Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
MOJAVE
Picking up Frankie from school felt a lot more loaded than it had before.
Rachel’s reaction to our kiss last night left me floundering.
I wasn’t sure what to do with it and spending the whole night thinking about it hadn’t helped.
I was hyper aware of her when her car pulled into the parking lot and parked nearby, my eyes tracking her as she slipped out of the car and locked it behind her.
She was wearing a sweet blue and white dress with bows on the straps and flats.
She somehow always looked gorgeous, no matter the weather being hot as balls today, the heat actually coming off the concrete in waves.
My hands itched to touch her, but I checked the impulse, still wondering what the hell was going to happen next.
“Hey!” she greeted cheerfully, coming to join me under the shade of the tree. “Aren’t you hot?”
She gestured to the jeans, boots, and cut I was wearing. I had a jacket too for when I was riding, but I’d stuffed that into one of the saddle bags after I arrived because it was too damn hot to wear it around.
“You either ride with a cover or risk your skin in an accident,” I murmured. Jeans weren’t as good as a full kit, but I wasn’t a reckless rider. Unlike Circus or Rooster, both who wore the full gear while riding because they liked to do stupid shit to try to catch women’s attention.
Rachel’s grimace made my lips tick up in the corners. “Well, then, I’m glad you’re wearing the proper covering. And luckily, I’ve got a plan for this afternoon that will include air conditioning. It's close too!”
My eyes narrowed. “What plan?”
“Library,” Rachel said with a smile. “Only down the block and a perfect place for a quiet afternoon. I want to encourage Frankie to enjoy school more, so I thought we might look around for some subjects that could pique her interest and read about them.”
I shrugged. It was a decent plan. Better than wandering around town in this heat. I’d done it plenty of times, but I noticed Frankie’s face turned all red when she got too hot and it worried me. I didn’t want her getting sick just because I was avoiding crowded places right now.
I considered bringing up the kiss, wondering where her head was at, but the school doors opened before I could mention it and Frankie was one of the first to run out, a paper in her hand that she waved over her head and an eager expression on her face.
“My class is goin’ on a field trip! I never got to go before! Can I go? You can sign it, right? I want to go!”
She handed me the paper, bouncing at my side, but before I could answer, Rachel shook her head with a sad smile.
“I’m sorry, sweetie, but Mojave can’t sign that for you. Your parents have to sign it.”
Watching all the excitement drain out of Frankie made my stomach twist uncomfortably. She didn’t cry or throw a fit like other kids might. She just took the paper back, her voice quiet as she replied. “Oh. Okay.”
I didn’t think Rachel was wrong, she’d know better than I would, but I didn’t like how disappointed Frankie was either. I put a hand on her shoulder, waiting for her to look up at me before telling her, “I’ll talk to your parents. We’ll figure it out.”
Her eyes widened and she drew in a sharp breath, staring up at me hopefully. “Really? You promise.”
“Yeah. I promise.”
Which meant I’d have to put my animosity for Frankie’s parents aside long enough to get them to sign the paper.
If I started arguing with them, they wouldn’t do it.
I shot Rachel a questioning look. She said she wouldn’t leave Frankie in that place.
How much longer would she have to face that kind of disappointment before she could step in?
Rachel shook her head minutely, then offered a smile to Frankie. “That could work. Let’s not be too disappointed just yet. How long until the field trip?”
“Next month,” Frankie reported, offering Rachel the form to look at. “It’s the end of the year field trip. It’s on the last week of school.”
Rachel looked over the form while listening before handing it back. “The zoo sounds like a lot of fun. We’ve got time before the form needs to be handed in to talk to your parents. For now, what do you think about a trip to the library? It’s a little hot out today and the library is nice and cool.”
Frankie shrugged, taking a folder out of her backpack and putting the form carefully inside it.
It obviously meant a lot to her if she was taking such good care of it.
I’d seen her stuff papers into her bag before without a care about how crumpled they’d be when she pulled them back out.
This form was important to her. Which made it important to me too.
“Can I have a shoulder ride?” Frankie asked me after swinging her backpack over one shoulder.
I shrugged and kneeled and Rachel took her bag after she smacked me in the face with it trying to climb up.
Together, we walked to the library, which was busier than I think Rachel expected with the surprised expression she had.
She shot me a worried glance, but I shrugged. I’d deal with it.
“I wonder what’s going on,” Rachel murmured with a frown.
She helped Frankie off my shoulders, and I took the bag from her so Rachel didn’t have to carry it anymore.
