Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 40225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
“This is nothing, naughty girl. Wait until you see the front room. You girls rolled on the floor and smeared this sticky mess all over the place. Your crowns of flowers lost a few petals on the floor when everyone plucked off the stems and leaves. I don’t think you want to leave it like that for Tuesday morning.”
Ellie stared in shock and horror. It would take her all night to get the place cleaned up so she could open tomorrow morning. She never should have stayed in bed all day nursing her hangover and gotten here so late in the afternoon.
Garrett handed her a bucket and cleaning supplies. “I let you moan all day long. Now that you’re feeling better, you need to get this cleaned up, Rainbow.”
She let the weight of the bucket pull her arm down heavy. The task felt overwhelming, and she still wasn’t one hundred percent.
“Daddy…” Her lip started trembling, and she knew she was going to cry. “I’m so sorry, Daddy. I’ll never drink again.”
He chuckled and pulled her into his arms. “Little girls make mistakes. Then they accept their punishment and hopefully remember that mistake so they don’t make the same one again. Maybe next time you girls will go for margaritas instead of mudslides?” he teased.
“My punishment is to clean this all up by myself?” she asked. Her body shook as tears fell down her cheeks.
“Nope. Your punishment was feeling like doodoo all day while you worried about this mess that needed to be cleaned up. I could have spanked you, put a plug in your bottom, or any of many ways I have to help you learn from bad decisions. It was obvious to me that you were punishing yourself more than I could ever have. This store means everything to you. I think me letting you fret with a headache and an upset tummy was more than enough punishment, don’t you?”
She nodded, but sobbed harder. “I still have to clean it all up though, Daddy,” she wailed.
Just then the back door opened and Tarson stepped inside. He was followed by Daisy who looked chagrined and embarrassed, hiding slightly behind her Daddy.
Ellie was confused when a moment later Wyatt and Lark entered. After them, Milo and Riley joined. Evan and Tori were on their heels, followed by Davis and Sue. All her friends. All of the ones who’d gotten drunk with her last night anyway.
All the girls were hugging their Daddies’ arms tightly, looking bashful and embarrassed just like Ellie felt.
The Daddies all nodded to each other and shook hands, while the Littles were very quiet.
“Sue’s good memory allowed me to run that license plate of the man who’d asked Tori out,” Wyatt shared. “There aren’t any concerning results, but I don’t want any of you to do that again. Understand?”
The Littles nodded. Sue stepped forward to take the cleaner they used for the tables and a cloth. Tori claimed the broom while the others volunteered for other jobs.
Ellie sniffled, her tears slowly drying up as she realized everyone was here to help.
Tarson pulled Daisy in front of him. “Do you have something to say to Ellie, Baby girl?”
Daisy held out a large envelope. “I’m sorry for messing up your shop, Ellie. I made you a card, and I want to help clean up with you.”
“Me too.” So many Little girls said this at once that Ellie had no way to know who spoke, but as she glanced around she realized it was probably all of them.
Relieved beyond belief, she realized the Daddies must have planned this. She couldn’t be sure what each of their days had looked like so far, but she figured they’d each suffered from a hangover and some form of punishment.
“I’m sorry too,” she said.
Daisy smiled and came in for a hug. “If we all work together, we can have this cleaned up in no time.”
“She’s right,” Riley agreed.
All six girls ended up in a giant awkward group hug.
“Thank you for coming to help me,” Ellie whispered.
“You won’t be working alone. There are twelve of us,” Garrett announced as he and the other Daddies each grabbed some cleaning supplies. Her Daddy was the best.
“We’ll have this place cleaned up in no time at all, and then you girls can sit down and eat the special cupcakes I set aside for you, but the beverage for this afternoon will be milk,” Tarson joked.
“When did you make special cupcakes?” Ellie asked incredulously.
He grinned mischievously before turning to open the refrigerator. A moment later he pulled out a tray of a dozen assorted cupcakes. All of them were messed up in some way.
Ellie giggled. “Bad cupcakes!” she exclaimed as all the Littles huddled around to look.
A fit of giggles followed.
Daisy’s face was scrunched in confusion. “What are we laughing at?”
Ellie was wiping tears of silliness from her eyes as she responded. “Yesterday a customer took home a reject cupcake I had pushed to the back of the display case after it fell over and the frosting got smooshed. She got me to thinking about all the bad cupcakes we throw away and how we’re hurting their feelings.”