Kayla
I'm awake as the first ray of sunlight filters through the room. There are so many ideas running through my head for Jason and Nick, but I need to have my data straight and everything worked out before scheduling the meeting. Slipping out of bed before Brice wakes up, I go to the kitchen to start the coffee. I toss my hair up in a messy bun, grab my computer, and sit down at the dining room table.
With my coffee in hand, I start pulling the data I need and shooting off emails to get the stuff I can’t find myself. Then I send a few texts to Sage for help on a few things. Thankfully, she’s up early, too, and more than happy to help me out once I explain what I'm doing.
As always when I'm working, I lose track of time until Brice enters the kitchen and walks over to me. I turn my attention to him crouched down beside my chair.
"I didn't like waking up alone."
I tug him in for a kiss, and when he tries to deepen it, I pull back. "I couldn't sleep. With all these ideas for Jason and Nick in my head, I had to get started on them. I promise I'm not going to lose myself in work today."
He looks a bit skeptical but leans in for another kiss. "Have you eaten yet?" he asks.
"No, but there’s coffee."
He gives me a scolding look before heading into the kitchen to make some breakfast.
As he starts plating food, I close my computer, a move I know doesn't go unnoticed by him.
"Let me go get dressed." I scurry off to put on some clothes and brush my teeth.
When I get back to the dining room, he’s set our plates down but holds his hand out to me as he sits down. I take it with no questions until he pulls me into his lap.
"Brice, I need to eat."
"You will. I'm going to feed you." He waves a fork in my mouth with scrambled eggs on it.
I take a bite and he smiles.
"I could get used to this, you know,” he says. “While I don't enjoy waking up alone, I do like finding you working in my shirt, being able to take care of you, and feeding you."
"I like being here. It's so relaxing. And I enjoy you taking care of me, too."
It's so different from my parents, or my assistant making sure I'm eating and taking care of myself. When Brice does it, it's because he cares, not because I'm his daughter or because I'm paying him a salary.
After breakfast, I help with the dishes, and he’s smiling the entire time until someone knocks on his door. I jump up to answer it.
"Who the heck is that?" he grumbles.
"Don't get mad. I did something for you," I say as I walk backward toward the door.
"What did you do?"
I open the door and smile at the man on the other side. "You must be Josh."
"Yes. Kayla?"
"That's me, and this is Brice." I introduce.
"What did you do?" Brice asks again but is firmer this time.
"Well, I wanted to find a way to thank you for taking me in when I was hurt and for putting up with me recently. I noticed some things that needed to be done around here and I know you’re busy at the clinic. So, I texted Sage, and she recommended Josh here to do some stuff around the house. I'm paying him, he's starting with the roof, and you will not tell me no."
He says nothing, so I continue, "Sage said Josh is her brother Mac's friend from the local Indian reservation and could use the work. She said he works on a construction crew and helped with the barn repairs as well at Mike and Lilly's place."
"Okay. Thank you, Josh." Brice forces a smile.
Josh goes to get to work on the roof, but I doubt I’ve heard the end of this. When I close the door and turn back to Brice, he is right behind me.