Page 39 of Wishes and Research

“I’m not naughty, Daddy.” Paxton’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “No, I’m a big boy with manners in the diner.”

Limit or personal rule?

“I think that’s very reasonable, little bug.” For a variety of reasons. “Big boy with manners in the diner and then fun little boy at home with Daddy.”

Paxton was back to beaming. “That’s what the internet said too.”

The internet was clearly very helpful, but I just hoped his research didn’t take him places he wasn’t ready for.

Chapter 11

Paxton

“And the internet said that Daddies give baths and they—” Daddy leaned over and kissed my head.

“Someone is coming up the trail, little bug.” Daddy looked down at our hands. “Should we be boring or still be cute together? I’ll let you decide since we haven’t talked about that yet.”

Hmm.

I whispered soft as I could. “Boring? Is that okay?”

The internet said it was, but I was glad when Daddy smiled and nodded. “Yes, people are nosy.”

They really were.

Oh, I had another story he needed to know.

But we had to be boring first, so I released Daddy’s hand and stood straighter. I looked very boring and grown-up as we walked down the trail and got closer and closer to the car where Daddy was going to give me juice because I was tired of water.

First orange juice.

Then lemonade.

Then Gatorade.

“Afternoon.” Daddy sounded very boring as we went around the corner and there were people coming the other way.

“Hey.” Several people nodded and said hi, but they weren’t the nosy old people I’d seen in the diner. So I was a good grown-up and gave them my professional boring-person smile as we passed them.

I looked sooo boring Daddy kept glancing at me and frowning.

But I had to be boring or everyone would talk, so I stayed quiet until we got close to the parking lot and he stopped us. “They can’t hear us anymore, cutie.”

Giggling, I kissed his cheek. “I was very boring, Daddy, and they can’t gossip ’cause this is my job.”

Shaking his head, Daddy gave me a teasing frown. “I was worried and you were just a good actor.”

“You’re a good Daddy.” They worried. The internet said so. “But I’m fine. Well, I still want my juice and my food and my massage.”

Yes.

And he’d been so patient I had to reward him by not being big and boring. The internet said that made Daddies happy. They really liked being the grown-up, so I could be playful and fun and not worry about being boring.

Daddy remembered our list and nodded. “That’s right. That’s our plan.”

He even took my hand again and led me to the Jeep, so I was right about him wanting to be the grown-up. “Alright, backpacks away and then it’s time to get you more to drink.”

Yep, it was his turn to be in charge since I’d worked lots and lots.

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