Page 20 of Second Helpings (Sweet Treats 4)

As the door of the lodge closes behind us, I look around. It’s a high-ceilinged, airy space with a rustic touch, as if we were standing in a fancy cabin in Aspen. Decorative wood beams hold up the ceiling, and there’s comfortable looking furniture with brightly-colored cushions on deep sofas, and a roaring fire in one corner. A few deer heads are up on the walls, along with some old oars and rifles.

“They did it up like a hunting lodge,” my dad says with amusement, seeing my stunned look.

“Yes, if you like elite hunting lodges that cost millions of dollars to build,” I say in a daze. “Wow.”

At that moment, Layla appears. The curvy girl is always so gorgeous, and my dad’s face lights up when he sees her. They lean in for a chaste peck, although I see Tyler’s hand sneak around to pat her rump adoringly. They break apart and turn to me with fond looks.

“Hey Sienna,” the older girl greets. “Welcome to the Lodge.”

“Hey,” I say with confusion. “But what are you doing here?”

Layla smiles while still holding hands with my dad.

“Well, today is your initiation, and the club has asked me to help you get ready. It’s not a big deal or anything, but they like new girls to have an older girl guide them. I’ll talk you through some of the specifics and what to expect. Also, I wanted to let you know how much we appreciate this,” she says quickly while sharing a glance with Tyler. “I know this came as a surprise to you, and all that stuff with my dad and uncle? Well, it’s a lot to swallow.”

I nod graciously.

“I know, and it’s okay. I had no idea that Tyler was depressed, and I’m just happy that you were able to help him in his time of need. Plus, I requested your dad and uncle as my initiators. Did you know that?”

Layla shares another look with Tyler, and then smiles.

“Yeah, your father told me. I’m glad you’re okay with how things have turned out, Sienna. I was so worried, and well, it’s a lot for anyone to absorb, especially a young girl.”

I laugh.

“Well, I’m not that young anymore. I’m eighteen, and I’m ready for my initiation. So should we get to it?”

My dad chuckles as well before giving Layla a quick swat on her behind.

“I’ll leave you girls to it. Meet you back here when the ceremony begins?”

The older girl flushes and casts an adoring look at Tyler.

“Of course,” she murmurs. Then she brightens and beckons to me. “Come on, Sienna. I’ll show you the way.”

My dad strides off with one last wave as I follow the older girl down a hallway. There are doors on either side, but I’m not sure what they lead to.

“Oh this?” Layla asks. “This is just the office section of the club. Dads and Daughters is actually a national organization, and I think they’re going international as we speak. There’s a lot of administrative work regardless, so they built offices when they constructed this lodge.”

I’m astonished and stare at her.

“Really? I thought the club was an informal network that was loosely structured. I didn’t know they had offices, much less an international presence.”

Layla grins at me from over her shoulder.

“I think the dads want you to think that it’s a piddly-wink non-profit that barely gets by. But no, they’re really well-organized and pay their taxes and everything. Not that I’m on top of that,” she says with a laugh. “But there’s more to Dads and Daughters than meets the eye.”

I nod even as we continue to walk down the hall. We take a right, then a left, then another left. We’re walking past all sorts of rooms, including what look like conference rooms, kitchens, and rec rooms, as well as a bunch of closed doors.

“This place is huge,” I breathe, my heart racing.

Layla turns and nods.

“Yeah, the dads pulled out all the stops when they built the Lodge. The original founders decided they might as well go all out since they were starting from scratch, so they constructed a compound, if you will. They bought a bunch of acreage far from the rest of the city for privacy reasons, and then hired the best contractors. The Lodge is just the main building. There are actually lots of other buildings on the property.”

I nod.

“Holy cow,” I murmur. “I had no idea.”

“Most people don’t,” Layla says with a grin. “That’s the point. Dads and Daughters rigorously protects its privacy, and it’s better that way. I don’t think most people would approve of what the club does, if you get what I mean. Okay, here we are,” she says with a chirp, opening the door to a lovely bedroom. There’s a giant king-size bed in the center with a maroon duvet on top. Lots of pillows are scattered about, and there’s a huge wooden armoire in the corner. But Layla leads me inside the room and throws open the door to an en suite bathroom.

---