Page 160 of Stuck with my Boss Daddies

“Once or twice.” She glanced at Miss Evelyn, who gave her a pointed look, making her grin. “Okay, maybe a little more than that.”

Samuel pressed his palm against the doorframe, glancing down at her. “I’m guessing you were a handful?”

Miss Evelyn let out a warm chuckle. “That’s an understatement. She had a knack for finding trouble. But she always had a good heart.”

Sadie rolled her eyes, though a soft blush crept up her neck. “You make it sound like I was a menace.”

“You were,” Miss Evelyn said fondly. “But you always looked out for the little ones.”

Sadie’s smile dimmed just slightly, something wistful passing through her expression. “Yeah,” she murmured. “I remember.”

She pushed the door open, and the room on the other side was small but warm. There were bunk beds against one wall, afew shelves stacked with books and stuffed animals, and a set of dressers that looked like they’d seen better days.

“I used to stay up late, reading by flashlight under the covers,” Sadie said, stepping inside, her fingers trailing over the edge of the bed frame. “Miss Evelyn caught me more times than I can count, but she never got mad. She just made me promise to get some sleep.”

Kai plucked a book off the shelf, flipping through it. “Let me guess… you were already a hopeless romantic?”

Sadie lifted her chin. “Absolutely.”

Samuel smirked. “Figures.”

She stuck her tongue out at him, then moved to the window. “Sometimes, when things got hard, I’d sit here and look out at the yard, just to remind myself there was more out there. That life wouldn’t always be this.”

I felt a twist in my chest at that. I couldn’t imagine what it must’ve been like for her… feeling stuck, waiting for a future that felt so far away.

Samuel must’ve been thinking the same thing because his hand settled at the small of her back.

“But you made it out,” he murmured. “And now you’re giving back.”

Sadie exhaled, nodding. “Yeah.” She turned to us, her eyes bright with determination. “But I want to do more than just raise money. This place needs help.” She gestured around the room before continuing, "The whole orphanage could use some work. Fresh paint, new furniture. Something to make it feel… hopeful.”

Miss Evelyn’s gaze softened. “That’s a beautiful thought, dear. But it’s a lot of work.”

Kai grinned. “Good thing we know some guys.”

Samuel nodded. “And we don’t mind getting our hands dirty. And there are many people in Medford who I’m sure would help. The Wolfe brothers, they’re lumberjacks. The cops andfirefighters are always good at helping. The Grady brothers, too…”

Sadie looked at me, waiting for my input, but I was already in. “Tell us what you need, sugar, and we’ll make it happen.”

Her lips parted, a flurry of feelings flickering across her face. Then she was moving, pressing up onto her toes and kissing me right then and there. It was quick, soft, but it sent a damn earthquake through my chest.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

And I knew right then that I’d move heaven and earth for this girl if she asked me to.

We spent the next hour walking through the orphanage, making a list of everything that needed fixing.

The kitchen needed new appliances. The playroom needed better storage. Half the lights flickered when you turned them on, and the plumbing… well, let’s just say I wasn’t about to test that water pressure.

But even as we made notes, even as we talked through logistics, it never felt like work. Because Sadie was in her element, and watching her light up as she talked about her plans? That was worth more than anything.

At some point, we ended up in the backyard, where a handful of kids were running around, playing tag in the grass.

And then Kai, because he’s Kai, grinned, rolled up his sleeves, and said, “Alright, who wants to race?”

Chaos. Pure chaos.

Within seconds, Kai, Samuel, and a bunch of kids were sprinting across the yard, laughter and shouts filling the air.

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