Chapter 12
Layla saw the red headband with silver rhinestones and ribbons that Jasmine wanted to wear in the pageant in her backseat and cursed.
Jasmine had picked it out too because it matched the dresses the girls had picked out for their duet.
Not only was she going to be late, but she’d forgotten Jasmine’s special headband!
Layla broke too many traffic laws to count as she raced to the school.
Thankfully, her job wasn’t that far from her home or the school.
She’d applied to Leisure Hotel Group because of the location of their corporate headquarters, but the traffic in Houston was no joke and what should have taken her twenty minutes stretched to forty-five.
When she finally reached the school, she rushed inside, grabbed a program and tried to quietly enter the auditorium.
The place was packed, so she pulled out her cell phone and texted Elijah.
I’m here. Where ru?
A few seconds later his response. Near front. Forth row, on right. I saved u a seat.
Grinning, she hurried down the aisle and spotted Elijah. He turned looking for her. He spotted her and waved her over. He moved his coat from the seat on his right and slid over so that she could have the seat he’d occupied.
“How much did I miss?” she whispered after she was settled.
He leaned close and whispered in her ear. “You’re right on time. The girls are next.”
She placed her hand on his thigh and squeezed lightly. “Good. I was worried I would miss their performance.”
“Things were delayed. Did you work things out at the job?”
She rolled her eyes but nodded. “Yes. The rest of the team is handling any remaining set ups needed for tomorrow’s meetings, so I could make it here.”
He placed his hand over hers. “Good.”
The kid on stage finished their signing performance and the principal came out to the microphone after the applause ended. “And next we have a duet by best friends Jasmine Townsend and Sabrina Holmes.”
Layla clapped and cheered along with Elijah. She leaned over as the principal left the stage. “I forgot Jasmine’s headband was in my backseat. Was she very upset?”
“She’s good,” Elijah said. Then pointed. “Look.”
She turned toward the stage and gasped. Instead of the red headbands Jasmine and Sabrina wore matching silver rhinestone headbands that worked perfectly with their red and silver dresses. “How?”
“I make a quick run to the mall and it was a blessing that there were two in stock,” Elijah said with an easy shrug.
“You did that before the pageant?”
“Of course, I couldn’t let the girls go without their matching headbands.” He spoke as if going to the mall and finding matching headbands after a day of work and getting the girls there on time was nothing.
She squeezed his hand and imagined all the ways she was going to thank him later. “You are amazing.”
He cocked a brow. “Remember that when we’re alone later.”
She grinned. “Oh, I most definitely will.”
The girls both looked out in the crowd. Elijah and Layla waved at them and they waved back.
The music started, a pop song by a new girls’ group Jasmine and Sabrina loved.
They began their rendition of the song and mimicking the dance routine they’d practiced from one of the videos the group posted.
Sabrina dazzled the crowd by doing a cartwheel while singing her verse which dazzled the crowd.
By the end of the song the audience was clapping and singing along with the catchy chorus.
They got an enthusiastic round of applause after their performance.
The rest of the pageant went by quickly.
Layla didn’t want to be biased, and even though she hadn’t seen the other kids perform, she believed that Jasmine and Sabrina were the best kids.
The judges also agreed, and the girls got first place.
Earning each of them a prize of $500. Layla was putting Jasmine’s prize directly into her college savings account.
She and Elijah joined the rush of other parents afterwards to meet their kids after the performance. When the girls ran up to them they both leaned down to give them congratulations along with lots of hugs and kisses.
“We won, Momma!” Jasmine said.
Sabrina bounced on her toes. “I knew we would win!” she said confidently.
Layla grinned at Sabrina. “I knew you would win, too.”
Elijah ran a hand over Sabrina’s braided hair. “Now we’ve got to celebrate,” he said. “Whatever you want for dinner. We’ll go get it.”
Sabrina’s eyes lit up. “Can we all go together.”
“Of course. You two are a duo. We can’t split up the group.”
“Yes,” Sabrina said clapping. She looked at Jasmine who raised her brows high and grinned. Sabrina nodded before looking back at her dad. “Does this mean we can always eat together?”
Elijah must have also noticed the look the girls shared because he raised a brow. “What do you mean?”
“Sabrina saw you two kissing,” Jasmine blurted out. “Is it true. Are we going to be sisters.”
Layla sucked in a breath and looked at Elijah. If her eyes were as wide as his with shock then they both must look like deer caught in headlights.
Layla spoke first. “When did you see that?”
Sabrina twisted her hands together. “It’s been awhile, but I didn’t want to say anything until you said something.”
“But we can’t wait anymore,” Jasmine cut in. “So, is it true? Are we a family?”
Layla looked to Elijah. She wanted to tell the girls, but she had not been ready to confess in the middle of a crowded school hallway after the pageant.
She and Elijah said they would wait and tell the girls after the pageant was over.
When they could all sit down after dinner, talk and answer any questions.
Leave it to their kids to make their own plans.
Elijah took a deep breath before stepping close to Layla and wrapping his arm around her waist. Layla gaped at him, but he just smiled and nodded. He looked back at the girls. “We’re still figuring out the details, but, yes, Ms. Layla and I are seeing each other.”
“Yes!” Jasmine squealed. She turned and gave Sabrina a high five. “I told you we would be sisters one day.”
“Finally, I didn’t think they’d ever get together,” Sabrina said as if she’d been waiting a hundred years for the announcement.
“Wait, were you waiting on this,” Layla asked.
They both nodded. “Mom, we’ve wanted you two to get together for a long time.”
“A really long time,” Sabrina echoed. “Can we go eat now?”
Elijah laughed “Where to?”
Sabrina and Jasmine began discussing where to eat, but were quickly distracted when one of their friends walked over to congratulate them.
The arm around her waist tightened just a bit as they watched the girls bask in their friend’s praise. “I guess we were the only ones holding out.”
She chuckled and rested her head on his shoulder. “I wasn’t holding out. It was you and your rule about not dating a friend,” she said.
Elijah let her go and shifted to face her. “Hold up, didn’t you tell me to be sure because of that.”
She held up a hand. “That part of our story is erased forever.”
He grinned. “Fine, but if I have nightmares about fighting for the Queen of the Nile then I’m blaming you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Blame yourself on that one.” She glanced at the girls, still talking before turning serious. “For real, I’m glad you broke some of your rules.”
His eyes darkened with warmth and understanding. “Rules are meant to be broken when you’re in love.” Her jaw dropped. “And I do love you, Layla.”
She didn’t have to think about her answer. “I love you, too.”
The girls finished their conversation. Sabrina grabbed Layla’s hand and Jasmine took Elijah’s. They were a family. She squeezed Sabrina’s hand. “Let’s go eat.”