Rachel gave me the same sweet smile she’d given me the night before in thanks, and held Frankie’s hand as they headed inside.
I followed behind them, keeping my eyes peeled for any trouble.
I didn’t think there’d be any, none of the trouble from Battle’s crew had been near the schools, but I was always cautious.
The reason the library was so busy was apparent when we went inside. My brows snapped together when I noticed who was there, and before I could approach, Vegas’s old lady appeared out of nowhere, beaming at me.
“Are you here to volunteer too?”
“For what?” I asked, confused. I hadn’t even realized some of my crew would be here today. But Butch was sitting with a bunch of toddlers, reading a book, and Vegas was with a group of older kids reading a chapter of something that involved a lot of gesturing and exaggerated expressions.
Sierra cocked her head, her lips pursed thoughtfully. “The reading event? Isn’t that why you’re here?”
I shook my head, then shot a look at Rachel. That wasn’t why she suggested the library, was it?
“Your crew does reading events?” Rachel asked curiously. “That’s cute.”
“Right?” Sierra agreed with a grin. “I spoke with the librarian about it. This is our third week of doing it. Two or three guys in the crew volunteer and come to the library to read to the kids. We got so many kids wanting to come that we have to split them by age group. We still need someone to read to the younger kids.” She gave me a hopeful look.
“It was supposed to be Prez, but he got caught up with something. Please?”
I was going to refuse, that was too much, but Frankie spun around with wide eyes, looking just as excited as she had before with the permission slip. “Oh, can you? Can you? Can I pick the book?”
Sierra didn’t even question who Frankie was.
She just moved to Frankie’s side and nudged her, whispering, “Give him a pout. The entire crew can’t withstand a pout.
Like this.” She put her hands together, sticking out her bottom lip.
The look wouldn’t have worked if it was just Sierra, I would’ve just called in Killian to take Prez’s place, but Frankie…
I couldn’t disappoint her twice in one day. I grimaced.
“Fine. One book. But only if Frankie gets to choose it.”
RACHEL
While it hadn’t been my intention to put Mojave into this kind of situation, I couldn’t help but melt watching him read to a bunch of little kids.
Frankie sat right in front of him, a bright smile on her face, and someone else from the crew showed up so he didn’t have to read more than one.
The one book meant a lot to Frankie and she gave him a hug in thanks before his friend took his place.
The newest arrival was a man with bright red hair and a big smile, so Frankie was curious enough to stay for the next book.
He changed his voice for different characters, lifting it to sound higher pitched for the girls, and a lot deeper for the boys.
It was silly and it kept all the children giggling and Frankie’s attention on the book so I could talk to Mojave.
He’d moved to a corner still in view of Frankie but as out of the way as he could get. He looked uncomfortable, but when I sidled up to join him, he straightened and stuck his hands in his pockets, masking the discomfort.
Glancing over my shoulder to make sure Frankie wasn’t looking, I gently cupped Mojave’s cheek to sneak a kiss.
He looked stunned that I did it, the same expression that he’d had the night before, but not unhappy about it.
I felt my cheeks burn at his avid attention, moving to stand beside him so he wouldn’t notice my embarrassment.
“Thank you for that. It meant a lot not just to Frankie, but to all the kids who showed up. I’m sure all the parents appreciate it too. ”
The shock disappeared and the discomfort came back. He shrugged awkwardly, watching Frankie as she laughed at the biker gesturing wildly while reading his book. “‘m not as good as Rooster.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” I replied.
When he shot me a questioning look, I bumped his shoulder with mine.
“You might not have made the voices or acted like a goofball, but you said yes, even if you were uncomfortable with the idea. You let Frankie pick the book. And you made sure she had a spot right in front. To one little girl, I think you were absolutely the best person for the job.”
It only made me more sure that I wanted to at least bring up the idea of fostering to him. He and Frankie seemed like two peas in a pod. I didn’t think I’d be able to find better placement than him.
I didn’t think now was a good idea to broach the subject, though.
Not after he’d been put on the spot and still looked uncomfortable about it.
I gave him some space to just enjoy the show, and when Frankie bounced back to join us, we headed for the kids section to find some books on fun topics Frankie was interested in.
Mojave settled after a while, taking a spot on the floor near the kids table Frankie was sitting at, both of them looking at books and sharing facts with each other.
It was the quiet connection I figured Mojave deserved after taking on a little girl’s care for weeks on end.