“The renovations are finished?” she asked excitedly, bouncing up and down on her toes.
He grinned at her. “Pretty much. Come on, baby girl. Let’s go.”
* * *
She looked up at the house with a growing sense of wonder. Jed parked and came around the front of the truck to lift her down. He was always doing stuff like that. Lifting her in and out of his truck, doing up her seatbelt. He treated her like she was precious. And she loved it.
“Daddy, it’s amazing.”
“You like it?”
She’d seen the other cabins at Sanctuary and they were nice. But this, this wasn’t nice. It was magnificent. Constructed with logs, it had a huge, wide porch along the front. Complete with two rocking chairs that she knew she would make good use of.
“I love it. It’s so beautiful.”
“I saved up a lot of money over the years. Never had anything important to spend it on. Until now.”
She smiled up at him.
“Didn’t want to use the old bastard’s money on this,” he added. “Although I have decided what I’m going to use it for.”
“You have?”
“Yeah. Gonna donate it to charity. Specifically, charities that help impoverished children and women who have been abused.”
She blinked as she felt tears well. “I think that’s an amazing idea.”
He kissed her gently. “Come on, baby. Let me show you the inside.”
It was just as magnificent as the outside. Large country kitchen with brand new appliances. A huge stone fireplace. And the big picturesque windows showcased the beauty of the landscape outside.
“Oh, it’s amazing,” she told him.
He gave her a soft smile. He did that much more now. Smiled. Laughed.
“This isn’t even the best of it. Come upstairs. I have something up there for you.”
“For me?”
“Yeah, baby girl. For you.” He held her hand as he led her up the wide, gleaming stairs. He pointed to doors as they passed them. Master suite. Spare bedroom. Then there was a door at the end. He opened it and she walked into the room, her jaw dropping in wonder.
Dark carpet on the floor, covered in a pale green rug. Large window that looked out at the mountains beyond. A sleigh daybed with a pale green bedspread that matched the rug on the floor. In one corner there was a large, white armchair with a green throw over it.
The walls were all painted off-white except for the one the bed rested against. It had a mural of a castle resting on a clifftop. A princess with short dark hair stood at the foot of the castle and above her, looming over her, protecting her was a glorious dragon. It took her breath away. She walked closer.
“You did this?”
“Figured your dragon could always be watching over you. Even when he’s not with you.” He winked at her.
She smiled back. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe you did this. Is it really all for me?”
“Wouldn’t get a mural of a castle, princess and dragon painted on the wall if it was for anyone else.”
He strode over to the armchair and picked up the stuffed dragon sitting there. “Also got this for you, baby girl.”
She reached out and grasped hold. She hadn’t had a stuffed toy in years, but he was soft and shiny and best of all, Daddy had given him to her.
He moved in behind her, pulling her back against his tummy and hugging her tight. “You like?”