Daddy's Perfect Match

Chapter 16

Charlotte

James- daddy I mean, can't possibly think I could go back to sleep now!!
And I know he's not going back to sleep either. I saw the light go on in his home office.
I wait in my room until my parents head off to work, emerging to give my dad and big hug and wish mom well with her new project. They have no idea. I feel so naughty and it makes me wanna.... Anyways,
It's my turn to take care of daddy!
I go to the kitchen and pull out the big family recipe book. I plunk it down on the counter and it lands with a dusty thud. I flip to Nana Perkins recipe for the fluffiest pancakes.
Daddy will be so proud. This recipe really does make the fluffiest pancakes!
I start separating eggs and measuring flour.
By the time I'm done I've got flour in my hair and on my cheeks and I'm feeling grumpy about cleaning up. If I had made the pancakes at James's house I bet he would have helped. Dirty dishes are gross!
I forage around the drawers, looking for chocolate chips and sprinkles to mix into my batter, but there are none left!
I was gonna make them so pretty and yummy for daddy.
At this point I'm feeling a little sour on the project. Too many sticky dishes and no fun things to put in the pancakes. Who just wants a beige pancake?
But I head across the lawn with my mixing bowl.
James left the front door unlocked. I guess this can still be fun, I'll surprise him!
I carefully open the door and tiptoe to his kitchen. I scrounge around for a griddle, and the butter dish.
I can't help but be impressed by his kitchen. He's got lots of great cast iron skillets, a beautiful new stove, and a shiny new turquoise stand mixer that would be perfect for making cookies!
I turn on the heat and melt the butter in the pan.
The fat hisses when the batter hits it. It sounds and smells like pancakes. Yum. Daddy's gonna be so proud.
"Baby, aren't you forgetting something?"
"Daddy!!" I turn to grab him and my arm grazes the hot hot hot hot pan! "Ouch!!! fuck!"
"Charlotte!" He gently grabs me by the upper arms and steers me towards a stool at the counter. I hold my boo boo and watch his back flex as he rifles through his freezer.
"I thought you might get an ouchie again and I wanted to be prepared." He holds up a piggy ice pack.
"Yay!" I clap my hands. It wasn't a bad boo boo and I'm already distracted and happy again.
He comes up behind me and presses it to the spot on the back of my arm. He kisses just below my ear. Sigh
"James? What did you say I was forgetting?"
"Chocolate chips"
He points to a big bag of mini bittersweet chocolate chips. His glorious forearm is just next to my face as he points, tan and lightly sprinkled with hair.
"The minis are the best kind! But I think my pancakes burned." I start getting up to start over but he pushes me down by the shoulders.
"Sweet pea, you did such a good job on the batter, let daddy do the dangerous frying, okay?" My heart flips. I love when he takes care of me.
"You'll put in lots of chocolate chips?"
"Yes honey"
"Ok!"
Now I get to scare at his cute butt and the rest while I wait for my food. His golden brown biceps flex and release as he scrapes off the burned batter and pours in a new batch.
I let my mind turn to mush as I watch the "gun show". Before I know it there's two delicious, fluffy pancakes on my plate, one with a heart, the other a smiley face, made out of chocolate chips.
"Thank you daddy!"
"Thank you sweetheart, these pancakes are amazing. I've only ever used the mix. This" he kisses the top of my head "is the real thing"