Page 14 of Daddy's Pursuit
Iris smiled warmly as she looked at the matronly woman. “Yes, Ma’am. You love Littles!”
Auntie Athena smiled, nodded, and stopped tending to the diaper change long enough to playfully bop Iris on the nose. “That’s right. Cuties like you are my world.” She got back to business, using one arm to lift Iris off the changing table and the other hand to slide a dry diaper beneath her raised bottom. Once she’d lowered the Little back down, she continued. “Would you tell me if anything was wrong? Like if you needed help with something?”
Iris felt her heart rate speed up. A lump formed in her throat, but she managed to choke it down before answering.
“I’m fine, Auntie. I promise.”
It seemed as if Athena’s eyes were drilling into her. The woman was tough to fool. Would she drop this matter?
Apparently, she would. For now, at least. Because she finished the diaper change and ended it with a tight hug. “Go play, honey.”
“I’m going to be a cowgirl!”
“Yep. And you’ll be the cutest cowgirl I’ve ever seen.”
Iris smiled.
Life sure was good at Auntie Athena’s place.
Chapter Nine
Life wasn’t nearly as good once Iris returned to her tiny garage apartment.
It had nothing to do with the size or condition of the place, either. It had to do with the fact that someone was standing at the door, blocking her entrance.
He was a short, slightly round man with a balding head and thick chin. The glasses he wore were on the tip of his nose, making him appear as if he was looking down on the entire world, judging it harshly. The stern expression in his eyes added to the image, too.
And if that wasn’t enough, the large sheriff’s deputy standing next to him certainly was.
“You Iris Dawson?” the shorter man asked.
It was evident he wasn’t from around there as his New York accent was thick.
“Yes,” she answered meekly, her mind spinning.
Was she getting arrested for something? She hadn’t done anything illegal. But why else would these men be standing there like that?
“This is no longer your apartment.” The squatty man thrust a piece of paper at her.
Her heart sank as her eyes read the bold print.
EVICTION NOTICE.
“What? But Mrs. Harkness owns this property. She rents this apartment to me.”
“Not any more she doesn’t,” the man said. “She hasn’t been paying taxes. I bought this thing at auction.”
“But… this is my home! It’s where I live!” Iris cried.
The world seemed to be spinning. She wished she was back at Auntie Athena’s place.
But wishing wouldn’t do any good and she couldn’t hide from her troubles. The way it stood right now, she was officially homeless. Daydreams and hopes wouldn’t do any good. She had to come up with a plan and fast.
Suddenly she remembered something. “Don’t you have to give someone like a thirty-day notice or something before you evict them?”
“I did.”
“But I?—”
