Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Chapter Nine
Mateo loved his job. He loved running a restaurant. But ever since he’d met Nora, he’d been distracted and beyond grateful he had amazing employees to keep the place running while he’d spent time each day getting her nursery fixed up. Now that everything was in place, he was still distracted every day thinking about her.
When Mateo entered the kitchen late that afternoon during their lull, he immediately realized he’d completely forgotten what he’d intended to ask Guille, his chef.
Guille chuckled as Mateo stood in the middle of the room, mouth hanging open, no sound coming out. “You’re smitten,” his cook stated. “I like it. It’s about time you found yourself a…woman.”
Mateo didn’t even bother to hide his feelings. “Yeah. I am. And you don’t have to pretend you don’t know I’m a Daddy who’s found his Little girl. You’re absolutely right.” Guille was slightly older than Mateo and well aware of Mateo’s preferences.
Guille beamed at him. “I bet you were going to ask me about tonight’s specials?” he prompted before continuing. “Don’t you worry. Everything is in place. I’m just putting the finishing touches on the food I prepared for you to take home.”
Mateo stepped closer to peer into the to-go boxes in front of his chef. “Oh, man. That looks and smells divine. Thank you so much. You’re a mind-reader. I’d love to be able to devote the entire evening to wooing my girl instead of cooking.”
Guille chuckled again. “From what I saw the other night when she was here, I don’t think she needs wooing. She’s as smitten as you.”
Mateo shrugged. “Every Little girl deserves wooing. I hope I can continue to woo her even fifty years from now.”
“Good point. She’s a lucky woman and Little.” Guille closed up the containers. “Take this and get out of here. You know the restaurant will run just fine without you. Plus, it’s a Tuesday, slowest night of the week.”
“Bless you.” Guille was right. His staff was self-sufficient and family members would be there to solve any problem. They would be fine without him. After touching base with his host, Caesar, and his head waiter, Enrique, Mateo gathered up the meal Guille had prepared and headed out. He had plenty of time to get home, take care of a few things, and return to pick up his Little girl at six.
Mateo strolled into Craftastic at five minutes before six. There were no customers, and her employee Samuel looked up from the register. “Oh, hi, Mr. Rodriguez. Are you looking for Nora? She’s in the back.” He nodded in that direction.
“Thank you.” Mateo smiled as he headed that way, liking the fact that Samuel was aware Mateo and Nora were an item. As he stepped into the back room, he looked around, finally spotting Nora.
Her face was hidden by the electrical panel box, so she didn’t realize he’d stepped into the room as she muttered, “Shit.”
“Hey there, Little girl,” Mateo said as he hurried over to her. “What’s the matter?”
She gasped as she leaned around the little door. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t hear you.”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her briefly. “I assumed as much. What seems to be the problem?”
She pointed at the panel and sighed. “Something’s wrong with the electrical panel door. It won’t close. This morning it was open when I came in. I just figured I had accidentally left it open last night, but apparently it’s broken because now it won’t close at all. It seems like the hinges are bent.”
Mateo turned to inspect it closer. He opened and closed the door to watch the hinges. “You’re right. The hinges are bent as though someone yanked the door open or was hanging from it.”
“It makes no sense. I’m the only one who touched it between last night and this morning.” She sighed again. “Now that it won’t close, it’s in the way every time one of us comes back here to get something. We’re going to hit our heads on it.”
Mateo examined it closer and pulled out his phone to take a few pictures. “I’ll pick up some hinges in the morning and replace them.”
When he turned to face her again, he found her smiling and staring at him.
“What?” he asked.
She shrugged. “You’re just…you’re really here.”
“I told you I’d be here when you got off work.”
She giggled. “No. I mean in my life. You’re here in my life. I didn’t think I’d ever meet someone who would make me feel as special as you do.” She threw herself into his arms and hugged him tight.
He hugged her back, his chest tight with all the emotions he felt for this Little girl. “Ready to go, Little one?” he whispered, just in case Samuel might hear him.
“Yep.”
Samuel walked into the back room a second later. “See you tomorrow afternoon, boss.”