Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Payden
“Daddy, that was so much fun last night,” I shoved a big scoop of ice cream and waffles in my mouth. Dessert for breakfast was the best thing ever and the people at the venue agreed with me. “The place was packed.”
“Little uni, chew your food before you choke,” Daddy shook his head. “But yeah, it was. Shocked as hell to not only find Shadow was there but to have Griff show up. I’m glad he’s getting the help he needs, and I hope like hell he sticks with it.”
“I felt so dumb, not knowing who the people I was sitting with were, but Lucas was super cool and told me to web search Maiden Voyage. They seem like a big deal.”
“Considering the fact they’re diamond award winning billionaires, I’d say so.”
I choked. “They’re what?”
Daddy grinned. “Maiden Voyage is one of the top metal bands in the world. They don’t tour much anymore, just attend a couple of huge festivals a year like Rocktoberfest. Social Sinners is right behind them.
” His phone chimed. “It’s your Dad, texting to get all the deets from last night.
” As soon as he sat his phone back down, after replying to Dad, it rang.
“This is Stone,” he listened for a few seconds and rolled his eyes.
“Right, like The Easton Masterson would call me. He doesn’t even have my number.
Nice try, dude.” He ended the call and tossed his phone down.
“The nerve of some guys. If this is what applying for jobs gets me, I’m gonna have to try it from another angle.
” I shrugged and got back to eating but it was my phone that rang next.
“Hey Lucas.”
“Did you get your dessert for breakfast?”
“Yup, finishing it now. What’s up?”
“Easton just called and said Stone hung up on him. Asked for us to reach out and let him know the call was legit.”
“Oh shoot. Um, Daddy?” his brow rose. “That was a real person, the Easton guy. Lucas just said so.” Daddy’s face turned ghost white and I thought he might pass out. “Are you okay?”
“Fuck. No. Jesus,” he tugged his hair. “I’ll call him right back. Best get my groveling on.” Lucas heard that and started laughing while Daddy stepped outside.
“I’ll leave you guys to it. Talk soon,” Lucas hung up and I immediately opened a browser to search who this guy was.
Pooh, I hope Daddy didn’t screw this up, whatever it was, because the internet was full of articles about him and the management company he owns.
Must’ve been important for Lucas to call me.
I was still surprised when he asked if we could exchange numbers last night.
Maybe I’d finally get a few friends to hang out with.
Would be really nice, especially if Daddy started doing more events. Sitting alone was never fun.
I cleaned up my dishes then went into the living room to play with my train sets. I was just setting up the unicorn one so Thomas and his new friends could play together when Daddy walked back in.
“Is everything okay?” He had his confused face on.
“Yeah, I um, I think he just offered me a job.”
“The super rich guy I just looked up?”
“Yeah, and I um, I turned it down?” Came out in a question telling me he wasn’t sure he should’ve done that.
“What? Why?”
“He wanted to know if I was ready to have a new band and hit the road. I told him now that I have a life here I’m not willing to travel like that again or be without my partner.”
Blink. Blink.
“Oh.”
“Then he said, no worries, he’d find a spot within Masterson for me and that he’d be in touch in a few days.
” He plopped down on the couch. “How is this even my life? One minute I’m playing at a train station just to eat that day and the next I’m being offered jobs from one of the most well-known and best management companies in the industry. ”
“Wow. Doesn’t sound too bad to me. I know you’re great and now they do too.” Daddy should already know he’s perfect. “Silly Daddy.”
“Silly boy,” he slid down on the floor beside. “Now, how are our train friends doing?”
“They’re gonna meet for tea and those cute little sammies like we had on the train. Fun food is just fun. Daddy, will their tracks connect together? Then we can make them bigger.” Daddy liked to do the buildy stuff like with my new Pony house. I just wanted to play.
“I think they just might.” He clipped a couple in place. “How about a figure eight set up?”
“Ooohhh, that sounds fun. Too bad we don’t have a station to put in the middle for them to stop at.”
“Leave that to your Daddy. What I lack in funds I make up for in creating,” Daddy kissed my head. “Sweetheart, if Daddy were to travel once in a while would you be able to go with him?”
“Maybe. My boss asked me about covering your shows for the entertainment articles, but I wasn’t sure about it. I don’t want to write a bad piece, especially with your name on it.”
“You’re not the only one doing internet searches lately. I found a few articles written by a certain little unicorn that more than held my attention, and that is saying something considering I’ve never been much of a reader. But the traveling, just food for thought.”
“Daddy, I don’t want to be the cause of you losing the perfect job. I’ll still be here when you get home and shouldn’t be figured into your decision making.”
“I beg to differ, sir. This is a relationship and one that this Daddy isn’t willing to risk. The decisions will be made as a team, you and me,” he pointed between us. “Deal?”
