Page 159 of Stuck with my Boss Daddies

Miss Evelyn met us at the door with a warm, knowing smile on her face. She had been so happy to hear about Sadie when we first called her, and I could see the joy shining in her eyes now.

“Sadie, sweetheart,” Miss Evelyn murmured, holding her close. “It’s been too long.”

Sadie melted into the hug, and when she pulled back, her eyes were suspiciously bright.

“I… God, it’s so good to see you.” She let out a watery laugh. “I didn’t even know I was coming here.”

Miss Evelyn shot me a look over Sadie’s shoulder. “That was thanks to these men, wasn’t it?”

I grinned. “Guilty.”

She shook her head, amused, then turned back to Sadie. “Come in, dear. I want to hear everything.”

We followed them inside, letting Sadie take the lead as she walked through the halls she’d once called home.

It touched me deeply, the way her expression softened as she headed inside, how her fingers brushed against the doorframes like she was touching a memory.

But then, as we walked farther in, that softness shifted. Because as much as Willow Creek held warmth, there were signs of wear. The kind that came from stretching every dollar as far as it could go. The kind that told me exactly why we were here.

Sadie saw it, too.

Her steps slowed, her gaze flicking to the faded wallpaper, the chipped banister, the shelves in the playroom that sat half empty.

By the time we reached Miss Evelyn’s office, her jaw was set and her fingers were curling into her sweater again, the way they always did when she was gearing up.

Miss Evelyn gestured for us to sit, her wise eyes settling on Sadie. “Now, tell me what’s on your mind, sweetheart.”

Sadie exhaled slowly. Then, with that same quiet determination, she leaned forward.

“I want to host a fundraiser,” she said, her voice strong, sure. “Something big. I have the space now, thanks to these guys.” She shot us a look, warmth flickering in her eyes, before she turned back to Miss Evelyn. “And I want all of the proceeds to go to Willow Creek.”

Miss Evelyn’s hand came up to her chest, her lips parting, her own eyes misting over now. “Oh, sweetheart…”

Sadie swallowed, her hands tightening in her lap. “This place… it saved me. You saved me. I want to help however I can.”

Miss Evelyn reached for her hand, squeezing it tight. “You always had the biggest heart.”

Sadie let out a shaky breath and turned to us, her expression firm. “I want to start planning as soon as possible.”

Samuel nodded. “Whatever you need, we’ll make it happen.”

Kai smirked. “Yeah, and don’t let Adam near the decorations. He has terrible taste.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s slander.”

Sadie laughed—bright and full, the kind of laugh that felt like home—and damn if it didn’t make every second of planning, every moment of keeping this surprise a secret, worth it.

She was happy.

And that was the only thing that mattered.

As we walked through the building, it allowed all of us to see more of who Sadie had been and why she’d become who she was.

“This was my old room,” she murmured, pausing in the hallway beside a worn wooden door. The paint was chipped at the edges, and there were faint scratches along the bottom, like someone had once tried to carve their name into it.

Kai leaned in, smirking. “You sneak out through this door?”

Sadie huffed a laugh.

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