Page 41 of His Last Chase

Daddy kept the books on the bedside table. “Yes, please.” I curled up with him, my head on his chest just like last time, only this time I was wide awake and ready to hear the whole book.

“The Grasshopper and the Farmer. Book one of the Enchanted Farm series by Elizabeth Brandt.” Daddy flipped the page.

“Look at all the animals, Daddy. I’ve never been to a farm before.”

“You haven’t? We’ll have to remedy that when you get back.”

When I get back.I was gonna miss Daddy something awful.

“It was a bright and sunny day. The critters on the farm were out grazing, enjoying the warm day. The sheep bleated in a nearby pasture while the farmer worked in her garden.

“’Shoo!’ She shook the rake at the grasshopper eating her tomatoes, ‘Those aren’t meant for you. Those are for my table, you see.’

“Suddenly the wind whipped around the vegetables, swirling the dirt into a cloud of dust. When it settled, a handsome young man stood before her. ‘I’llmake you a deal,’ he said, ‘I will only eat the ones I’ve already bitten or any that fall to the ground in exchange for you allowing me to live here.’

“The farmer dropped her rake and ran inside the house, screaming along the way.

“’How rude,’ the grasshopper huffed, ‘but I’ll take that as a yes.”

“I like how you make all the silly sounds and voices, Daddy.” This was fun and a memory of my mom reading to me surfaced. She’d been gone so long it was hard to remember some stuff.

“You do, huh?”

Daddy tickled me and once the giggles hit and I couldn’t breathe he stopped and returned to the story.

Not sure how it ended ‘cause I fell asleep.

Again.

“Good morning, Songbird,” Daddy said as I wobbled into the kitchen, still half asleep. “Should I be worried with how sleepy you are?”

Before I could stop it, a yawn escaped. “No. I just haven’t been sleeping well.”And I’m more relaxed when I’m with you,but I didn’t want him to worry so I kissed his cheek and changed the subject. “Anything I can help you with?”

He shook the spatula at me. “Don’t think I didn’t notice what you just did there, little one. Why don’t you pour us each a glass of juice while I plate the food.”

We weren’t two bites in when he jumped right to it.

“All right, Chase. Spill it.”

I took a huge bite, and he cocked a brow at me, knowing full well it was another stall tactic. “Just got a lot going on so my mind’s not shutting down.”

“I don’t want to be a hindrance, Chase.”

“No! That’s not it at all, it’s just…” How did I explain it without sounding like a total dumbass? “Okay, here it is. I sleep better when I’m with you. It’s like, I get to be the real me and relax and unwind. Then when you read to me, which by the way is the highlight of my day, my brain finally let’s go.” That pretty much summed it up and now it was all out in the open.

“I see. You know, even when you’re not here I can still read to you. I think we talked about that before. Though I can’t keep super late hours or I’ll fall asleep in class, and I just got the Chase rumor put to rest.”

He had told me a bit about the millions of Chase Prescott questions his students threw at him. I felt bad but there was no way I was letting Daddy go. Even if I had to call in Easton and Jeremiah to put the rumors to rest, they could work their magic. But honestly, I wanted the world to know that Daddy was mine.

“But if you are in your bunk by say, ten-thirty, I can. Wish I had you in my arms at the same time but once I get there we can get back to how it is now.”

I was ridiculously excited to have Daddy on tour with me, though I would have to remember to call him Casey around everyone but David.

“I’d like that.” Leaving on Monday was gonna suck.

“I have an idea,” Casey’s words drew me from the depressing thought. “Why don’t you write to me? Don’t mail anything but hold onto them until I get there. They can be letters, notes, random thoughts, lyrics, poems—whatever you’re thinking. Then when I read them you can share with me where you were and what you were thinking about when those words came.”

“Great idea. I’m always writing random words down, but this gives them purpose and keeps my mind occupied.” Though I’d likely drive myself nuts counting down the days, hours, and minutes until Daddy got there.

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