries.
I overstepped those boundaries by a country mile. And I’m not sure if we have enough of a foundation that she will be able to forgive me and realize that it was just one misstep, and that I’m not really a controlling guy.