Page 28 of Guiding Little Gabi

Gabi stared back at her new friends, interpreting each expression. They appeared impressed. Who wouldn’t be? Lawyers are smart and important. Personal assistants are not. Personal assistants don’t solve significant problems or win major cases.

She would only be there for a few more days. If they believed she was a lawyer, what harm would it do? It wasn’t as if she’d have to run a trial or anything. But if they thought she was smart and important, her new friends would like her. It wouldn’t hurt anyone, and it might really help her.

And it still wasn’t a lie if she hadn’t told them she was a lawyer. Omission was an underappreciated skill. If she let them believe she was one, that would just be a misunderstanding. So, that’s what she would do. She wouldn’t confirm anything; she simply wouldn’t deny it.

Straightening her purple shoulders, she grinned. “Well, that’s the part I play anyway, Gabi the Problem Solver. That’swhat everyone calls me back home.” She didn’t let herself grimace, at least on the outside.

Sadie climbed out of the tub, grasped Gabi’s hand, and raised it high in a victory pose. All her friends cheered, “Gabi! Gabi! Gabi!”

“What in the holy bells of hell happened?” A loud, angry voice Gabi would recognize anywhere boomed across the courtyard, instantly silencing the chaos in the hot tub.

Slowly, Gabi turned to face him. “Hi, Daddy. It isn’t as bad as it looks,” she said, snatching her hand from Sadie’s and holding up both her gloved hands in surrender.

“There’s no way it could be! One hour. You were only here for one hour!”

Sadie stepped beside Gabi and threw her arm around her shoulder. “No worries, Gabi’s Daddy. We have the Little Lawyer Extraordinaire right here. We are following her advice, so everything is going to be fine.”

Raleigh shot a glance back at Gabi. His face became redder, and a vein in the middle of his forehead started to pulse. Yeah, he was definitely underappreciating her omission.

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Ultimately, he crossed his arms over his chest and barked, “Everyone out of the hot tub. Grab your shoes and towels and follow me to Master Derek’s office.” With a final glare at her, Raleigh stalked toward the door leading into the lodge.

Well, fudge!

This had to be a record. She’d been at the Ranch, what, four days? And here she sat, waiting to be called into Master Derek’soffice with her four best—well, only—friends for vandalizing Ranch property. Because, of course, she was.

Her Daddy sat beside her, not looking at her or talking to her. She’d had a Daddy for half a day and had ruined it. He knew how much trouble she was now. But now it reflected on him. A Daddy was supposed to be able to control his Little.

Not that he hadn’t already realized she carried trouble in her pocket everywhere she went. The question wasn’t whether she’d pull it out; it was when.

Sadie glanced at her and advised she sit in the chair next to the trash can where they’d all disposed of their gloves. That was a smart suggestion on Sadie’s part. It had been hours since Gabi had eaten those pancakes, but whatever was still in her stomach was trying to make a reappearance.

She stared at the door to the office, wishing it would open so the dreadful part would be over. Waiting was the worst part, or at least she hoped it was. When the door finally opened, her heaving stomach proved her wrong. The opening of the door was way, way worse.

Master Derek eyed each of her friends before his piercing gaze landed on her. He had evidently practiced turning a simple white button-down shirt and jeans into an intimidating uniform. Until that moment, she would have bet her last dollar he couldn’t be scarier than he’d been the night before. She knew better now. His disapproval burned her skin worse than the July sun.

With his arms crossed over his broad chest, the owner of Rawhide Ranch spoke up. “Well, it seems I have a giggle of naughty purple Little girls to deal with. I want you all to march yourselves into my office and stand in front of my desk. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” they all chorused.

If Gabi’s heart beat any harder, she would pass out. Why had she bought all those extra bath bombs? Not that she would bring that up. She had already decided to stay as quiet as possible. She bit her tongue to ensure she wouldn’t forget.

When she was in position, Raleigh stepped behind her, as caregivers who must be her friends’ Daddies, each moved to stand behind their Little. In Pippi’s case, she had both her Mommy and Daddy flanking her. Gabi wondered if she could feel any more miserable. Or scared. No, the answer was no; she could not.

Her Daddy had barely been on the Ranch for twenty-four hours. He’d flown all the way from Tennessee for her. Now they would be sent home. She just knew it. And it was all because of her. It was as if the conversations they’d had last night and this morning never happened. She’d made the same mistake. Why couldn’t she learn?

Now she was about to receive her second spanking, and for all she knew, it might not even be from her Daddy. Of course, he’d have to look at her to spank her.

Master Derek could do his worst. Raleigh was disappointed in her. He might even hate her. She’d finally succeeded in pushing him away. Nothing could hurt more than that.

CHAPTER 9

Derek didn’t speak for several minutes. Gabi couldn’t tell if he was trying to make them more nervous or control his own temper.

Bringing his hand to his face, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “First of all, was anyone hurt in the escapade you all came up with?”

Gabi had the insane impulse to giggle since none of them hurt as much as they were going to be hurting soon. Master Derek caught her expression and focused his attention on her.

“Is there something about this situation you find amusing, Miss Schwindler? If there is anything funny, I’d love for you to share it with me because I can find no humor in what took place at all.”

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