Her wantonness toward a complete stranger only underscored how far she'd strayed from the values that I had tried to teach and instill in her. A word of warning was required.
"You do know that she's playing you?" Deshavi had since straightened back up and the man's eyes came back to mine.
His gaze measured me once again thoughtfully. "And how's that?"
"You wouldn't be her first or likely her last."
"You know her?"
"She's my granddaughter, other than that connection I'm not sure I can say anything, as to whether I know her or not."
A dark red flush stung the man's well tanned features and I was glad to see it, even as I was astounded by his quickly spoken words.
"I have to apologize. I was….I was…."
"Taken in by the sight of my granddaughter's backside?" I filled in for him.
His face got redder, "Yes." He admitted truthfully.
Incredibly it occurred to me that this man did not know how rare he was. He was apologizing and obviously embarrassed upon being confronted by a close family member on a matter that most men would have laughed or joked about, considering it to be a free look and nothing they should feel guilty about. An understandable joke among men if you will, but that was not how this man had reacted to being caught.
"You must have an exceptional mother." I said knowingly.
His face only got redder at the mention of his mother. "What makes you say that?"
"Someone taught you right from wrong at some point, enough so that even after years of exposure to I imagine all sorts of sites you still have the grace to be embarrassed when caught dwelling on something your eyes should've skipped over."
He looked away perhaps seeing some of those sites of his own again, "You're right I do have a great mother."
His expression turned rueful, "And she did teach me better than this."
"Don't be too hard on yourself, there's a fine line between looking too much versus being unable to ignore the beauty of what God meant to be noticed by a male."
His expression grew puzzled, "I'm not sure I quite understand you?"
I smiled, "That makes two of us."
I held out my hand, "Caleb Longtree and if I don't miss my guess your Trent Rogerson?"
He nodded, even as he confirmed, "You're the man that's to take me to my grandfather?"
"One and the same." I affirmed, as we shook hands.
His handshake was just one more thing I was growing to like about this man.
"Are we heading out now?" He asked.