Page 38 of Tessa

“I agree,” Dax spoke up. “You should answer it.”

“Okay okay!” She dug in her bag and pulled out her phone, barely managing to answer it before her voicemail kicked on. “Jilly? What’s up?”

“I just… I know tonight is your first sleepover and I know you are excited and it’s totally up to you but I thought you should know Pastor Ryan had to go out of town for a family emergency, so Jade is gonna stay with us for a couple nights, and Baze said we could have a sleepover tonight. Mariah and Margo are coming and Sam agreed to let Ellie stay up late, and… do you have to miss it?”

“A sleepover?” Tessa squealed before she could stop herself. Instantly her face fell. “I hope you guys have so much fun. I’ll see you tomorrow after lunch.”

Clicking off, she tucked her phone back into her purse and looked up to find her Daddies staring at her.

“What was that about?” Dax asked gently.

“It was nuttin’. Pastor Ryan had an emergency and went out of town for a few days so Jade is staying at the penthouse. That’s all.”

Beau furrowed his brow, frowning at her. “Are you sure that’s all? It didn’t sound like all.”

“Be careful how you answer, little one,” Dax warned. “Lying to your daddies doesn’t get you anything but a hot bottom.”

Tessa squirmed. She didn’t want to tell the truth and let them know she was having second thoughts or guilt them into letting her go, but she also didn’t want to start the night with a spanking, though she wouldn’t mind if it ended with one. “Baze said they could make it a sleepover so Mariah and Margo are gonna be there too,” she admitted.

“And you want to go,” Dax surmised.

Tessa sidestepped the implied question. “I wanna be here, too.” And she did. How she wished she could be in two places at once tonight and not have to choose between all the people she loved most.

“You should go,” Beau said firmly.

“What?” Tessa protested. “No! We’ve planned this all week.”

“The three of us can have our sleepover anytime. You don’t get very many chances to do sleepovers with all your friends anymore, am I right?”

Sighing deeply, Tessa nodded. She was unbelievably torn and couldn’t believe this was happening. Tears welled in the corners of her eyes, and she rubbed furiously at them with her fists. She didn’t want her Daddies to see her cry. Not about this. “We had plans!” she whined.

“I know we did, but plans can change. If you want to go with your friends we will understand.”

“I wanna do both!” Tessa wailed, throwing in a foot stomp before she could stop herself. “I don’t wanna choose.”

“But you can. It’s okay.” Dax took the gentler approach while Beau stepped forward with his arms crossed over his chest.

“No, she can’t.”

Her mouth dropping open, Tessa jerked her head up until her eyes met his. She was all at once both relieved to not have to make the choice and devastated to be missing out.

“She can’t choose, and she won’t choose. We are her Daddies and we will make the decision for her. We can do a sleepover another night. Tessa is going back to the penthouse to have fun with her friends.”

Dax looked sad for a moment, but he nodded resolutely and followed Beau’s lead. “That’s right, little one. We are your Daddies and what we say goes.”

Tessa felt like jumping up and down with excitement but guilt kept her from showing her true feelings. “Are you sure?”

“We insist.” Beau picked up her duffel bag and handed it to her.

“I know but…”

“No buts. You are going and that’s final. Do you think it’s a good idea to argue with me, little girl?” His tone was stern, and the threat was implied but there was a softness behind his eyes, along with something else she couldn’t place.

“Are you sure?” she asked Dax again.

“We are sure. Honestly, it’s for the best. Beau has been fighting a migraine all day and trying to push through because he didn’t want to cancel on you. He even swore me to secrecy.”

When she looked at Beau again, she saw it this time. The pain etched on his features and the strain in his gaze. “Thank you, Daddies.” She stepped forward to give Dax a hug first and then Beau. “I hope you feel better, Daddy Beau,” she whispered.