Page 12

Smoke

“Piggies or bunnies?” I asked Ashley.

“Dunno,” she answered around her thumb.

Laughing, I brushed her hair into two small ponies at the crown of her head. “Bunnies it is, babygirl.”

“Tanks,” she said when I stood her up and turned her to face me.

“You are welcome, cutie-patootie.”

She grinned at the silly nickname.

“Are you warm enough?” I asked, running my hands over her pink bunny sleeper.

She nodded. “Warm.”

“Okay, if that changes you let me know. I’ll keep a blanket in the truck for you just in case.” We were going to a play party at The Thirsty Turtle and while it was warm outside I’d been told it could be chilly in the main room where the party would be.

She nodded.

“Are you so excited to decorate cookies with your friends tonight?” I asked, standing and lifting her from the bed.

“‘Cited!” she agreed.

“If you get nervous or ouchie, I want you to promise to tell me, okay? I won't mind at all. I take my Daddy duties very seriously and it makes my heart happy to be able to help you.”

Her brow furrowed. “Leave?”

“No, babygirl. That doesn’t mean we will leave. It just means we'll take a little break.”

“Little break,” she said, nodding again.

I brushed her hair back behind her ear and kissed her forehead. I hoped she understood how precious to me she was.

“Hair?” she asked, picking up the hairbrush.

“What about your hair?” I asked.

“You hair.”

“My hair?”

“Yas-huh.”

“What about it?”

“Babygirl do it.”

I laughed. She was so damn cute. “You’re going to help me with my hair?”

“Yas-huh,” she said, climbing on the bed and standing behind me.

I held her legs to make sure she stayed supported. “Oh, thank you. That would be so helpful.”

She brushed my buzzcut several times before plopping on her diaper covered bottom.

“Careful, babygirl. You still have some ouchies,” I reminded her as I pulled her onto my lap.

She slipped her thumb in her mouth again and I pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

“Love you,” she babbled.

“I love you too, babygirl. More than you’ll ever know.”

***

I lifted Ash from the truck and tried to set her on her feet. She lifted her legs and I laughed at her antics. “Put your feet down, babygirl.” I held her by her underarms.

“No feets.”

“Oh no! No feets?"

"Lost them."

" You lost your feet?” I asked, amused.

“Yas-huh.”

“That’s so terrible.”

“So terrible,” she agreed, still holding her feet in the air.

“Where did you lose them?”

“Tennessee.”

Snorting, I set her on my hip and she wrapped her legs around me.

“You are so silly.”

“So silly,” she agreed with a nod.

“Are you excited for tonight?”

“Yas-huh, cookies!”

“I know, decorating cookies sounds so fun, huh?”

“Fun!”

I adored her babbling.

“Hi, Uncle Smoke!” Rogue said, waving from the entrance.

“Hey, Little one. I’m so glad you could make it tonight. Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, sir. My migraine is all gone.”

“Yay!” Ash said, clapping her hands.

“Yay!” I agreed.

“You look so cute!” Rogue told Ashley. “I love your bunnies in your hair.”

“Tanks!”

“Where is your Daddy, Rogue?” I asked after not seeing him around.

“He forgot his ID in the car and he had to go back and get it. He’s so naughty.”

“So naughty,” Ashley agreed from beside me.

“I heard that, sassy-pants,” Leland said as he walked back to us.

“Unka Leland!” Ash squealed, waving at him. My heart melted at her sweetness.

The sound of excited Little girls reached my ears and I turned around to see Eloise and Allyson walking along, holding hands with Kay as they talked at rapid speeds. Their Daddies were working the shop and would meet us later.

“Eloise! Allyson!” Rogue cried as she and Ashley waved at them in excitement. Looking around, my heart was so full as our little family greeted each other.

I handed the bouncer our IDs and carried Ashley inside the building. "Ohhh, pretty!" she said, pointing to the double doors. They'd been decorated to look like cookies and they were very cute.

"That's so cute!" Eloise squealed.

"I'm going to make my cookies look like the doors," Allyson added.

I enjoyed watching their excitement. It was always so refreshing to see genuine Little ones and it looked like Kay, Leland, and I had our hands full of genuinely Little girls for the night.

"I think we're going to need a drink," Kay teased.

"I was actually going to visit the bar anyway, do you really want a drink?" I asked.

A Little girl shriek pierced the air as a large dancing cookie appeared in the walkway.

"Yes, please," Kay laughed before being dragged off to meet the cookie.

"I'll take her," Leland said, holding his arms out for Ashley.

"Can you go with Uncle Leland so Daddy can go buy some drinks? I promise I'll come right back."

She looked hesitant at first, but then the cookie started to blow bubbles and she was entranced. I passed her over before heading to the bar.

"Can I get three of whatever's on tap?" I asked the bartender.

"Well, you just couldn't stand being away from me, could you?" a familiar voice asked.

Grinning, I turned to face Jasper. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

"My three best men quit on me. I'm here drowning my sorrows in liquor."

Taking my drinks from the bartender, I motioned for him to follow me. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" he asked, following.

"I'm going to introduce you to everyone."

He stopped in his tracks. "To your family?"

"Yeah. Come on."

He smiled, a real, genuine smile. "Really?"

"Yeah, really," I laughed.

We quickly located everyone and I passed out the beers.

"This is my friend Jasper, he's going to be joining us for the night."

"Hi, Unka Jasper," Ashley said, giving him her best smile.

Jasper swallowed before answering, "Hello, Little one. Did you know your Daddy was one of my best friends?"

If anyone had told younger me this would one day be my life, I would have laughed them out of town.

Ashley and Jasper had nothing in common, but that didn't stop them both giving me a second chance at life. Jasper had given me a place to belong when all I had to give was anger, and Ashley had given me a reason to love even though I'd never experienced it before her. I was a damn lucky man.