Page 28 of A Little Christmas Wish

“Yes, but that was before . . .”

“Before?” he prompted.

“Before there was a man who might be threatening Zippy.”

“Are you scared he’s going to find you? Is that why you ended up in the footwell of Matthieu’s truck when someone stepped out in front of you guys?”

“I didn’t end up in the footwell! I just got a bit of a shock. And who knew that Matthieu was a total tattletale? What did he do? Call you as soon as we got back here?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Which is exactly what I would expect him to do. Betsy, you need to talk to me if something is worrying you. I knew you hadn’t been sleeping that well, but I hadn’t realized how anxious you had gotten. It’s not all right to keep that from me.”

Great.

Now she felt terrible.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I knew you had a lot on your plate with trying to find this guy and protect me and Zippy and everything at work. I just didn’t want to add to your workload.”

“You know that’s not the way this works.”

She did know that.

“I know. I’m sorry, Daddy.”

“You know that keeping things from Daddy is very naughty. Do you need to write some lines to remind you to tell Daddy when something is wrong?”

What? Nooo! He wouldn’t.

“I don’t, Daddy! I don’t!”

“Hmm, I think you might. But you also just hurt your writing hand.”

Oh, thank goodness.

Okay, it was probably wrong to be grateful that she’d hurt her writing hand. But if it saved her writing lines, then she was all for it.

“I’d put you in the corner, but I don’t think you need more time to think.”

She shook her head. Nope. She did not.

“From now on, you tell me every time you’re worried or anxious. Do you understand? Or I’m not going to be happy and you will be over my lap.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“That’s my good girl.” He lifted her down and before she even knew what was happening, he had her back on the counter. Only, this time her stomach was pressed to the countertop and her legs were dangling down.

“Daddy, what are you doing?” she asked. She didn’t think he was going to spank her this time!

“I didn’t forget about that foot stomp earlier,” he explained. “That was very naughty. And in front of Matthieu, too.”

Yikes.

She had done that, hadn’t she?

“Oops.”

“Oops is right. Now, that oops is going to get you a warm bottom. I also owe you some more spanks for texting while driving.”

“But Daddy! You can’t!” she cried.

---