Ultimate Courage (True Heroes #2)(30)
Shame spread across his tongue with a bitter taste. It’d been a couple of years since he’d left active duty and every day was still a balancing act like this. If he wasn’t so messed up in the head, he’d be able to juggle teaching the class and taking his own daughter to the damn store. It irked him to admit the biggest hesitation was exposing himself to random people right now.
“You can borrow my car.” Rojas fished for his keys and handed them over.
Elisa took them then narrowed her eyes at him. He hadn’t mentioned his car when he’d ridden with her to Revolution MMA the night before. Honestly, he’d ridden with her so she’d be less likely to drive off and not stay. Then this morning, he grumped about not liking anyone driving his car but him. It’d been to give her an excuse to settle into the passenger seat and get her nerve back after the scare she’d had. Those instances hadn’t exactly been lies and could arguably be considered manipulation, but with good intentions.
This was probably how Boom felt after she’d pulled a similar set of actions on him and he caught her.
The thought diffused some of his tension, and he grinned at Elisa. It shouldn’t amuse him so much to make her irritated with him, but it was turning out to be a lot of fun.
After a moment, she seemed to get over it. “Should I wait until the next class comes in and then go get her?”
He nodded an affirmative then addressed his phone. “How you feeling, Boom? Think you can wait another twenty minutes and still make it out to the store and back? You okay if you go with Elisa and not me?” He paused, back to being a concerned father. “If you’re too tired, just make a list and we can go get it for you.”
It’d probably mean a few repeat trips. Even if Boom made a list, she was a kid. There’d be something she’d forget or described vaguely. It was going to be a relay run back and forth to the craft store.
“I can make it. I’ll get dressed now and wait downstairs.” There was a pause. “So she came back?”
He’d told Boom about Elisa’s visit yesterday and caught hell from his daughter for not bringing Elisa to the house to see her. As far as Boom was concerned, Elisa was a new friend.
“Yeah.” His face was heating up as Elisa stared at him. “She came back.”
“Good! I’ll be ready.” There was a rustle as Boom apparently scrambled out of bed.
“Careful, take your time.”
“Dad.” Boom drew out the word with exasperation. “I’m ten, not two. All I’ve got to do is pull pants on. You helped me into a clean shirt this morning. I’m totally okay with Elisa taking me. She’s not a stranger. We met her the other night and you offered her a job and everything.”
His daughter was talking about Elisa as if she was a longtime family friend. He wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about that.
“If you’re not comfortable, it’s okay,” Elisa whispered. “I could hold the class or something until you got back.”
He waved in the negative. “It’s a plan. Take your time and go slow, Boom. It’s okay to sit and rest. Got it?”
“Got it!” And his daughter very obviously was not going to go slow at the moment. Maybe he should head over to the house to help her.
“You sure you’re comfortable?” Elisa asked, her eyes filled with understanding. “I am a stranger and it’s completely reasonable.”
Her consideration was exactly why he nodded in the affirmative. She was good people and they weren’t going any place out of touch. It’d be fine.
“The craft store is right near Revolution MMA. Same shopping center.” He paused to consider this morning again, and the reason Elisa had been so scared. “I’ll call ahead to Gary and Greg so they know to look for you in the parking lot. If you run into any issues or if Boom needs a break, you two can duck into the school for a rest. Gary and Greg are literally within shouting distance of the store. I appreciate the help.”
Elisa huffed. “I’m glad to. Besides, Boom and I could always stop for some frozen yogurt too. Maybe we’ll eat it in your car on the way back.”
Aw now, some things in the world just weren’t a wise idea.
Chapter Ten
We’ve got poster board, spray paints in blue and purple, a glue stick, and Sharpies.” Elisa ticked off their loot on the fingers of one hand as she stood with Boom surveying the trunk of Alex’s car. “What do you think might be missing?”
Boom pondered for a moment, rubbing her chin in what was probably an adorable imitation of one of her father’s habits. Elisa couldn’t wait to see Alex do it.
“I can print out pictures of Pluto to glue onto the board.” Boom sounded unsure. Standing next to Elisa, she usually came to about chest height but now she drooped into an exaggerated slump. “I thought they’d look great, but none of it seems to stand out much. All the kids are going to be doing space stuff and we don’t get an A unless we really stand out from the rest of the projects.”
“Hmm.” Elisa wondered when elementary school had gotten so competitive. Though honestly, she liked Boom even more for going after the top grade instead of simply planning to make a science project good enough to pass. Boom was a tomboy, no doubt about it, but she had a sharp mind, too. Some things that came out of her mouth were way more mature than what Elisa would’ve expected from a ten-year-old. “We could get some fluorescent spray paint and rig your poster with some mini backlights we saw on sale in there. It’d make your versions of Pluto glow.”