Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
“Hey, Faith! Thanks for meeting me,” Charlie said.
“Of course! I’m so happy to see you.” Reuben pulled a chair out for her, and she sat. “You remember Reuben?”
Charlie nodded at him, looking nervous.
Reuben ran a hand down her arm. “Nice to see you again, Charlie.”
“Y-you too.”
“Was it a long trip here for you?” Reuben asked him, sitting next to her.
“Um, not too bad. About thirty minutes.”
Reuben nodded. “Faith told me you were at the toy shop with your friend who sometimes fills in as your Mommy?”
“Reuben,” she said, turning to glare at him.
Charlie turned slightly red, looking ashamed. “Yeah. I don’t have a Top of my own.”
“A Top? So, you’re not just looking for a Mommy?” Reuben asked.
“Ahh, well, no. A Daddy would be just as good. Probably better.”
“Hmm,” Reuben hummed.
“And Merry doesn’t want Ella to act as my Mommy anymore. Merry is Ella’s girlfriend.”
Charlie looked so sad that her heart broke. “Oh, Charlie. Don’t worry. We’ll find you someone. Cat and I have a plan. Remember, I told you about her?”
“What plan?” Reuben asked in alarm.
“Oh, well, we thought we might start a matchmaking service for Littles and Tops. But make it so we could keep everyone as safe as possible by using chaperones for first dates and stuff.”
Charlie brightened. “That’s an awesome idea.”
“I know! Do you want to help us?” she asked.
“I would love to!” Charlie replied.
She expected Reuben to protest, but when she looked up at him, he appeared thoughtful. “It would be hard for Littles to feel safe meeting unknown Tops.”
“It really is,” Charlie said.
“I like this idea. But the three of you aren’t to do any of the chaperoning and you’re to run everything by me and Alejandro first, understand?” he said sternly.
A tight knot in her stomach unraveled. She hadn’t realized until then that she’d been worried about telling him. Maybe she’d been concerned he’d try to stop her.
But his support . . . it meant everything.
“I’ll go get us some drinks.” Reuben stood and leaned in to whisper to her. “And we’ll talk later about why you never said anything to me before about this plan.”
Oops.
He glanced up at Charlie. “Charlie, what would you like to drink? Eat?”
“Oh, I’m fine.”
Faith knew that Reuben had spotted the threadbare state of Charlie’s clothes and the fact that he only had a glass of water in front of him.
He grunted and left.
“Wow, he’s kind of terrifying,” Charlie said. “And super sexy.”
“Yes, and yes.”
They both broke into giggles.
“I’m so glad you met with me, Faith,” he said shyly. “I don’t have many friends.”
“Same.”
“Do you really think we can do this? Create a matchmaking service?” Charlie asked.
“I do. You haven’t met Cat, but she’s a force of nature. What she wants, she gets. We’ll have our work cut out for us, though.”
“I’m not afraid of hard work,” Charlie told her.
She glanced over at Reuben, frowning slightly as she saw someone familiar looking standing in the line as well.
Was that the man she’d talked to outside Reuben’s office building? Who’d been looking for an accountant?
Was it weird that he was here? Maybe he worked somewhere close by.
“Faith?” Charlie said.
“Oh, sorry! I’m not afraid of hard work either.”
She was afraid of failure, though. Nerves filled her. Reuben returned. Sitting, he placed his arm over her shoulders, and she could practically feel his certainty, his faith in her. Pun not intended.
And that worry eased.
A few minutes later, the server arrived with drinks and food for the three of them. Reuben waved off Charlie’s thanks and she smiled up at him in gratitude.
With her friends helping her, and Reuben supporting her, Faith almost felt invincible.
“Reuben, I’m leaving now!”
“Excuse me?” he called out from his office as she stood and grabbed her handbag.
Oops. Had he forgotten?
She ducked her head into his office. “I’ve got to go downstairs and meet Charlie. We’re going for lunch with Cat. Did you forget?”
“No, I did not forget. But that is not the way you say goodbye to me.” He crooked a finger at her.
Ohh. That was the problem? Whew. She’d been worried he’d say that he didn’t want her to go. But she’d gone out for lunch with Cat and Rafael before without Reuben objecting.
After they’d met with Charlie last week, Reuben scolded her for keeping their idea for a Little matchmaking service from him. He’d then reassured her that he would fully back her in anything she wanted to do.
Because he believed in her.
Lord she was lucky to have him.
She ran toward him, launching herself into his arms to kiss him thoroughly.
“That’s better,” he grumbled, pushing her hair off her face and adjusting her favorite hair clip. Her good luck charm.
“I have to go, Daddy. I’m gonna be late.”
“Tell Charlie to come up here and get you,” he demanded.
“Daddy. He’s just downstairs.”
“I’ll walk you down then.”
“I will be fine. I have my bracelet on. I will text you when I get to the restaurant. And when we leave. And I will stay with Charlie or Rafael at all times.”