her to let it go.
She did. Why push him for his ghosts when she didn’t want to exorcise hers?
She flicked a glance to the wide-eyed girl. She was cute, but kinda creepy in the way she pinned Eli with her worshipful stare.
Naomi turned back. Eli appeared oblivious. “Well, the dunking booth will be a lot of fun. Especially when the dunkee taunts the dunker until they hit the target.”
“Taunts?”
“Yeah. You know, tease ‘em. Try to make them miss. Like how Tony Childers always teases his buddy B.J. about his golf swing, or how Vi is always on Miss Martha about how her vanilla buttercream is sweeter. Stuff like that.”
He tilted his head. “And you think this tactic will work?”
She smiled. “Maybe. Wouldn’t you smack that target for all you’re worth if someone questioned your fancy little petit fours or whatever?”
He full-on belly laughed, and her heart lightened watching his face relax like that.
And now, as much as she was enjoying her filet, she’d give anything for even a smidgen of that camaraderie back. Because once dinner was served, she’d actually become invisible. Story of her life.
She sighed and picked up her wine, letting the rich, full-bodied bouquet roll across her tongue. But the enjoyable moment was short-lived as she glanced over. Eli’s preschool admirer was still staring, backward in her chair and up on her knees for the best possible view, adoration clearly etched on her little face.
Then time slowed.
The little girl’s chair tipped a fraction, and she righted herself quickly. But not before her foot bumped the table, tipping a water glass on end. She lifted huge, fearful eyes to her father, whose face automatically morphed from laughter and grins to utter disgust.
He rose from the table, his body vibrating with anger, his face blooming a purple-red. His booming voice carried across the restaurant as he chastised his daughter for her clumsiness and stupidity.
The little girl hung her head as fat tears began to stream down her face and she seemed to shrink into her chair.
Naomi’s mouth went dry and the steak she’d just consumed weighed a thousand pounds in her stomach. She wanted to hurl something at the man’s head as vicious memories came barreling back full force.
Screaming.
Berating.
Pain. Oh, the pain.
That poor baby girl.
Before she could think, or act, or speak, Eli was out of his chair and at that table. The man shifted startled eyes up to Eli’s face as the hateful words died in his mouth.
“Who’re you? What the hell do you want?”
She couldn’t make out Eli’s softly spoken response. She only saw the little girl turn wide eyes up to him in awe as he subtly placed himself between her and her father as they exchanged words.
Eventually, the father’s face lost a fraction of its ire and he sat reluctantly. As Eli made his way back to their table, the girl’s eyes never left him.
He sat and offered Naomi an apologetic smile before turning back to the little girl. She tilted her head and waved. He waved back.
Naomi stared at him as he finished his dinner, obviously unaffected by whatever had just happened. Finally, he sat back and pushed his empty plate forward with a satisfied moan. “That was exquisite.”
“Exquisite.” She tried out his word. That was one way to put it. She eyed him over the rim of her glass. “So, you gonna tell me what you said over there?”
He flicked a glance to the girl and her father, who were now leaving. “Oh. It was nothing. I simply reminded him that his daughter was a priceless gift from Heaven and that he should be mindful of how he treats his treasure. After all, how a father treats his daughter impacts her for the rest of her life, especially in her relationships with men. That’s all.”
That’s all?
Oh.
My.
God.
She realized in that moment that she was going to have to rethink her idea of sexy. Navy SEALS and firefighters be damned, his willingness to quietly yet boldly stand up for the weak
She did. Why push him for his ghosts when she didn’t want to exorcise hers?
She flicked a glance to the wide-eyed girl. She was cute, but kinda creepy in the way she pinned Eli with her worshipful stare.
Naomi turned back. Eli appeared oblivious. “Well, the dunking booth will be a lot of fun. Especially when the dunkee taunts the dunker until they hit the target.”
“Taunts?”
“Yeah. You know, tease ‘em. Try to make them miss. Like how Tony Childers always teases his buddy B.J. about his golf swing, or how Vi is always on Miss Martha about how her vanilla buttercream is sweeter. Stuff like that.”
He tilted his head. “And you think this tactic will work?”
She smiled. “Maybe. Wouldn’t you smack that target for all you’re worth if someone questioned your fancy little petit fours or whatever?”
He full-on belly laughed, and her heart lightened watching his face relax like that.
And now, as much as she was enjoying her filet, she’d give anything for even a smidgen of that camaraderie back. Because once dinner was served, she’d actually become invisible. Story of her life.
She sighed and picked up her wine, letting the rich, full-bodied bouquet roll across her tongue. But the enjoyable moment was short-lived as she glanced over. Eli’s preschool admirer was still staring, backward in her chair and up on her knees for the best possible view, adoration clearly etched on her little face.
Then time slowed.
The little girl’s chair tipped a fraction, and she righted herself quickly. But not before her foot bumped the table, tipping a water glass on end. She lifted huge, fearful eyes to her father, whose face automatically morphed from laughter and grins to utter disgust.
He rose from the table, his body vibrating with anger, his face blooming a purple-red. His booming voice carried across the restaurant as he chastised his daughter for her clumsiness and stupidity.
The little girl hung her head as fat tears began to stream down her face and she seemed to shrink into her chair.
Naomi’s mouth went dry and the steak she’d just consumed weighed a thousand pounds in her stomach. She wanted to hurl something at the man’s head as vicious memories came barreling back full force.
Screaming.
Berating.
Pain. Oh, the pain.
That poor baby girl.
Before she could think, or act, or speak, Eli was out of his chair and at that table. The man shifted startled eyes up to Eli’s face as the hateful words died in his mouth.
“Who’re you? What the hell do you want?”
She couldn’t make out Eli’s softly spoken response. She only saw the little girl turn wide eyes up to him in awe as he subtly placed himself between her and her father as they exchanged words.
Eventually, the father’s face lost a fraction of its ire and he sat reluctantly. As Eli made his way back to their table, the girl’s eyes never left him.
He sat and offered Naomi an apologetic smile before turning back to the little girl. She tilted her head and waved. He waved back.
Naomi stared at him as he finished his dinner, obviously unaffected by whatever had just happened. Finally, he sat back and pushed his empty plate forward with a satisfied moan. “That was exquisite.”
“Exquisite.” She tried out his word. That was one way to put it. She eyed him over the rim of her glass. “So, you gonna tell me what you said over there?”
He flicked a glance to the girl and her father, who were now leaving. “Oh. It was nothing. I simply reminded him that his daughter was a priceless gift from Heaven and that he should be mindful of how he treats his treasure. After all, how a father treats his daughter impacts her for the rest of her life, especially in her relationships with men. That’s all.”
That’s all?
Oh.
My.
God.
She realized in that moment that she was going to have to rethink her idea of sexy. Navy SEALS and firefighters be damned, his willingness to quietly yet boldly stand up for the weak
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