Daddy's Little Liar (Daddy 12)

Chapter Six

Rylan nodded and started unloading the bag. He grinned at all the things she’d brought them.

Faith’s mouth dropped open. “Wow. That’s so much food.”

“Yes, she goes overboard, but I tell you what. Let’s put what we don’t eat in the refrigerator in the small kitchen behind Carolyn’s desk. Then, you can come and get some food when you get hungry. How’s that?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to disturb you.”

“I don’t want you ever to think that. I don’t care if I’m in a meeting, you come to me if you need me.”

“Well, I … thank you,” she stuttered.

He unwrapped a sandwich and set it in front of her. “Go ahead and eat, sweetheart.” He bit back a smile at the look of wonder on her face.

“That’s huge.”

“We’ll just wrap up what you don’t eat. I want you to feel free to eat whatever is in the kitchen behind Carolyn.”

Rylan watched her dig in. She ate like she was starved, which angered him. He never wanted to see her go without again and planned to make this a regular thing. He’d also make sure there was other food in the small area behind Carolyn’s desk where she had a small kitchenette for coffee or snacks for the meetings he had.

They ate in silence for a few minutes.

“So, tell me about your family.”

She swallowed and wiped her mouth. “Let’s see, my mom and dad are retired and on a cruise, and I have two brothers and a sister.”

Before she even started talking, he could tell she was going to lie with her nervous trembling and the way her skin tone changed. He wanted to put her over his knee and spank her little tush but decided to play along for the moment.

“Oh, what do they do?”

“They work in different businesses, and all of them are married with children. I’ve got a ton of nieces and nephews.”

“That’s nice. I was the only child. You can’t imagine how tough that was.”

He bit back a smile because he could tell she wanted to burst.

“I can imagine,” she said.

“Did you always live here in Colorado?”

“No, I lived in Missouri before I moved here.”

There was a truth, he thought. “Do you like it here?”

“Yes, very much.”

Another truth. “You must miss the people at home, though.”

“No, there’s no one there.”

“Besides your family, of course,” he reminded her.

She stiffened. “Oh, well, yes.”

“I bet they miss you.”

His stomach tightened at the despair that raced across her face before she hid it. She nodded and looked down at her hands. “Yes, I’m sure they do.”

She’d only eaten a fourth of the sandwich before she started wrapping it up.

A scowl crossed his face. “Is that all you’re going to eat?”

“Yes, I’m full, and I want to save the rest for dinner.”

“There will be plenty of food here for you, so I don’t want you to skip a meal.”

She studied him. “Do you do this for all of your employees?”

He grinned. “No, sweetheart.”

“Then why me?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just want to take care of you for some reason. Does that bother you?”

Her eyes misted. “No, I’ve just never had anyone care like that.”

“Except your family.”

“Oh, yes, My family cares.”

He almost laughed. She really was horrible at lying.

He handed her a bag of chips and an apple. “Take this with you for a snack for later.”

“Thank you.”