Page 8 of A Taste of Grace

I was confused. I stared at Caleb for an explanation. Instead of meeting my eyes, he looked down at his girls as if he were embarrassed.

“Girls, please give Ms. Grace space. She is here because of Aunt Nita.”

Esther released me and stomped her little bare foot.

“No, she’s here because of God.” She ran to the back of the house, and about thirty seconds later, returned with a large piece of paper.

She held it over her head and toward my face. I retrieved the paper and perused it. The crude drawing held a stick figure of a woman with brown skin and a big afro.

“She’s pretty.”

“Yep. This is Princess Mommy. It’s Ms. Grace. Isn’t it, Daddy?”

Caleb appeared stunned as Esther stared at the paper. He shook his head slowly with a slight frown on his defined face.

“That’s not who that is, baby girl. It’s just a draw…”

“Yes, it is.” Hannah interrupted him, surprising me at how animated she became after being so reserved. Her voice quivered as she looked at her father and said, “You told us if we prayed hard, God would give us a mommy. Look at the picture. It’s her, Daddy.”

When I didn’t think Caleb could be any cuter, he blinked rapidly behind the most luscious eyelashes I’d ever seen on a man. Distress covered his face at his daughters’ outbursts. I had the urge to rescue him but stayed silent.

He squatted before them and took a deep breath.

“God doesn’t work like that. Mommies don’t just pop out of the sky.”

“Why not? Ours went away like a thief in the night.” Esther spread her fingers like an explosion.

Hannah nodded.

“Who told you that?” Caleb asked with a downturned mouth.

“Maw Maw,” Esther replied.

“My mother…” Caleb rose and checked his watch before tapping his foot impatiently in his fancy black dress shoes. “I don’t have time for this. We can talk about it when Ms. Grace leaves. Okay?” He raised his eyes and the pitch of his voice.

It was a parental cry I knew well as a signal for them to behave.

“Okay. We’ll talk to Ms. Grace about it, won’t we?” Esther nodded, nudging Hannah, who nodded.

My, my, my .

I gave him a slick smile. He returned my look by subtly rolling his eyes and pursing his thick lips. Caleb had his hands full with these two little old ladies. They had him wrapped around their little fingers.

“Let me show you our house rules.” He walked to the kitchen counter and handed me a white piece of paper.

I followed behind him, sniffing his alluring cologne like a fiend as he moved down the list and added several points from memory.

“My girls have taken their baths. Dinner is on the stove. Cheese pizza. They can have no more than two slices. Hannah doesn’t like carrots.

Esther isn’t eating broccoli this week. They can have one blueberry muffin.

Bedtime is at 9:30 p.m. No exceptions. No violent movies or ones with curse words or S-E-X.

” He spelled the word ‘sex’ slowly and with precision.

My carnal mind went straight to the gutter.

“I’ll be back around midnight. Text me if you need anything.”

Did he slow - drawl when he said the word anything?

“Here’s my cell number. Text me so I’ll have yours.” He held out his hand and licked his lips, raising his eyebrow at me until I obeyed him like he was my daddy.

Did he do that on purpose?

“I will check in midway through the event and on my way home. Do you have any questions for me?”

My eyes almost bucked out of my head at the overwhelming meticulousness with which Caleb laid out the nighttime plans with his daughters and the charm he exuded by simply breathing. I wasn’t sure there would be time for us to do any of the spontaneous activities I planned.

Without waiting for a response, he rushed to the refrigerator and removed cartons of low-fat milk and reduced-sugar orange juice. He set them on the counter and reached into the cabinet for two small plastic cups.

“They can have no more than two cups of diluted juice. Half water, half juice. If they don’t want juice, they can drink one cup of milk or water. Before bed, they must brush and floss between all teeth and say their prayers. Any questions, Ms. Grace?” He stared at me with intensity again.

To avoid squirming, I picked up the paper with the information he shared and reviewed it, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.

“I think I have it. Were you in the military?”

“No. I’m just a man of routine. Text me if you need me. I can be here in thirty minutes.” He walked toward what I assumed was his bedroom.

“All will be well, Pastor.” I gave him a reassuring smile and saluted him.

He laughed hard.

“You are hilarious.”

He stood still and raised his eyebrow.

“It’s Caleb, Grace.”

“Excuse me?”

“You called me Pastor. I’m Caleb to you.” He winked.

“I’m just honoring a man of the cloth.”

“I’m also a man with flaws, opinions, and needs.”

Whoa.

“You’re honoring me when you care for my precious children in my home.” His megawatt smile and lingering gaze behind those long lashes had me starstruck.

“I can already tell your girls are angels.”

“Believe that if you want,” he said with a smirk.

“See? I told you she was a princess!” Hannah ran from behind the couch and threw a shy smile my way, which I returned with a wink.

I was so focused on Caleb’s demeanor and presence, I forgot the girls were so close. I walked to them and squatted to get at eye level with them again.

“Let Daddy get ready. Wash your hands, and I’ll fix your plates.” I turned to Caleb, remembering Nita’s message. “Nita wanted me to remind you to breathe.”