He stopped immediately, smiling down at her. “I’m thinking coming here was the best idea I’ve had in a while.”
“Yeah, Daddy.” She grinned back. “It was.”
He stood and helped her up then walked back to the pile of wood he’d left at the door. “Right, I’ll put this wood next to the fire then we’ll get dinner ready. How does that sound?”
“I’ll help.” She reached down and grabbed a piece of wood. Immediately, she let out a cry of pain and dropped the piece of wood, which came close to landing on her foot.
“Baby, what is it?”
“Splinter. I got a splinter. Owie.” She grasped hold of her hand, holding it up to show him the splinter caught under the skin of her palm, right beneath her index finger.
“Oh, my poor little darling. Let Daddy have a look.” He took gentle hold of her hand and held it up.
“Is it bad? Are you gonna have to chop my hand off?” she asked. Her wide eyes glimmered with tears and her lower lip trembled.
He pretended to think about that. “It’s touch and go.”
She let out a small sob and tears started dripping down her face. “Hey now. Don’t worry, baby girl. Daddy can fix everything.”
“Are you gonna kiss it better?”
“As soon as I get the splinter out.”
Before he had a chance to take a breath, she’d wrenched her hand out of his hold and was across the room. She had her hand clasped against her chest and was shaking her head at him.
“Charlotte, what—”
“No, Daddy,” she told him firmly.
He frowned. “No, what?”
“Nope, you’re not getting it out. That will hurt.”
He raised his eyebrows, trying to bite back a grin. “And it doesn’t hurt now?”
“It’s okay.”
He shook his head. “Little darling, it needs to come out. You go sit on the sofa and Daddy will find a needle to dig it out.”
She stared at him. Her face filled with horror. “A needle to dig it out? No way, Daddy.”
“Charlotte,” he injected some firmness into his voice, even though he thought she was cute as hell. “It can’t stay in there.”
“Yes, it can. Its going to be my new friend. I’ll call it Sally Splinter.”
He rolled his eyes heavenward, searching for patience. And the discipline not to burst into laughter.
“Baby girl. It’s not staying in your hand. It will get infected and it will keep hurting. It will only take me a few seconds to get it out.”
She shook her head again.
Hmm. So this wasn’t working. “You let Daddy get it out without fussing and I’ll let you have some ice cream after dinner.”
“Do I gots to eat all my veggies too?”
“Half of them.”
She seemed to ponder that. “You promise it won’t hurt?”