AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m sorry I’m not dressed, but I didn’t get to bed until pretty late,” I tell them. I don’t want Caleb’s friends thinking I’m some lazy slob.
“Oh, we know. All the guys were called out last night,” Sabrina says. “We really wouldn’t be here at all if Chloe hadn’t insisted that you needed to be warned.” Sabrina gives Chloe a look that says, I told you so.
“Warned about what?” I ask.
“Caleb’s mother is doing a drive-by today to”—Chloe does the air quote thing—“see her baby. But she knows Caleb’s going to be held up with the current crisis and isn’t around. She’s coming to see you. I got a heads-up from my mother-in-law, Sandra, who just happens to be best friends with Caleb’s mom.”
I gasp. “Me? But why?”
“Caleb was holding your hand,” Jasmine replies.
“But—”
“You don’t get it. We’ve known Caleb for a while now, and he doesn’t go around holding hands,” Sabrina says.
“He’s dated. I-I’ve seen girls leave his, uh, place.” And I have! “When I first moved in, there were women who came and went.”
“That’s right. They came and went,” Chloe echoes. “Caleb is a great guy, but he’s never wanted anything serious. It’s not like he’s a player or anything. He just wasn’t into anything permanent. He never hid that or made it a secret. He even brought a couple of women to barbecues and stuff, but they knew it wasn’t going anywhere. It suited both their needs, and when it was done, well, it was done.”
“The thing is, he never held their hands. Or went to a grocery store with them. You’re special, Gwendolyn, and his mother figured that out pretty quick,” Jasmine says.
“You have no idea how many times Joyce has pushed her son’s buttons. She fixed him up on blind dates without his knowledge and had women at the house waiting for him to come over for family dinners,” Sabrina adds.
“That was the only time I ever saw him lose his temper at his mother. But only after his surprise date left, because he’s too nice a guy to make her feel badly. He didn’t go over to his parents’ home for three months after that. His father finally convinced him he wouldn’t ever be put in that position again,” Chloe says.
“I should call and tell him,” I say, thinking out loud.
“I don’t want to tell you what to do, but I don’t think that’s wise,” Jasmine says.
“Why?”
“When the guys are working, their minds need to be clear. They need to be able to focus on the situation at hand. A distraction can mean the difference between life and death.” Her voice is quiet but serious, and I know she’s right.
“Well, since Joyce can be here at any time, I need to shower.” It’s a good thing I dusted and vacuumed yesterday.
“Why don’t you get to that. We’ll start a pot of coffee, and we’ll keep you company. That is, if you want us to stay.” This comes from Chloe. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to have some company when Joyce arrives, and it would be nice to get to know Caleb’s friends.
“Sounds like a plan.” I give them a grin. “Thank you for doing this.”
“We girls gotta stick together,” Sabrina says, raising a fist in the air like a superhero. Jasmine begins to laugh, and suddenly, it seems like it’s going to be a great day.
An hour and three outfit changes later, I come back out wearing a dark pair of loose-fitting jeans with a black leather belt, matched with a turquoise, three-quarter-sleeve, crisscross sweater. I pulled my hair into a high ponytail and wrapped it in a rhinestone cuff before slipping on a pair of black ballet slippers. I think this says casual and chic. I’m not big on makeup, so I dusted my cheeks with a pink blush, put on some mascara, and a dab of gloss for the final touch on my lips.
The girls are all hanging out in the living room, sipping on their coffees and browsing through my magazines. I have a ton! I love fashion, but I also enjoy all the home décor ones too.
“How do I look?” I ask. Three sets of eyes all look me over.
“Oh my God, you’re gorgeous!” Chloe exclaims.
“No wonder Caleb is crazy for you,” comes from Sabrina.
“You’re beautiful, Gwen,” Jasmine says with a heartfelt smile.
They all make me feel so good. Just the dose of courage I need. “Thank you.” I can’t help it, I blush profusely. “I have a ton of cookies and white chocolate raspberry scones in the freezer. I can warm them up and we can have them with coffee.”
“And she bakes!” Chloe says with a laugh.
As if right on cue, the doorbell rings. My hands start to shake. I want to make a good impression on Joyce and have her like me. There’s a special bond between mother and son, or so I hear. And I really like Caleb.
