Page 13 of Big Daddy Firemen

“Yep!” Janie confirmed. “She screamed! It was terrifying. Her Daddy had just changed her diaper, but he had to change it again after that!”

The girls giggled.

“I’d pee myself, too, and I don’t even wear diapers,” Mindy admitted.

Her Daddy gave her a sharp look.

“Okay,” she relented. “Sometimes I wear pull-ups. But only on nights when I’ve had lots of juice.”

Daisy was only half listening to the exchange. A cold chill traced her spine. The thought of any creature—Bigfoot or a black bear—looking in her window terrified her.

Alyssa didn’t help any as she started talking again.

“She said it had yellow eyes and big fangs! It was super hairy.”

Daisy gulped.

“Okay,” Walker said, stepping closer to Daisy and putting a hand on her shoulder. “I think it’s time to get you home. Say goodnight.”

“Goodnight!” all the Littles yelled in unison, beating Daisy to it.

“Goodnight,” she answered in a more reserved tone.

She was still nervous as she waved goodbye and followed Walker, Cane, and Austin out of the park and toward her house.

Suddenly, the night seemed awfully dark.

CHAPTER EIGHT

“All clear,” Austin announced.

He’d just finished looking around Daisy’s bedroom, even searching under her bed just to be thorough. Walker and Cane had searched the rest of the house, and now they were spilling in through the open door, each man eager to be the one to tuck Daisy in for the night.

“All my blinds and curtains are closed, right?” Daisy asked, trying to remember.

“Yes. All closed,” Walker confirmed. “I made sure myself.”

“I double checked,” Cane said. “Your whole house is ready for you to get a good night’s sleep.”

Daisy sat down on her bed and chewed on the inside of her cheek as she thought about everything. Finally, after a few tense seconds, she said, “It’s silly to be afraid of Bigfoot. I mean, you’d expect that sort of thing from a Little. But not from me.”

The guys exchanged knowing glances before looking back at her.

“Honey, look at me,” Austin said. Daisy brought her head up until her big, brown eyes met his. “That wasn’t Bigfoot Belinda saw. There’s no such thing.”

“I know. It’s just that… well, there are so many legends down here,” she countered, not bothering to elaborate.

It was Cane who spoke up next. “Yeah, every shop around here sells Bigfoot plush dolls, t-shirts, and keychains. Half of ‘em have Bigfoot statues for the tourists to pose with. But that’s all it is—a local tall tale for the tourists.”

“Brings a lot of people down here and gets us a lot of money,” Walker pointed out. “Even have local festivals. You know how it goes.”

Daisy nodded but the guys’ words did little to steady her jittery nerves.

“Are you going to be able to sleep tonight?” Austin asked.

“Of course.”

None of the men looked convinced as they continued to stare down at her.

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