Page 24 of Discovering Daisy

And amazing with Daddy.

Chapter Eleven

It was the following day when the Little Star docked on a small island just south of Cuba.

Palm trees swayed gently in the warm breeze. The white sand looked as pure as freshly fallen snow. The scents of flowers and fruit mixed with the ocean’s aroma and filled the air.

“Is this paradise?” Daisy asked.

She was holding Daddy’s hand, having just left the ship, and her mind could barely take in all she was seeing. It was almost overwhelmingly beautiful. It was certainly a far cry from the group foster home she’d grown up in. With its cinderblock walls and high chain link fence that made it resemble a prison, that home couldn’t be any more different than this tropical heaven.

“Sure looks like paradise,” Wyatt said. “It’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong. But I think paradise might be my farm.”

She squeezed his hand tighter. “I can’t wait to see it.” She then sucked in her bottom lip and thought a moment before adding, “That is, if you want to take me there.”

He stopped walking and turned to face her. There, standing under a towering palm, he stroked her cheek. “Honey, this isn’t just a cruise week fling for me. I’m your Daddy now, baby. Forever.”

She smiled, her eyes twinkling, as she said, “Forever and ever?”

He chuckled. “Yes, love. Forever and ever.”

He kissed her forehead and then lips. After giving her a tight hug, he took her hand again and they started walking, “Of course, I don’t want you to miss out on your dream. You worked hard to open up your own shop. And it was a big honor that Captain Reagan asked you to bring your creations to the Little Star.”

“It’s a dream come true,” she said. “I can’t imagine living on the Little Star. But I can’t imagine living without you, either.”

“Well, what if we did both?”

“What do you mean?”

They walked past a tiki hut that had three sides lowered, forming bar tops. Stools were placed around them, and patrons were getting drinks from the smiling bartender who stood inside.

They kept walking. A group of Littles ran past them, yelling about all the fun they were going to have, laughing as they zoomed farther onto the island, their bare feet kicking up sand in their wake.

“What if we spent some time on the Little Star so you could operate your shop, and then we went back to my farm and you opened a shop there? You could have two locations,” Wyatt suggested. “Like a franchise. I’m sure Captain Reagan could find someone to work the ship’s location. But we could come for a cruise every couple of months, and you could check on things. It might be the best of both worlds.” He lifted her hand to his lips, kissed it, and then added, “But if you want to live on the ship, baby girl, I’d give up the farm for you. I think paradise is wherever you’re at.”

Butterflies danced in her stomach. It took her a moment to form her words. She finally said, “Wyatt, I want to go to the farm. I kind of like your idea of my shop having two locations. And we would still come on the ship. But…I want to build something with you. I want to see what the farm becomes.Besides, with all the Littles flocking to it, you’re going to need toys for them!”

He nodded. “And lucky for me, I’ll just happened to be married to an expert toymaker.”

She giggled. “Married!”

He kissed her hand again. “I said this is forever. We’ll need to get hitched eventually, darlin’.”

His southern drawl came through strong when he said it. She laughed.

“You know, when the time comes, this island would make a perfect wedding spot.” She stopped and pointed back toward the shoreline. “Right there would do nicely. I can just see it all set up now. A gazebo. Tiki torches. Some chairs for our friends from the Little Star to sit in as they watch.”

“Hmm. You never know, baby girl,” he said. “You just never know.”

***

Wyatt walked Daisy to where she was meeting up with Ella, Levi, and Nelly.

The other Littles waved excitedly when they saw Daisy approach.

“Isn’t this place wonderful?” Nelly asked.

“Sure is!” Daisy said.

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