A smile split her face.“I’ll go to all of them.”
“And you’ll do homework and won’t complain.”
She nodded.“Even math. I promise.”
“Then yes, this can be your new school.” He confirmed.
“Thank you.” She threw her body into his and her arms circled him in a hug. It caught him off guard based on the way his eyes went wide but he pulled it together and hugged her back until she pulled away.
“Somee, he said yes.”
“Well, it looks like you have a new school, kid,”I signed, then tapped her nose.
“But I don’t have my book bag. It’s at your house.”
“We can buy a new one when we’re all done. Come on, let’s go fill out the paperwork so you can be a student here,”Ryland signed.
“Can I come tomorrow? My art teacher said I could if you let me.”
“We’ll see.”Ryland extended a hand and she slipped hers into it before taking mine. We were on our way to the administration office to get Rylee all signed up for school. The three of us like this felt so normal, so right, and it made my heart ache because this was Rylee’s new world. One that would exist without me. I loved that she would have the consistency and stability of family. I was also sad that being here was temporary for me.
After we left the school, our first stop was a place called The Shops at Crescent Falls. We valet parked and entered the mall through a private entrance, moving from store to store without much attention from customers shopping. I had never seen anything like this. Most of the stores were connected through back entrances that allowed us to move down a private hallway where we entered through the back of the stores to avoid being seen.
“I think I like being you,”I signed as soon as we entered Kameron Taylor through the VIP entrance.
His eyes circled the space before he lifted his hands, moving them fluidly.“You think this is me?”
“Your life, yes, and you’ve worked hard for it. So being king of the world isn’t a bad thing.”
“Then you’re saying you’re trying to be my queen.”He looked me over slowly from head to toe, lingering in some areas and smiling sexily. I was not going to be okay if he kept smiling at me like that.
“That wasn’t a pitch for a position,”I signed and rolled my eyes.
“If you’re trying to be like me, it was. I’m one of one, Somee. If you want to be in my world, you have to do it at my side. I’m not opposed to you being at my side.”
Rylee gave me an out from promising this man my heart when she tugged my hand right before hers started moving.“Can we go somewhere else? They don’t have any pretty book bags. Just those and I don’t like them.”
We entered into the women’s section. With a pout, Rylee pointed toward the two leather totes and one backpack on display. All three were designed to be fashionable, not functional. They were also women’s and very high end. I loved all three but none would work for a six-year-old for school.
“Do they have a kids section? This won’t work,”I signed to Ryland who nodded and motioned to the other side of the store. It was huge and we couldn’t see the entire space from the back.
“Come on.”Ryland extended a hand to his sister and the two of them started toward the other side of the store.
I watched them with a smile because seeing them together was beautiful. It was February, so they didn’t have a huge selection of backpacks, which meant nothing purple. However, they managed to find a gray one with purple flowers all over thezippered front pocket and purple straps. Ryland helped Rylee slip it on then she ran to me.
“This one is pretty. Do you like it?”she asked with a hopeful grin.
“It is very pretty. I like it,”I signed back.
“Can I get this one?”
“You have to ask your brother. He’s the one shopping for you today.”I needed Rylee to get used to making him her go-to for the things she needed. After all, it would be just the two of them when I was gone. So she might as well start relying on Ryland now.
She turned toward him, asking if she could get the bookbag. After receiving a yes, she beamed.
“What size does she wear?”
“6 to 6X, which is small and medium, depending on what it is, but they wear uniforms at Chandler,”I signed back.