Page 6 of Guiding Little Gabi

As soon as she spotted all the implements on Master Derek’s desk, Gabi froze. Following her gaze, his lips twitched.

“Those aren’t all for you, darlin’. When Littles are here with their caregiver, I allow that caregiver to pick the implement they want to use to discipline their naughty Little. The chairs in front of my desk are very comfortable, at least, you’ll find them so for the time being.” He slid one of the chairs back with the toe of his boot. “Why don’t you sit down here so we can talk?”

Heart thundering, Gabi did as she was told because, even though what he said sounded like a question, she was pretty sure it wasn’t. The tightness in her stomach as she took her seatwas very familiar. She’d felt it every time she’d been sent to the principal’s office in school.

Master Derek rested his hips against his desk, arms and ankles crossed as if they were having a casual, friendly conversation. “Would you like some water?” When she shook her head, he asked, “How old are you, Gabi?”

“Two hundred eighty-nine months,” she told him automatically, then tried not to wince. As vertically impaired as she was, people asked her age all the time. Finally, she had come up with an answer that silenced them, but she hadn’t meant to answer Master Derek that way. She was in enough trouble as it was.

Without missing a beat, he said, “So, twenty-four then. I know that’s what your application said, but I wanted to be sure. And already in a law firm? You must be very smart. Do you like working there?”

Man, he hopped from topic to topic faster than an Eastern Cottontail bunny. To be fair, he was starting to get some gray in his beard. His memory might be slipping.

Well, his math skills sure aren’t slipping.

Beetlebrenda popped into the conversation at the worst time. Gabi shrugged her shoulders and studied the sparkles on her boots. “I guess.”

Darn that Beetlebrenda! She needed to stay quiet. Without lifting her head, Gabi shifted her gaze to Master Derek, only to find his eyes still focused on her.

“How was your trip from Tennessee?”

She tried to find the trick in his question. Not seeing one, she nodded. “Okay, I guess. It was long.”

“I imagine it was, especially all by yourself.”

Master Derek didn’t realize his words stung, but that didn’t mean her heart didn't ache. Not that it mattered anymore.

“Um, yes, it was awful coming here alone.” Well, at least that was true.

“I’m sure. Now tell me, little girl, how did all the girls come to believe you’re a lawyer?”

Of course that would be what he wanted to know. She should have thought of an excuse, but when they were all led to Master Derek’s office, her brain had gone into energy-saving mode or something. She should never have let her friends believe she was an attorney.

“Um, I may have exaggerated a tiny bit. I had a… um, well, I meant to tell them. But they were so excited, and things just kind of escalated quickly.” Had Master Derek’s lips just twitched?

“Yes, I’ve noticed that happens quite frequently around here.”

There it was again. His lips definitely twitched. “I didn’t think you’d find it funny,” she admitted.

His gaze grew stern. “I assure you, darlin’, I don’t think anything about what happened today is funny. Did you think it was funny to treat all the caregivers and staff here at my Ranch to such rude behavior?”

Tears burned her eyes. “I should have told them. It just snowballed, and they all got so excited. I didn’t know how to tell them after that. Not… not without losing my new friends.” Jumping to her feet, she paced behind the chair. “He should have been here with me. We were supposed to celebrate the start of our new life together. Only he doesn’t want a new life. Not with me anyway.”

Master Derek’s brow scrunched. “You’ve lost me, little one. Who should have been here?”

“My Daddy! I mean, Raleigh. He should be here with me.”

Confusion still clouded Master Derek’s eyes. “So, you do have a Daddy?”

Gabi froze. She needed to take her words back, but her feelings had gotten too big. She couldn’t hold them back. “Yes, I mean, no. But I was supposed to. Only he doesn’t want me.”

“Wait a minute. Do you mean Raleigh from Raleigh Stevens and Associates, where you work?”

Warning bells rang in her head, but she still couldn’t stop. Her tears traced the curves of her cheeks. Before she knew it, Master Derek had led her to the couch, pulled her down to sit beside him, and then pulled her close to his side, one arm cradling her shoulder.

“Wh-wh-where else was I s-supposed to g-go? What else c-could I d-d-do? I couldn’t stay in Darling. He’s everywhere I am, all the t-time. S-seeing him and… and kn-knowing he doesn’t w-want me? It w-would have k-killed me.”

She leaned into his strength. What would it be like to have a Daddy like Master Derek? She’d probably never know.

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