by Karla Doyle
“Including taking the two hundred and fifty bucks back, without a hassle?”
“I’ll hate it, but yes.”
“Thank you.” The kiss she planted on his lips was sweeter than any candy. Just like the best sweet treat, it ended too soon and left him craving more. “So, what’s next?” she asked, returning to the passenger side and clicking her seatbelt into place.
“Take you to a different bank, I guess. Which one do you want?”
“None.”
“None?”
She nodded. “I can walk into that bank right now and withdraw two hundred and fifty dollars, but I’m not going to force you to take it. If I paid you back, it’d be because I feel horrible that you’re out all that money, not because of the customer thing.” Reaching across, she placed her hand on his face and stroked his jawline. “You have never been a customer. The money has nothing to do with us.”
“Then let’s forget about the money and enjoy our day together.”
“I’d like that.”
Another victory. One that merited a celebration she wouldn’t easily forget.
Candace
She’d assumed that spending the day together had meant the two of them, alone. Maybe they’d do some talking, but probably they’d keep their mouths busy with other activities. Surprisingly, she was okay with that thought, even though money had factored into their time together. She wanted to be with him. Today, and for as many other days possible.
Jake being Jake, he’d surprised her again when they got to her place. Rather than settle on the couch and kiss her senseless, he’d stayed at the edge of the room, leaning against the wall. Then he’d suggested pulling Macy from school for the day. His idea to spend the day together had included her daughter.
Routine played a huge part in Candace’s parenting style. Providing Macy with a solid sense of stability fell solely on Candace, and ensuring her daughter felt safe and secure, always, was top priority. Signing Macy out of school on a whim fell outside of the structure Candace had established.
She’d done it anyway. And every minute since had been wonderful.
“You like playing dress-up, right, Macy?” Jake asked, as the trio strolled along King Street with tummies full of lunch and dessert.
Macy nodded up at him. “Did Mommy tell you that?”
“Nope. I spotted the box of costumes and stuff in your living room.”
“Want to play when we get home?” Macy asked.
“You bet I do.”
Macy clasped Jake’s hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do so. “Can we go now?”
Candace’s heart clenched. This outing marked the third time Jake had spent time with her daughter. Macy had been cool initially, but during Jake’s visit yesterday, she’d begun to warm. In the Montessori school’s parking lot this morning, when Jake had asked to take “his favorite ladies” out for some treats, Macy had bounced into his arms. Now she was voluntarily holding his hand. Apparently, Candace wasn’t the only one falling for Jake Campbell’s charms.
“There’s one more place I’d like to stop before we go back to your house. See the store with the fancy mannequin in the front window?” Using their linked fingers, he pointed to a shop ahead, near the city hall square. “They sell stuff you might like for your dress-up box. Ever been in there?”
Macy shook her head. “Mommy likes to drive a long time to go shopping.”
“London has better stores, what can I say?” No need to explain her true motivation for traveling an hour to shop. Jake would know the real reason—to avoid encountering men she’d serviced while out with her daughter. Yet here she was, risking that very thing because she trusted Jake to keep her safe. More importantly, to keep Macy safe.
“Hey. You’re good,” he said, reaching across to squeeze her shoulder. The contact ended with the simple touch. He’d promised to behave as Candace’s friend, nothing more, around Macy. So far, he’d kept his word. As he always did.
She smiled a thank you and he nodded, accepting what she gave him, even if it wasn’t enough. Another thing he always did.
He ushered them toward the store’s entrance. “Let’s go in and look around. Maybe we’ll see something I can buy for your dress-up box.”
“It’s not my birthday until October.”
“It doesn’t have to be your birthday to get presents.” He pulled the handle, holding the door open and motioning the ladies to enter first.
An awestruck gasp slipped through Macy’s lips as she passed beneath Jake’s outstretched arm, into the store. “Wow…”
“Wow, indeed.” Candace didn’t know where to look first. Clothing and accessories of all kinds seemed to explode from the walls and floor racks. Not because the place was overfilled with inventory, but because no two items were the same and each piece was a visual treat. “I didn’t realize this was a vintage shop.”
“Yeah, it’s a pretty cool store.”
She surveyed his tan pants, topped by a navy t-shirt with a sporty logo on the left chest area. “Yes, I can tell you do a lot of your shopping here.”
“Hey, I’ve bought stuff here. More than once. Just not for me.”
“Oh.” That’s all she could bring herself to say. What right did she have to be jealous of anything Jake had done in his personal life? None. No right at all.
