Page 73 of Beneficial Misfortune

“What are we making?” Her eyes light up as she turns to me, waiting on my answer, and she’s just so stinking cute!

“Pancakes.”

She lets out a squeal of excitement before rushing to the stool I have set up so she can get a better look.

“With chocolate chips?” She’s all but vibrating on the stool now, and I move forward to make sure she doesn’t fall, but I can’t help but smile down at her. For a little girl who has literally everything she could ever want, she’s so excited about the little things like this, and it warms my heart.

“Of course,” I tell her seriously, reaching out to boop her nose and making her laugh. “What kind of pancakes don’t have chocolate chips?”

With only the two of us, we don’t need to make a lot, and it doesn’t take long before we have a nice stack of steaming chocolate chip pancakes ready to go. Addison eats them so fast I have to tell her to slow down, worried she might choke. After we’ve finished, I send her upstairs to get dressed and work on cleaning up the mess we made in the kitchen before going to get dressed myself.

My hair is dry now, so after I change, I braid it so it stays out of the way. Unfortunately, I still haven’t been shopping, and most of my clothes are still work attire. So, I ended up picking a dress because shorts are limited.

The thought gives me an idea, and I leave my room to go find Addison. I’d half expected her to come find me already, but sometimes she stays in her room to play, and that’s where I find her. She doesn’t look up as I approach, and I stop in the doorway to watch her with a smile.

“Mommy, Mommy, I love you so much. You're the best mommy ever,” she says, holding a little doll in one hand and another full-size one in the other. I love you too, Princess,” she says to the other one and makes them hug.

It’s adorable and so innocent, but it also pulls at my heartstrings.

I’d thought about the conversation about her calling me Mom, and while I haven’t said anything or had a chance to talk to Nathan, I know if she ever called me Mom, I wouldn’t stop her.

“Addison, honey.”

She turns at the sound of my voice, dropping her dolls before coming to grab my hand and pull me back to her dollhouse.

“Here! You can play the mommy!” she says, shoving the mother doll in my hand with a smile.

I sit and play with her, the dolls swim and cook, and every time she calls ‘mommy,’ she looks at me with the biggest eyes, and just like that, I’m putty.

When she seems to have become bored with the dolls after a while, I ask, “Addison, I was wondering if you wanted to go to the mall with me today. "

The second the question is out of my mouth, the dolls are all but forgotten as she lunges into my arms.

“Yes!” she shouts happily before releasing me and running out the door. With a chuckle, I quickly follow her, hearing her talk to Ruby as she goes, seemingly unaware of me behind her.

“She’s the best mommy ever, Ruby!”

Nathan had given me Vincent’s number and told me to text him should we need or want to go anywhere, so I do just that. He texts back even before I can put my phone away, saying he will be here in less than five minutes.

Addison makes a beeline right to the door, throwing her shoes on in record time and going out to wait on the porch. A fence blocks off the whole property and sits back a ways from the road, but I can’t help rushing to put my own shoes on, not liking her outside alone. Ruby sits on the porch with us, and we give him all the belly rubs until Vincent pulls up. Then, he takes himself to the door to be let in.

He’s the best-trained dog I’ve ever seen, and honestly, it kind of makes me sad I’d never had one growing up.

“Uncle Vinny!” Addison flies down the stairs and right into his arms, and he smiles as he grabs her.

“Hey Princess, where are we off to today?” Vincent asks her, but his eyes meet mine over her head.

“Mommy’s taking me to the mall!” she shouts, and I watch as his eyes go wide. I’m almost positive mine are the same right now, but neither of us corrects her, and she doesn’t even seem to realize what she did.

Vincent recovers before I do. “That sounds like a great time.” He moves back to the car, which for once isn’t the typical limo I’m used to him chauffeuring the Lawson’s around in. He opens the back door before letting her down, and she quickly scrambles inside, clearly used to this car as well. I, on the other hand, pause. I’d thought the limo was expensive, but even before I get in, I know this is more.

The seats have footrests that look like they recline!? And the back doors open from the opposite side of a normal door.

I didn’t even know cars could have this many features.

“Kat,” he says to me with a nod as I meet him at the door to get in, and I’m not sure why, but I can feel my cheeks heat under his gaze.

Fuck, who am I kidding? I know exactly why. He’s a very handsome man, and being the center of his attention like this is almost intimidating.

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