living room just as the pizza arrived. He had his wallet halfway out of his pocket when Amanda shot a warning look in his direction and grabbed her purse.
“Sorry,” he murmured. “I lost my head there for a minute.”
“Don’t let it happen again,” she said, handing him the boxes of pizza, then turning to pay the delivery boy.
“Are the kids at the table?” he asked. “Or do I need to chase them down?”
“They have sensors when it comes to pizza delivery,” she assured him. “I’m sure they’re already on their way.”
Sure enough, all three of the children were seated at the kitchen table when Caleb arrived with the two pizza boxes. He’d wound up ordering two mediums, rather than a large, so there would be leftovers for the kids and Amanda tomorrow.
“I want pepperoni, jalapeños and onions, like Mr. Caleb,” Jimmy announced.
Amanda frowned at her towheaded son. “I don’t think so.”
“How come?”
“Remember last time?” she asked.
Jimmy’s eyes widened. “Oh, yeah. I hurled.”
“Exactly,” Amanda said. “You stick with the plain pizza. One slice.”
“But I can eat at least two,” Jimmy argued. “Maybe even three.”
Amanda shook her head at the boast. “We’ll see.”
“What about me?” Larry asked. “I didn’t get sick.”
“Then you may have one piece of Caleb’s pizza,” Amanda conceded. “If he says it’s okay.”
Caleb grinned. “Hey, I’m all about sharing.” He handed a piece to Larry, then looked at Susie. “You having plain, young lady?”
She nodded. “That other stuff’s yucky. Only boys would eat that.”
“You’re just a baby,” Jimmy taunted.
Amanda scowled at him.
“Sorry, Susie,” Jimmy said meekly.
Caleb bit back a grin. Despite all they’d gone through, all the things they’d lost and continued to be deprived of, these three kids were as normal as any he’d ever met. They squabbled among themselves, but if any outsider threatened any one of them, they united. Amanda had done a fantastic job with them. Caleb admired the strength it must have required for her to do that, especially on days when a lesser woman would have caved in under all the pressure.
“Hey, Mom,” Larry said. “Me and Jimmy have this really cool idea.”
“Jimmy and I,” Amanda corrected.
Larry stared at her blankly.
She sighed. “Never mind.”
“Anyway, that tree out back is really, really big, so we were thinking it would be just right for a tree house,” he said enthusiastically, his pizza momentarily forgotten. “So, can we build one?”
“I don’t know,” Amanda began, casting a worried look in Caleb’s direction.
“Maybe we could take a look after dinner,” he said, treading cautiously. He knew the kids turned to him when they sensed their mother’s disapproval. They hoped that as a guy he’d be an ally. His gaze on Amanda, he said, “There might be some sturdy branches not too high off the ground that would hold one. I think that would put your mom’s anxiety to rest.”
Larry regarded him gratefully. “Then would you help us build it? Not just some platform, but a real house with walls and everything,” he said excitedly. “Maybe Mr. Josh would help, too. He did a great job on our house. And I’ll bet he has some extra wood and stuff he could give us.”
Caleb caught Amanda’s frown, so he took a step back. “Let’s see what the tree looks like before we get too carried away. Remember, when it comes down to it, it’s your mom’s call.”
“She’ll say yes,” Larry said confidently, giving her a huge smile. “I know she will.” He put down his barely touched slice of pizza. “I’m done. Can we go look now?”
“Other people haven’t finished eating,” Amanda said at once. “And neither have you from the looks of that pizza slice.”
“I’ve finished mine,” Jimmy said loyally, stuffing the last bite in his mouth.
“I’m not finished, but I’m all filled up,” Susie added, clearly determined not to be left behind.
Amanda sighed. “Then you three can go outside. Caleb and I will be out later,” she told them. “And do not, under any circumstances, climb that tree. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jimmy said dutifully. Larry reluctantly echoed the promise.
As soon as they’d raced outside with a slam of the screen door, Amanda turned to Caleb. “What are the odds we’ll find them up in the tree?”
He grinned. “If I know those two, it depends on how long it takes us to get out there. Maybe we ought to go now. We can warm up the pizza later.”
She looked relieved. “Do you mind?”
“Not if it’s in the interest of preventing broken bones,” he said.
Sure enough, they found Jimmy and Larry at the foot of the tree studying it in a way that suggested they were plotting which way would give them the best access to the lower branches. At their first glimpse of Amanda and Caleb, they stepped back guiltily.
“What do you think, Mr. Caleb? Can we build one?” Larry asked.
Caleb glanced at Amanda, then turned his attention to the old pin oak. There were some branches that appeared solid enough to hold a tree house big enough to accommodate these two without putting them at too much risk.
“It could be done,” he said carefully, his gaze on Amanda. “What do you think? A tree house would be pretty cool. I had one when I was their age. There was nothing better than going up there to read a book or hang out with my friends. I thought I could see the whole world from up there.”
Amanda winced, probably at the reminder of the tree house’s height off the ground.
“It wasn’t that high,” he told her. “I had a vivid imagination.” He grinned. “And I never fell out.”
“Never?” she asked.
“Not even once. Not even a scratch on me from climbing up there.”
“And you’d help them build it?” she said.
He knew what lay at the heart of her concern—not just the prospect of the little daredevils tumbling out of the tree, but helping themselves to dangerous tools in their eagerness to get the tree house constructed. “Absolutely,” he assured her. “They’d never touch a tool without
