Page 71 of Daddy's Muse
Colby
As I woke the next morning, the spot beside me was warm, Pappa’s scent still clinging to the pillow, and for a second I thought he was still there. But then I heard the faint clatter of pans from the kitchen, and a smile tugged at my lips.
I slipped out of bed, padding out of the bedroom and stopping to pick up Butter from her corner in the den on my way to the kitchen. Butter yawned as I got him settled against my chest.
As we walked into the kitchen, Pappa stood at the stove, sleeves rolled up, broad shoulders looking very yummy in the morning light. My heart did that fluttering thing it always did when I saw him like this.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” he said without looking up, flipping something in the pan. “Sit down. Breakfast is almost ready.”
I deposited Butter on the table at the spot next to me, then pulled out my chair to sit down. “Did you make something for Butter, too?”
That got his attention. He turned, brow arching, like he couldn’t quite believe I was serious. “Baby boy, I don’t think rabbits are supposed to sit on kitchen tables,” he admonished, the corner of his lip twitching up.
“But she should eat with us, don’t you think? It’s… like a family meal.”
Pappa stared at me for a beat too long, then huffed out a quiet laugh that wasn’t really mocking but still made my stomach flutter.
“Pleaaase, Pappa,” I pouted, giving him my best puppy dog eyes.
“Okay, okay,” he laughed, shaking his head as he went to fetch some lettuce leaves and carrot bits from the fridge.
Pappa set a plate piled high with veggies in front of Butter and a plate of pancakes and fruit in front of me. I pretended not to notice Pappa’s smirk as we both dug in.
Halfway through the meal, Pappa’s tone shifted. “Colby, I’ll need to be out for a few hours today. I have some work to take care of.”
I stilled, fork halfway to my mouth. “Work? What kind of work?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.” His eyes lifted to mine, sharp, almost warning, before softening again. “Just… something I have to handle. I’ll leave lunch in the fridge for you, and I expect you to stay inside. Don’t answer the door, no matter what. Understand?”
My chest tightened with unease, though I nodded slowly. “Yeah, I understand. I just… didn’t know you had a job. You’re always here with me.”
He smiled faintly, as if it amused him that I questioned it. “I take on projects now and then. I wanted to make sure you settled in here, so I’ve been on a break, but something pretty important came up that needs my attention.” His eyes lingered on me, his expression pinched like he wasn’t happy about leaving. “It won’t take long. Just a few hours. Do you think you can handle that, baby? I’m a bit nervous leaving you alone.”
I swallowed a bite, trying to chase away the creeping nerves. “It’s okay. I’ll stay here. Just… don’t be gone too long, Pappa. Please?”
His hand reached across the table, covering mine, grounding me with the weight of his palm. “Never longer than I have to.”
I squeezed back, heart softening.
* * *
The movie I’d picked out droned on in the background, bright colors flashing across the TV, but I couldn’t focus. The couch felt too big without Pappa sitting there, his larger-than-life presence filling the space. I hugged a pillow to my chest for a while, then finally gave up and clicked off the TV.
I groaned and wondered what Pappa was up to.
Butter’s soft thump from her pen caught my attention. She hopped toward the edge, ears twitching, as if sensing my restlessness.
“Yeah, you’re bored too, huh?” I sighed, crouching down to scoop her up. She nuzzled against my chin, little nose twitching, and my heart squeezed. Carrying her to the coffee table, I setout the brush Pappa had bought. “Okay, Butter,” I said, like she could understand, “today we’re gonna make you extra beautiful. Then maybe we’ll… I dunno. Play hide and seek? Or you can watch me color. Or…” My words trailed off as her fur came loose in the bristles, soft as clouds. She blinked up at me, utterly silent, but I kept talking anyway. “You don’t answer back, but that’s okay. I like your quiet noises a lot.”
I giggled softly and leaned down to kiss her head.
After brushing her, I carried Butter to the kitchen and pulled my laptop onto the counter. I was still feeling a bit guilty about my sudden absence from tutoring. The Academic Success Office, which oversaw the school’s tutoring program, had emailed me a few days ago to inform me that they were assigning new tutors to my regular students.
I was glad that Elijah and the rest of them wouldn’t fall too far behind because of me, but I still felt like I’d abandoned them. What if their new tutors weren’t good fits for them?
Opening my email, I drafted a new message, stating that I could offer sessions over video chat if they were interested.
I sent it to half a dozen of my students before closing the laptop with a sigh.
