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“But I have a loudmouth eight year old daughter who tells all, so I knowexactlywhat to do to ensure proper line procedure is followed.”
Cassie raised her eyebrows. “Care to proceed?”
“Certainly,” Jamal said. “First, you walk with your hands behind your back, thus ensuring you cannot touch the person behind you. Second, you look straight ahead, much like walkin’ the plank,” he added in a pretty good impression of a pirate. Cassie hid her smile behind her hand. “And lastly, but certainly not least, is the all-important catching of the bubble.”
Jamal opened his mouth wide, closing his lips and puffing out his cheeks like he was holding a giant bubble in his mouth. Cassie couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing. Jamal winked her way. “So, did I pass hallway procedures one-oh-one?”
“Yes, sir. You most certainly did. A plus on all counts.”
“So I now may enter your hallowed domain?”
Cassie leaned into his arm and prodded him with her elbow. “If you insist.”
“I most definitely insist,” he said with a wink. Cassie was all mush inside. A man that knew proper hallway procedure was a man after her own heart.
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Jamal couldn’t help but notice as he and Cassie walked down the hallway to her classroom that several heads peered through the windows of all the doors they passed.
“Do all the teachers normally look out the windows of their doors when someone is walking down the hallway?” he asked Cassie, linking her elbow in his.
“Nope,” she replied. “But I guarantee Tonya called every classroom on my wing to tell them that we were going to walk by.”
“You’re that famous, Bambi? I’m impressed.”
“No, knucklehead.You are.”
Jamal grinned and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. His grinned widened when Cassie shivered at his touch.
“Well, hello there,” a tall brunette with stunning gray eyes and legs that went on forever stepped out of one of the classroom doors and beckoned Jamal and Cassie her way. “If it weren’t enough that you kissed her on national TV last night – now you’restalkingher as well? Cass, better get ready for US Weekly to come knocking at your door. Better get a fake tan and change your hair color while you’re at it.” Legs leaned over to Jamal and whispered loudly behind her hand, “She hates any sort of attention.”
“Natasha!” Cassie pulled her arm out of Jamal’s and smacked her friend on the arm. “Not. Funny.”
Legs sent a wink his way. “Au contraire, my friend. I think it wasvery funny.”
Jamal chuckled. He believed he liked this friend of Cassie’s.
“We have much to discuss about our mutual friend, Mr. Jenkins,” Legs said with a raised eyebrow. “Perhaps we shall meet again soon?”
Before he could utter a reply, Cassie had grabbed his arm and pulled him to the door facing Leg’s classroom. “I have kids to teach, Tosh. So do you,” she grumped.
“They’re learning a lot right now as they eavesdrop on our conversation, Ms. Randall. Just ask Gentry right there, peering around your doorframe.”
“Aw, man, Ms. Davis, you ruined my spying!” an adorable red-headed little girl with green eyes, fair skin and a smattering of freckles on the bridge of her nose frowned at Cassie’s teaching friend. She reminded Jamal of Merida, a character from one of JJ’s favorite Disney movies, Brave. “I was getting some good info!”
“Has anyone ever told you that you look like Merida?” Jamal bent down and asked the little spy.
“Has anyone ever told you you need to shoot the ball more instead of trying to pass it off while you’re in the paint?”
Jamal let out a laugh that he was sure echoed down the hall. “A time or two kid.”
“How do you know who Merida is, anyway?” she asked, hands on her tiny hips.
“I have an eight year old daughter. It’s her favorite movie. How doyouknow what the paint is? I bet your teacher doesn’t even know that.”
Cassie shrugged her shoulders. Jamalhadto get her on the floor to explain the rules to her.
“My dad’s a crazy Thunder fan. I hear him yelling at the TV all the time. Mainly, he yells at you. Sayin’ you pass the ball too much and that you should be more of a ball hog. Besides, didn’t you see my shirt?”
