Page 66 of Just A Little Joy

Daddy didn’t push any further, and we lapsed into compatible silence, but the words I didn’t want to say made their way into my throat and out of my mouth. “He was telling me about a job in Alaska.”

Daddy didn’t say anything immediately, but I saw the clench of his jaw and his white knuckles on the steering wheel. I saw the way he forced his fingers to relax, one by one.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, there’s a spot that opened up in the restaurant at the resort he works at.”

Daddy’s fingers flexed against my thigh, but he kept his eyes straight ahead. “I hear it’s pretty expensive to live up there.”

“The job comes with housing and tips, and it’s the morning shift, so snowboarding in the afternoon.”

‘Wow,” Daddy croaked, then cleared his throat, “sounds amazing.”

The silence that followed wasn’t compatible or comfortable. Instead, it was awkward and weird as fuck. Ugh. We stayed quiet and pretended to hum along with the Christmas music playing until we approached the city limits.

“Have you finally thawed?” Daddy asked with a light squeeze of my thigh.

“Barely. Maybe?”

“How about you come home with me for a turn in the bathtub?”

“You sure you want that?”

“Absolutely positive.”

Casey

Hey, how’s life for my favorite busted bathroom hookup?

Nico

It was a bad moment for me.

It was cute. Spirally Nico is freaking adorable.

Yeah, nothing says “I’m a catch” like crying in the bathroom about some other guy to the guy I want to hook up with. Good times.

It all worked out.

No complaints from me.

Not that I mind this little trip in the wayback machine, but is there a reason we’re revisiting it?

I was thinking about it and thought you’d like to know.

I see.

You sure there’s not something else you wanted to talk about?

Something personal?

No, just wanted to say hi.

In that case— Hi.

There was one thing, since you brought it up.

And here it is.