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“I have another place to show you after we finish stuffing our faces here,” Cassie said.
“Bambi, after trusting you on this place and being thoroughly impressed, I don’t think we will have any trouble following you to any eating establishment from here on out.”
Cassie smiled. She didn’t realize how much Jamal’s opinion of what she thought mattered. He and his amazing daughter had worked their way into her heart. It was going to break when she finally had to let them go. Which she had to do. They didn’t deserve to have her and all her chaos in their lives. Cassie had no doubt that her father would eventually find her. When he did, Cassie was terrified about what was going to happen.
“Earth to Cassie,” JJ said, waving her hand in front of Cassie’s face. “Are you gonna finish or not? I want to know where this next place is!”
“Patience young grasshopper,” she replied.
“What doesthatmean? I feel like you are speaking a different language or somethin’ today. Did you forget I’m only eight?”
“Eight going on thirty-five,” Jamal said, blowing a straw wrapper at his daughter.
“No playing at the table, daddy,” JJ said, rolling her eyes. “Can you believe this guy?”
Cassie let out a laugh. “That’s why your dad said you were going on thirty-five, my dear. You simply don’t act like a normal eight year old.”
“Sometimes that’s a good thing,” JJ said, snuggling into Cassie’s side.
“That it is, kiddo.”
“So, are you going to tell us where we’re going next?” Jamal asked. “My interest is piqued as well.”
“Do you guys like gelato?”
“What’s gelato?” JJ asked. “Is it like Jell-O?”
“Hardly, kid,” JJ replied. “It’s ice cream. From Italy.”
“Like from the people who invented spaghetti and lasagna and pizza?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
JJ wrinkled her nose. “It won’t taste like those, will it? Because I don’t want spaghetti ice cream. That doesnotsound good!”
“Nope. It tastes just like ice cream, only better,” Cassie replied.
“In that case, I’m in. what are we waitin’ for?” JJ asked, grabbing Cassie’s hand and pulling her out of the booth. “Let’sgo!”
“You heard the kid, Muscles. Let’s hit the road,” Cassie said, bumping her shoulder into Jamal’s side.
“Alright, Bambi. But I’ll only go on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“I get to share a gelato with you.”
Cassie shook her head. “No can do, big man. If there’s one thing my friends know about me, it’s this. I don’t share ice cream with anyone.”
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Twenty minutes later, the trio was pulling into a small shopping center off of I-35 and Robinson in Norman. “I’ve never even heard of this place,” Jamal said.
“That’s because it’sthehidden gem in the city,” Cassie said, taking his hand and pulling him toward the entrance.
Jamal couldn’t hide his smile. It was the first time Cassie had grabbed his hand first and he felt like a little kid with his first crush.Damn, I’m turning into a pussy,he thought. But if being a pussy caused him to feel like this on a daily basis, he would embrace it.
“Welcome to Il Dolce Gelato,” the cute, brown-headed woman behind the counter, said. “Are you guys going to get some gelato today? Or coffee?”