I teared up. “Deal, real Daddy.”
“That’s right, and don’t you forget it. Now, I believe we have some trains to get to tea.”
“Choo-choo!” I ran Thomas around the track to test it out. “Thomas gives it his seal of approval.”
“Why thank you, Thomas.” Daddy finished linking the trains, one of Thomas crew and one for the Uni team all the way through to the end. It was like a conga line of trains.
Daddy brought out some ponies to watch the train race, they stood along outside the tracks and I’m happy to report that the girls played nicely. No fussing or pushing and shoving. Princess was on her best behavior today.
“Keep playing, little uni, Daddy’s gonna get our laundry going.”
“’K, Daddy. Thank you. Kisses.” I puckered up and Daddy gave me one, two, three sweet kisses before he walked away. Lost in playing, it wasn’t until I heard some banging that I realized Daddy hadn’t come back to play and went to find him. “Whatcha doing?”
“I thought I’d hang up your stuffie net so you can put your new ones in it.” I had another one that was already full.
“Thank you, Daddy. Will you help me?”
“You know I will. Just tell me who goes where.”
I handed him Thomas. “Thomas in the middle, please. Um,” I really did get a lot on our trip.
“Hugo on one side of him and Little Midge next to Hugo.” That left the other side open.
I sleep with Sassy Pants, so she stays on the bed.
“Let’s put the small ones from the baskets in the empty spot.
” Daddy made them nice and perfect, you could see them all, no one was hidden. “Thank you, Daddy, it’s perfect.”
“Your Daddy is going places, sweetheart and one day I promise you’ll have your very own playroom.”
“As long as I have my Daddy, nothing else matters.” Though a playroom would be sweet. “What’s next on our Sunday list?”
“Errands and groceries,” Daddy groaned when his phone rang. “After I take this call. Sorry, sweetheart.”
I got ready while Daddy took his call. He was a busy bee today. By the time I showered and got dressed, he finally hung up. “Everything okay?”
“Such a good boy, getting ready and letting Daddy take an important business call. I’d say my sweet unicorn deserves a treat for that, don’t you?”
Treat? My ears perked up. “I even brushed my teeth, see?” I flashed him my pearly whites.
“You did and they’re wonderfully clean. But to answer your question, it appears I have a video call tomorrow with Shadow and Easton. Life suddenly got a lot more interesting and from the looks of it, very busy.”
“Will Daddy still have time for me?”
Daddy knelt in front of me. “You, my love, will always come first. I waited too long to find the one and like I said before, we will make all the big decisions together. If you don’t like something or it doesn’t feel right, tell Daddy.
That’s usually a sign that it’s not right or maybe just not right for us. You. Come. First.”
“Just nervous, sorry. Past bad choices and all of that.” Men who had no use for me once they got what they wanted and moved on.
“Understood. I’ve got baggage to, but none of that includes you, Payden.
You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I’ll do everything in my power to keep us together.
But Daddies make mistakes too and I can’t fix what I don’t know is broken.
You’ve got to let Daddy know when that happens.
Can you promise to do that so we can fix it together? ”
“I promise, Daddy, and the same goes for me. I can be a bit needy, or so I’m told and I don’t want it to get to where I’m too much to handle.”
“Sweetheart, I can’t ever see that happening.
In fact, in my opinion you don’t get enough little time, and I hope to remedy that.
Daddy just wants to contribute more to the household.
As soon as I have a steady paycheck, we can see where we’re at and maybe look at moving closer to your mom and Dad. What do you think?”
“As much as I love that, it would make the job commute longer for me. Unless I took more rural assignments.”
“Well, let’s not hurt our brains worrying too much about it. Just food for future thought. The world is our oyster and we’re getting ready to shuck it.”
“Blech!” My tongue poked out. “Not a fan of oysters.”
“Okay, the world is our chicken nugget. How’s that?”
I giggled. “Much better. Now I want nuggets and fries.”
“I think that can be arranged. Let’s roll.”
I liked it when Daddy drove. Traffic stressed me out plus I got to sing along with the radio and dance in my seat while he drove.
Living closer to my parents would be great, and more affordable.
Yucca Valley, where I grew up, was once a small town and had grown a bit but not to the point of high crime or overpopulation.
The lots were bigger and so were the houses, which allotted more privacy.
Maybe Daddy was on to something…
I bet we could find an affordable place where we could have an office and maybe a music room for him.
Shoot, now I was just as excited about that as I was for nuggets.
My brain was going bonkers. Being in Beaumont was nice and all, but I’d, correction, we’d get to see Mom and Dad more.
I bet Dad would love to meet the people Daddy may soon be working with.
This just had happy-happy written all over it. It’s gonna be awesome watching Daddy and his career grow.
Thank you fates, you’ve made more than one life whole.