He smiled.
A smirk that pulled up one corner of his mouth higher than the other. “We could do both...”
She shook her head. “Food first.”
McCrae’s eyes didn’t change, there was still a spark in his gaze, but he moved his hands over her arms, soothing her. “Food first,” he agreed, but she knew he would circle back around to the rest of it.
He always did.
And she didn’t mind it, any of it, at all.
* * *
DUVAL
Damn.
This felt like family.
Being with Noelle, Patricia, and Ciela felt like home.
It wasn’t because his mother was there, too.
In fact, it was his mother who made things... awkward.
“I’d love to sign CeeCee up for dance classes.”
Duval turned to look at his mother, giving her a warning glance before turning to see how Noelle and Patricia were reacting to his mother’s massive over reach.
Noelle was cringing a bit, but Patricia’s expression was bright.
Noelle’s mother nodded. “I think it’s a great idea. I don’t know where we’d send her.”
His mother waved her off. “I’ve got a lot of options for her. We can go over the studios and classes they’re offering. Ballet. Jazz. Hip hop.” She brightened a little. “They even have square dancing and ballroom, too.”
Duval knew that he wasn’t going to be able to talk his mother out of anything.
They were all along for the ride.
He looked at Noelle. “What do you think?”
She smiled. “I think we’re going to get out voted no matter what. I’m all for whatever Ciela wants to learn.” She turned to look at his mother. “Just let me know where and when. I’ll pay for the classes.”
Before she’d finished her words, his mother was already waving her off.
“I made the suggestion. I’ll pay.”
Duval felt Noelle tense up beside him.
“I can afford classes for my daughter.”
Duval knew that there was something to unpack in her words, but he wasn’t going to do that at the moment. “’Elle-”
“I’d like her to take martial arts, too.” Noelle looked at him. “Something where she can learn to protect herself and be aware of her surroundings.”
He nodded.
What she said made sense.
