Page 243 of The Right Sign

“While I was creating those news stories to fight against Carmichael’s smear campaign—”

“Wait.” I sign over her which is something I really try not to do, but I can’t help myself. “That was you?”

Yaya nods and rolls right on as if she hasn’t rocked my world again. With her clothes on. At noon no less.

“I really liked using my platform to highlight positive stories rather than clothes and shoes. Don’t get me wrong. I love fashion. I will always love fashion, but I see it as a vehicle for a story and not the destination. You know? Pretty clothes will get people to stop scrolling, but the stories will get people to think.”

I take off my boyfriend hat and put on my business one. After mulling it over, I nod. “I like it.”

“You do?” she signs, her eyes wide with excitement.

I get up and crowd her chair. Gripping the back of her seat and placing one hand on the table, I whisper, “But you know what I like more?”

Her eyes dart from my lips to my eyes. “What?”

“You.”

She groans and lifts her hands, probably to tell me how cheesy I am. But she doesn’t get a chance because I’m far too busy kissing her and picking her up so I can take her back to bed.

* * *

Yaya and I spend a few more days exploring Uruguay. It’s a lesson in compromise as I’m more of a ‘surf the waves, ride a Jet ski, adventure guy’ and Yaya is all about avoiding mosquitos, staying close to civilization, and lounging.

It’s easy to cater to her every want. Especially when she’s determined to cater to mine.

But that’s a problem too.

We end up fighting over whose plan we’re going to follow.

I make sure I win most of the time.

Hey, happy soon-to-be wife, happy life.

And I want my life to be the happiest it can be.

When we get back stateside, I spend a bit of time working out a better schedule with Mosely, drawing on Holland Alistair’s strategy of hiring multiple personal assistants.

Mosely will oversee them for a short time and then he’s retiring. I’ll be sad to see him go, but he’s more than earned a life of leisure and respite after taking care of both me and my father.

I accompany Talia on a one-on-one trip to Disney land as repayment for her lending Yaya her watch.

And then I visit Mr. Williams.

Yaya’s dad is a big man with dark skin and laugh lines that are so pronounced when he speaks that I know this serious expression on his face is not one he uses often.

While Yaya’s mom is gracious and welcoming, her dad immediately demands we talk alone in his office.

“Dad,” Yaya warns, her eyes stern, “don’t do anything embarrassing.”

“You just help your mom finish up dinner,” her dad signs. He gives me another dirty look and stalks down the hallway.

I’m not scared when I follow him through the house. Since Uruguay and Dejonae’s warning about her dad, I decided to treat him the same way I did Sazuki. The piano prodigy hated me and well, now he’s apathetic to me.

See? Progress.

The point is… Mr. Williams loves Yaya.

So do I.

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