He grinned, elbowing me in the side. “Not always.”
* * *
After we were done at the stoneworks, we went back to my house, where we attached new hardware to the freshly stained cupboard doors and hung them again.
“They look great. Are you happy with the color?” Theo asked.
“Yes. I love it!” I clapped my hands. “I know it’s dark, but that makes it more authentic. Let’s look at the tile samples for the floor.”
He laid them out at the base of the cupboards, and we stood back to inspect them. “I like the idea of the hexagonal, but if you’re going to make a statement with the counters, I’d probably go with the large square travertine.”
“I think you’re right. I might—”
I was interrupted by a knock on the front door. A voice rang out. “Yoo-hoo! Claire?”
“Mom?” Theo and I exchanged a glance.
“You shouldn’t leave your door unlocked, dear. Someone could walk right in.” She appeared in the entrance to the kitchen and noticed Theo. “Oh, hello!”
“Hello.” Theo nodded.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you had company.” But her smile told me how happy she was about it. She set down the shopping bags she carried and smoothed her honey-colored bob.
“Mom, this is my friend Theo MacLeod. He’s helping me with the kitchen rehab.”
“How wonderful!” My mother came into the kitchen and pulled off her gloves. “Nice to meet you. I’m Carol French.”
Theo shook the hand she offered. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. French.” Then he stuffed both hands in his pockets.
“Oh, please. Call me Carol.” She clasped her hands at her waist and looked delighted. “I just dropped by to bring you some groceries. Last time I was here, your fridge was nearly empty.” She was talking to me, ostensibly, but she never took her eyes off Theo.
“Thanks. We were just checking out our work on the cabinet doors. Didn’t the stain come out beautifully?” I stepped aside so she could admire them.
“Mmm, nice.” She gave them a cursory glance and beamed at Theo. “What do you do, Theo? Are you a builder or something?”
His cheeks colored. “No.”
“Just handy, then?” She winked at me. “That’s always helpful. Your father is a disaster in that area. I practically have to call someone every time I need a picture hung or a light bulb changed!”
“Dad’s a judge, Mom. He’s good at other things.”
She waved a hand in the air. “I suppose. Anyway, Theo, are you a teacher, then?”
Theo, who was looking a little panicked, threw me a look that I recognized as a question. Oh, right. He wants to know what to say. I hadn’t thought about this yet—what was our story? I decided to go with something close to the truth.
“Theo owns his own business.”
“An entrepreneur! How nice.” Her eyes drifted over Theo’s face, his broad shoulders and chest. “And so handsome.”
Theo’s face turned a deep shade of purple. He seemed completely unnerved by my mother, which I found kind of funny. He was so cool when playing a role, but being himself around people was a challenge. Poor guy.
“How cute, he’s blushing!” My mother’s tinkly laugh rang out. “Claire, he’s too adorable for words. Where have you been hiding him, you silly girl?”
“Mom, that’s enough. I haven’t been hiding him anywhere.” I tried to meet Theo’s eyes to reassure him, but he wasn’t looking at me. And was I imagining things, or was he slowly inching toward the back door?
“Well, how long have you been dating?”
“Not that long.”
“A month?”
“Something like that.” Flustered, I tried again to make eye contact, but he had this strange blank look on his face as he stared at the wall behind me.
“Theo.” She turned to him, her hands clasped. “What are you doing tomorrow night for Christmas Eve?”
“Uh.” He swallowed. “I’m not sure.”
“You must come by the house. Claire can tell you where it is.” She gestured toward me. “Claire’s father and sister would love to meet you, and I make a delicious glazed ham.”
“Mom, don’t pressure him.”
She dismissed me with a click of her tongue. “Nonsense, I’m not pressuring him! I’m simply extending an invitation. It’s not often you have a boyfriend to bring to Christmas dinner.” She turned back to Theo. “Au gratin potatoes. French bread. Onion tarts. Candied pecans. Sound good?”
Oh, Jesus. “OK, that’s enough.” Taking her by the shoulders, I turned her around and marched her through the dining room into the living room. “I’m sure you have to be on your way now. Lots of prep to do for tomorrow night.”
“OK, OK, I’ll leave you two alone.” She called out to Theo. “Nice meeting you, dear. Hope you can make it to dinner.”
“Nice meeting you, too.” Theo came into the dining room and lifted one hand in farewell.
I walked my mother to the door. “Thanks for the groceries.”
“You’re welcome.” She lowered her voice to a stage whisper. “He’s so good-looking!”
I frowned at the surprise in her tone. “Does that shock you or something?”
“Well, he’s much better looking than anyone else I’ve ever seen you with.”