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After seeing everyone had water, Theresa herded her boys into the garage. Caleb followed close behind her. A few minutes later, they were on the road, and the bodyguard trailed in his own car behind them.
“You know what, Caleb? I’m starting kindergarten … not tomorrow, but next Tuesday,” Jeremy informed him. “And two of my friends are in my class. We visited my school last week. Elli took me because Mommy had rehearsal. I met my teacher. She’s really pretty.”
“Wow. It’s hard to believe it’s mid-August already.” Caleb glanced back at Jeremy. “Are you excited about school?”
“Yeah, except I’m going to miss Sully.”
“He’s going to miss you, too, buddy,” Theresa said. “You and Charlie will have to take him outside to play after school every day.”
“We aren’t going to ride the bus,” Charlie informed Caleb. “Elli and John are going to take us and pick us up when Mommy can’t.”
“Caleb, did you know we’ll be coming with you when Mommy’s tour starts?” Jeremy asked. “We have our own teacher, and he’s coming with us in the RV.”
“I do know, and I’m looking forward to spending time with all of you. I was thinking we might want to bring along a few board games we can play together.”
“Yeah.” Jeremy went silent for a moment. “What are board games?”
“Like checkers, Dinosaur Escape, and Candyland,” his older brother explained. “Games we play that include a board and game pieces.”
“Oh.” Jeremy seemed satisfied with the explanation and settled back in his car seat. He hummed a familiar tune—on key, no less—the rest of the way to the beach.
“Jeremy seems musically inclined.” Caleb glanced at Theresa. “Like you, he has perfect pitch.”
“I know.” Theresa turned into the parking lot for the off-leash park. “I’ve asked him if he wants to take piano lessons, but so far it’s been a hard no.”
“Maybe he’d be more interested in a different instrument,” Caleb said.
“Maybe. I’ve thought about getting him a child-size guitar.”
John pulled into the lot and parked bedside Theresa’s SUV, and the next few minutes were taken up with getting the kids and the dog out of the car while their bodyguard scanned the area. Caleb held Sully’s leash.
“All right, you two, mind Elli, and stay close together. John, please stay with Charlie and Jeremy. Alert us if you see any photographers.”
The bodyguard responded with his signature single nod. Caleb unhooked Sully’s leash, and the dog took off, Charlie and Jeremy hot on his trail. “Have you told your boys you’ve found their grandmother?” Caleb asked.
“I haven’t. I don’t want to get their hopes up,” she said, her gaze following her children. “If things go well, then I’ll tell them.” She bit her lower lip. “A lot depends on her reasons for cutting us out of her life.”
“Theresa …” He wanted to assure her he’d be there for her whether or not things turned out well. Would that be pushing?
“What, Cal?”
“If you need a shoulder to lean on, or if you want a friend with you if you and your mom decide to get together, I’d be happy to tag along.” He shrugged. “If you want me to.” The radiant smile Theresa turned his way knocked the breath from his lungs.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I’d like that.”
It took a few seconds for his ability to breathe to return. “Do you have a middle name?”
“Well, that was random.” She laughed, and her lovely brown eyes lit with amusement. “Yes, it’s Anne. Why?”
“Just curious.” Theresa Anne Rhodes, how is it you don’t see the way you affect me? Lack of experience, that was how. That sobered him. He’d write a song for her, lyrics that expressed how much she meant to him.
The idea took root. Words and a melody came together inside his head, and his fingers moved as if touching the keys of his piano. Maybe, just maybe he’d find the courage to sing his song to her one day. Hopefully, his words would reach her heart in a way that made her feel safe and cherished.
“There’s something else I want to tell you about my mother.” Her gaze held his, once again assessing, doing recon. “She’s an enrolled member of the Nez Perce tribe. She lives and works on the Colville Reservation. So, my sons and I are also part Nez Perce.”
“Really?” His brow rose. “That’s fascinating. We should stop at a bookstore while we’re in town and buy a few books about the Nez Perce.”
“We?” She flashed him another one of her heart-stopping smiles.
