Big Daddy Firemen (Big Cedar Daddies Book 2)

The night was pleasant but crisp as the four left the fire station and walked toward Daisy’s house.

Big Cedar was well lit, but there wasn’t much to the community. The lack of many buildings meant the tall trees and mountains that surrounded it were visible in the not-too-distant background.

Normally, the nighttime was quiet around there. But that wasn’t the case tonight. The sound of laughing and shouting drifted on the slight breeze and Daisy thought the same thing Walker voiced.

“There’s Littles out playing.”

“Must be at the playground,” Austin noted.

They walked to the fenced-in park where Cane punched the four-digit code into the gate’s keypad. A beep sounded followed by a click, indicating the lock had been released. The three firemen escorted Daisy in. They found Alyssa Hardin, Janie Worden, and Mindy Graves playing on the playground, all bundled up in their coats. Their Daddies—Quinn, Doc, and Joe, respectively—stood nearby, shaking their heads and smiling as they watched the women climbing on the large structure.

“Hey, it’s Daisy!” Alyssa said from the top, waving down and smiling wide. “Wanna come up?”

“No thanks,” Daisy called back. “But it’s good to see y’all.”

“You sure?” Janie asked.

“Positive,” Daisy answered. “Maybe another time.”

She didn’t know if that was the case, though. She wasn’t really a Little. Not like those women were, at least. She loved the idea of a strong, protective Daddy—or three of them—but she didn’t think that made her a Little, exactly. She didn’t know what she was, if anything.

“Why are you out?” Janie asked. She slid down the pole, put her feet on the ground, and ran across the soft mulch toward Daisy.

Alyssa took a slide while Mindy hopped down the faux rock wall. Once they were all gathered around Daisy, Alyssa said, “Yeah, why are you out at this time of night?”

“I stayed at the fire station kind of late,” Daisy told them. “I was worried about the guys. And I needed to take any incoming calls.”

Something knowing flashed in Alyssa’s eyes. “I was worried about my Daddy, too. He was there helping.”

“Yeah,” Daisy said. “I heard what he did. He was instrumental in saving those kids!”

“So were your Daddies!” Alyssa replied. She then giggled, covering her mouth. “Sorry. I guess they’re not your Daddies. I forget that sometimes.”

Daisy fought hard to suppress the grin that was threatening to split her lips. It was best not to even acknowledge Alyssa’s slip-up, so she just redirected the conversation. “What about you all? Why are y’all at the playground so late?”

“Oh, our Daddies said we needed to wear off some energy,” Mindy explained. “We’re sort of hyper.”

“It’s because Bigfoot’s been spotted in Big Cedar again!” Janie said.

Overhearing the exchange, Mindy’s husband, Doc, stepped forward. “Now, honey, we told you that wasn’t Bigfoot looking in Belinda’s nursery window. That was most likely a black bear.”

“But Daddy!” Mindy cried. “Belinda saw it! She said it was looking right in the window at her!”

Belinda was another Little in town. She was the “Littlest”, too, identifying as an Adult Baby. The Littles before Daisy right now were plenty small, but they identified a bit older than sweet Belinda, who regularly wore diapers and was rarely seen without her trademark pacifier firmly between her lips. She was so Little, in fact, that she was probably already tucked in bed, unable to play with the other girls because of the late hour.

“Black bears hibernate in the winter,” Alyssa pointed out.

“Honey,” Quinn said, keeping his voice calm and steady yet firm. “That’s true. But when it’s unseasonably warm—as it has been—they’re known to leave their dens. The temperature is tricking them into thinking it’s already springtime.” He cocked his head to one side and added, “You know for a fact I got a call about one just two days ago, rummaging through the trash can at that rest stop off the highway. You even went with me to shoo him away.”

The Little sighed and hung her head. “It’s Bigfoot that Belinda saw. I just know it.”

The men chuckled.

“Bigfoot… I mean the bear… was really just looking in Belinda’s window?” Daisy asked, speaking more to herself than anyone else.

“Yep!” Janie confirmed. “She screamed! It was terrifying. Her Daddy had just changed her diaper, but he had to change it again after that!”

The girls giggled.

“I’d pee myself, too, and I don’t even wear diapers,” Mindy admitted.

Her Daddy gave her a sharp look.

“Okay,” she relented. “Sometimes I wear pull-ups. But only on nights when I’ve had lots of juice.”

Daisy was only half listening to the exchange. A cold chill traced her spine. The thought of any creature—Bigfoot or a black bear—looking in her window terrified her.

Alyssa didn’t help any as she started talking again.

“She said it had yellow eyes and big fangs! It was super hairy.”

Daisy gulped.

“Okay,” Walker said, stepping closer to Daisy and putting a hand on her shoulder. “I think it’s time to get you home. Say goodnight.”

“Goodnight!” all the Littles yelled in unison, beating Daisy to it.

“Goodnight,” she answered in a more reserved tone.

She was still nervous as she waved goodbye and followed Walker, Cane, and Austin out of the park and toward her house.

Suddenly, the night seemed awfully dark.