The sisters looked at each other and while Carri nodded her head, Tilly and Lottie turned to each other before Tilly answered, “That sounds like fun. I’d love to join you.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t. I have a date,” Lottie answered softly.
“A date?” Carri asked. “Who with?”
Lottie shrugged as her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. “No one special. Just a man.”
“And why haven’t we met thisno one special, just a manperson?” Carri asked, her eyes narrowing as she slapped her hands on her hips. “You demanded to know everything about Rooker, but you haven’t shared anything about this date of yours.”
“That’s because there’s not much to tell. Once I know more about him, I’ll share and let you meet him,” Lottie said, focusing on Carri. “Now why don’t you go play and I’ll see you in the morning.”
Tilly blinked and looked shocked. “You will come back to the room tonight, won’t you?”
“Yes,Mother, I’ll be there. But it might not be until late. I’ve got my key, so you don’t have to wait up for me, okay?”
Rooker frowned at how secretive Carri’s sister was being, but since she wasn’t his woman, or his Little, he did not feel comfortable saying anything. She was an adult and could take care of herself, he hoped. If not, he was sure Carri would want him to step in. And he would, because his Little girl’s happiness was more important than allowing Lottie her secrets.
Instead of allowing the girls to get into another fight, he stepped in and redirected his Little’s attention. “Come on, girls, let’s go to the park. You need to decide what you want on your pizza.”
“Pepperoni and extra cheese,” Carri and Tilly answered in unison.
Carri took his hand and then grabbed her sister’s and pulled them both behind her toward the exit.
“No anchovies, jalapenos, or pineapple?” he teased.
“Ewww, no way,” they squealed before breaking into giggles.
“Well, all right, if you want to be boring, pepperoni and extra cheese it is,” he said with a chuckle as they left the building and headed for the playground.
After the girls began swinging, Rooker pulled out his phone and called in the order for a large pizza and three bottles of water. The clerk hesitated when he asked to have it delivered to the park, saying they didn’t have time to be pranked. Once he gave them his credit card number to pay for it, they agreed and said it would be delivered in thirty minutes.
Rooker pocketed his phone and sat on the nearby picnic table, watching as the girls played. They moved from the swings to the slides and then the teeter-totter before returning to the swings once more.
When a car pulled in and parked and the delivery person climbed out, Rooker stood and met her. Handing over a healthy cash tip, he accepted the box of pizza and a plastic bag with drinks, napkins, and extra condiments with a smile.
“Come on, girls, time for dinner!” he called as he walked back to the picnic table.
He was surprised when the girls did not argue, but immediately slowed their swings. Tilly jumped off and landed on her feet after taking several steps to keep her balance.
Carri followed a moment later, but when she landed, her right leg gave way. She fell to the ground and began to cry as she curled into a ball.
Rooker ran to her, kneeling by her side. Taking a deep breath, he pushed his anxious, worried Daddy side back and pulled forward the calm, cool, rock-steady doctor he was trained to be. “Carri? What’s wrong, little artist? Where are you hurt?”
Chapter Ten
Watching Tilly jump from her swing looked like so much fun that Carrie followed with her own flying dismount.
And it was fun to soar through the air.
Until she landed on uneven ground and her right ankle twisted hard as she landed. Sharp, fiery pain immediately shot up her leg as she collapsed to the ground. Carri began to cry as she curled into a ball, holding her leg just above the ankle with both hands.
“Carri? What’s wrong, little artist? Where are you hurt?” Rooker’s voice was gentle yet concerned as he knelt beside her.
Though it was difficult, Carri tried to calm down enough to answer her Daddy’s questions. It took several breaths before she could speak.
“My ankle,” she finally gasped.
“All right, babygirl, let Daddy look at it.”
