“Whoa,” she breathed as she took in the main lobby.
Pike would admit it was beautiful. Exposed logs made up the walls, the expanse broken up by floor-to-ceiling windows that offered breathtaking views. Wide oak planks made up the hardwood floors, and a beautifully beamed ceiling soared overhead. Large leather chairs and sofas invited guests to sit and relax. The dark of the wood along with the soft-colored area rugs and knickknacks provided pops of color, and a beautiful double-sided stone fireplace? really did give the area? a ranch house feel that Pike admired.?
“Wow, indeed, Bitty,” he said, leading her to the check-in desk.?
“Good afternoon,” a petite woman with short dark hair and brown eyes said, greeting them.
“Good afternoon,” Pike greeted.?
“You must be the Millers.”?
He nodded, passing her their registration information. “We are.”?
“We’re so glad you’re joining us at Rawhide Ranch. My name is Erika and I’ll be checking you in today,” she said, tapping a few buttons on her keyboard.?
“Thank you for helping us, Erika. We really appreciate your time,” Dallas said.
Pike had known his Little would meet the woman’s eye and use her best manners. She was a big believer in being kind to people who worked with the public. As a bartender, she knew how much easier her night went when everyone was kind, so she tried to make sure she took time to be kind to everyone she encountered to make their shift a bit easier.?
Erika placed her hand over her heart. “Well, you have the sweetest manners, Little one.” Erika grabbed a basket off the counter and asked Pike if she could give Dallas some candy. Pike nodded, proud of his babygirl and her big heart.?
Dallas picked out a skeleton lollipop. “Thank you.”?
“You are very welcome!”
Erika? turned back to Pike. “You’ll find a map of the Ranch and surrounding areas as well as a brochure and listing of the month’s activities in here. I’ll get your keycard for the room and by the time you get there, I’m sure Moses will already have left your bags inside. Moses is deaf, but he can read lips, so feel free to ask him if you need help with anything.”?
“Thank you, Erika. We met Moses and Dax outside,” Pike said, accepting the folder Erika extended toward him.
“Daddy?” Dallas said, tugging on his shirt with the hand Pike wasn’t holding.?
“Yes, baby?”??
“Can I go look at the ghosties?” she asked, pointing to the fireplace where a family of ghosts had been set up.??
“Yes, but don’t move from that spot. You wait for Daddy right there,” Pike instructed, “and wait to eat your lollipop until Daddy can watch you, okay?”
“Yes, sir. I promise.”
CHAPTER 2
Dallas walked over to the little family of ghosts with a smile on her face. Halloween was her favorite holiday in the whole wide world. These ghosts were even cuter up close. The tallest one must have been the Daddy ghost because he was wearing a pumpkin tie. The middle-sized ghost had on matching pumpkin earrings, and the baby ghost had on a matching pumpkin bow. Dallas knelt to study the baby one before deciding it was the cutest baby ghostie she’d ever seen. She turned her zombie baby, Teefs, around so she could see the ghostie family too.??
“Don’t worry, Teefs. They’re not real,” she whispered to the baby. Teefs wasn’t the best Zombie baby. She was scared of almost everything even though she pretended to be tough. Dallas kept her secret with the utmost privacy, though. Nobody would ever know Teefs was a big scaredy cat.?
“Hi!” someone said from beside her.
Dallas jumped before standing and righting herself. She felt embarrassed to be caught talking to Teefs.?
“Hi,” she replied shyly to the petite brunette standing in front of her.?
“Are you just checking in?”?
Dallas nodded, looking back at her Daddy. He gave her a thumbs up and she returned it, letting him know she was okay.?
“My name is Sadie. My Daddy is Master Derek. He runs this place.”?
“I’m Dallas,” she said, not sure what else to tag onto her introduction. “Um, this is Teefs.”?
