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Had any man ever offered to help her simply for the sake of friendship before? Nope. She studied Caleb as her boys chattered away at him. He wasn’t what she’d call drop-dead gorgeous, but he was a really nice-looking man. He had thick reddish-blond hair and friendly blue eyes. He stood maybe five feet ten inches to her five feet five, and he had a solid frame like that of a runner. She couldn’t deny she found him appealing.
The smile and the wistful look on Caleb’s face as her boys continued to take up all Caleb’s attention broke her heart. Clearly he was remembering and missing his family, and he truly seemed to enjoy being with her kids.
To have a friend meant you had to be a friend, right? She decided right then and there she’d be Caleb’s friend too. Maybe spending time with her and her boys might ease the ache in his heart.
Family. She stifled a snort. If she called her dad or her brothers and told them about her current situation, they’d blame her for David’s adultery and his substance abuse. She hadn’t even told her family about the divorce and she didn’t intend to. Being away from Oregon for the past few years had been a huge relief.
Unless her dad or her brothers happened to see one of the tabloids at the grocery store, they weren’t likely to even know she and David had split. None of them were on social media that she knew of.
“Can we watch a movie, Mom?” Charlie asked.
“Huh?” She came back to the here and now, the pan of lasagna still sitting on the counter. “Sure. Fill Sully’s supper dish first. Also rinse out his bowl and get him fresh water.” Theresa put the lasagna into the oven and set the timer.
“Caleb, do you want to watch a movie with us?” Jeremy took Caleb by the hand again and tugged him toward the family room off the eat-in portion of the kitchen. The kitchen and family room were separated by an arch with built in book shelves on either side.
The family room’s Spanish style fireplace of stucco with its mesquite mantelpiece and trim were what had sold her on the home. A gorgeous watercolor painting depicting a southwestern landscape with stylistic Native American figures hung above the fireplace, and Pueblo pottery graced the mantel and hearth. She’d done the decorating after David had moved out, and the soft canyon tans, grays, and powder-blues made the cozy room her favorite place in the house.
“Okay. What are we watching?” Caleb flashed her an amused look as he allowed Jeremy to lead him to the overstuffed sectional facing the large-screen TV.
“Monsters!” Jeremy jumped up and down.
“He means Monsters, Inc.,” Charlie supplied.
“Sounds good. I haven’t seen that one,” Caleb said, taking his place between the two boys on the sectional.
“Elli, the boys are settled. If you need to study until dinner is ready, feel free,” Theresa told her. “If you want to join us for the movie, that would be great too.”
“Thanks. I will study a bit before dinner.” Elli headed down the hall to her room.
“I’m going to do another perimeter check,” John said. “I wish you’d keep the windows closed and the blinds drawn in front like I advised.”
“I forgot.” She loved Santa Barbara’s constant sunshine and preferred to have all the curtains, blinds, and windows wide open. “I’ll go close them now.”
“Nope.” His arm swung out in front of her. “I don’t want you standing like an easy target in plain view right in front of a large picture window. I’ll close them,” he said, striding toward the living room.
In her heart, she didn’t believe David would do something so stupid as throwing something or shooting at her through a window. But then, she hadn’t believed him capable of doing any of the crazy stuff he’d done this past year. Sighing again—she’d been doing a lot of that lately—she joined Caleb and her boys for the movie she’d seen a hundred times.
She curled up on the sectional beside Charlie, who sat next to Caleb. Jeremy snuggled against Caleb’s other side. Theresa reached for her craft basket under the coffee table and brought out the project she’d started a few days ago. She took up crocheting where she’d left off.
“What are you making?” Caleb asked, glancing her way.
“A throw blanket for this room. I’ve never been able to sit in front of the TV without doing some sort of craft project. I knit and crochet.”
“Did you know Cookie is pregnant?” Caleb asked, keeping his tone low.
“No, I didn’t.” Cookie Dash was one of her backup singers, and the news brought on a pang of regret. She hadn’t made much effort to get past David’s control, not enough to get to know her band members. That would change. “Do you know what she and her husband are having? I’ll make a blanket and matching sweater for the baby.”
“A boy. Cookie and Keith would be thrilled with a blanket and sweater made by you.”
Caleb’s glance held so much warmth and approval it stole her breath and brought a sting to her eyes. She’d never experienced such a look before, and how sad was that? She focused on her crocheting so he wouldn’t notice just how much his approval affected her.
Seeing a therapist would be good. She needed to get to the bottom of why she’d allowed herself to live such a stilted life for so damn long.
Chapter Four
Was it ironic that her psychologist’s clinic happened to be in the same complex as her divorce lawyer’s office? Maybe it was a good thing. She didn’t need the newshounds knowing she was in therapy. Boy, what a field day they’d have with that. She imagined the headline:
Chubby Popstar has a Breakdown and Is Seeing a Shrink. #TheresaRhodes
