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I took a deep breath, trying to absorb everything he’d just thrown at me "I’m so sorry about your mom, Zach I kno much you loved her," I finally said in a shaky voice

"Thanks" An aard fake sedout constantly, I went to school to becoraoal was to get ured you’d probably be , and I didn’t want to dru at some point I could earn your trust back and have soirls’ lives" His chin quivered "Please, Kacie I don’t want to be like my dad"

I sat, stunned That was not at all what I was expecting to hear--any of it I figured he’d telland dumb and selfish, and in a way, he was, but it was soi that shocked , I reached across and put ure so off to college?" I stared down at thelist of school supplies for Lucy and Piper, wondering why the hell they needed fifty 2 pencils--each

"Welcoled as she walked over and grabbed a cart

I looked down at the cart and back at her "I don’t think that’s going to be big enough"

She grinned and shook her head "Oh boy You’re in for a rude awakening Girls, come on!" Lucy and Piper returned the tiny stuffed ani with to their bin and bounced over to us

"They’re six Why on Earth do they need one hundred pencils?" Ibehind Kacie "I’m twenty-seven I don’t think I’ve used one hundred pencils in my entire life"

By the tinot nailed down into the cart

"Brody, we need regular crayons, not glitter ones" Lucy frowned as she peeked over the edge of the cart

"Oh, did I grab glitter?" I grabbed six of the biggest packages of regular crayons they had and tossed thelitter ones and put theet those too" I winked

Kacie caot wide once she saw the cart "Whoa!"

"I know We’re having fun" I laughed

Kacie tugged on irls "Brody, listen I appreciate all the fun you’re having with theet I can’t afford all this"

"You don’t have to I can buy irls school supplies"

"I can’t let you do that"

"Kacie, have I ever told you what to do with your money?"

She bit her lip and shook her head

"Then don’t insultme what to do with mine" I reached over and kissed the end of her nose "I’ a blast Let ue, I turned back to Lucy and Piper "All right, Twinkies Where e?"

We walked around Target until the cart was colitter princess heels They obviously weren’t on the school list, but Lucy’s and Piper’s eyes sparkled when they saw them That was all I needed to see

"Your total is 31241," said the cashier

I heard Kacie gasp quietly, but I didn’t bother to look at her as I took my credit card out and swiped it We started toward the exit when a couple of boys nervously walked up to us

They looked to be about ten years old and nervous as hell One of the caain "Uh, are you… Brody Murphy?"

I took a step away froirls and put my hands on my knees so I was closer to the boys’ level "I alanced down at his friend, but he didn’t say anything His red hair fell in his face as he stared at lasses