“Can I go look at the jewels?” Macy’s question pulled Candace’s attention from Jake’s grinning face.
“Yes, baby girl, you may. But don’t touch anything or wander where I can’t see you.”
“Okay, Mommy.”
She sighed while watching Macy skip to a glass case containing tiaras and other showpiece trinkets. Her precious little princess.
“She’s great,” Jake said. “Like her mom.”
“She’s better than great. And a thousand times better than me, obviously.”
“I’d tell you all the ways you’re amazing if I thought you’d believe me.” He stroked her arm where it hung between them, ending the subtle touch by gently squeezing her hand. “Maybe one day you will.”
A lump blocked her throat, preventing her from speaking. Probably for the best. She wasn’t about to agree with him and he didn’t deserve an argument.
“If she finds something that catches her eye, is it okay if I buy it for her? I should’ve asked before I offered.”
God, this man. Dating a sex worker who hadn’t had sex with him, willingly spending quality time with a child who wasn’t his…he was too good to be true, yet he was the real deal.
She didn’t know why he’d been so determined to make this relationship work, but her life was fuller now that he was part of it. So was her daughter’s. “Yes, it’s okay. Don’t spend too much.”
“No worries there. My disposable income is significantly less than it used to be since I started paying for massages I don’t get,” he said, winking.
“That’s your fault entirely. You’re the one who refuses to collect what you pay for.”
“I have no regrets.” Another wink came her way. “Just a lot less cash.”
Self-control abandoned her, as it often did in his presence, and she swatted at him, taking a chance Macy wouldn’t notice the playful exchange.
Playful changed to intimate as he caught her hands and pinned them against his broad, hard chest. The action brought them face-to-face, with negligible space between them.
“Jake,” she whispered, when he dipped down, as if to kiss her. “We can’t let Macy see us like this. She’ll get the wrong idea about us.”
“There’s nothing wrong about us, Candace.” He released her hands and eased backward, cupping her face in his palms as he subjected her to the full power of his deep gaze.
“Mommy, Jake, come see,” Macy called, waving them over to the display case where she knelt. So close, her breath had fogged the glass.
“I’ll go.” He brushed the pad of his thumb over her cheek, sweeping away the lone tear that’d broken free of her control. “Take a lit
tle stroll around the store and join us whenever you’re ready.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“My pleasure, sweets. All of it.”
She watched until he reached Macy. From fifteen feet away, Candace saw his lips moving when he crouched beside her daughter. She couldn’t hear his words. Whatever he’d said caused Macy to throw her arms around his neck for a pint-sized power hug. Their heads turned toward Candace in unison, smiles on both faces.
She gave them a wiggly-fingered wave, waited for their attention to return to the jewelry case, then slipped away between the floor racks. Tears and stress were things she kept in check until Macy was sound asleep. Even on Candace’s worst days, she’d always maintained a calm, stable façade around her daughter. She wasn’t about to break that streak.
She sighed while trailing her finger down the sleeve of a wedding gown. Elegant yet unique, and white as a blanket of fresh snow. A dress so far beyond the realm of possibility, she shouldn’t even be looking at it, let alone touching it.
“It’d look beautiful on you. I think it’s your size too.”
She blinked back to reality and met the salesgirl’s gaze. “It’s lovely, but I’m just browsing.”
“Have you set a date?”
“Me? No. I’m not engaged.”
“Yet?” The salesgirl smiled while glancing at Jake and Macy across the store. “I can put it aside if you want to come back and try it on later. It’s one of a kind. If you think this might be the one you’ve dreamed about, you don’t want to leave it hanging. Somebody else might swoop in and take it.”
The dress. The salesgirl was talking about the dress, not Jake, though the same possibility applied.
“I’m not ready to commit, so I guess I’ll have to take my chances.” With the dress and the man.
“Sure. I’ll let you look around some more.” The salesgirl hadn’t taken a full step before she turned back to Candace. “Ooh, but there is one thing I have to show you first. Not a wedding dress, but just as gorgeous, and it’d look incredible on you. Come and take a quick look, then I promise to let you browse in peace.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Candace muttered under her breath while following the eager beaver to another section of formal dresses.
The salesgirl leafed through the rack, withdrawing a dress with a triumphant flourish. “Tada! Isn’t it incredible?”
“Wow, it’s…” Incredible was too ordinary a description for the floor-length, deep-red satin gown with a mermaid flare at the hemline. The formfitting bodice had narrow straps and pleats guaranteed to accent the hips and booty. “It’s stunning.”
“Want to try it on?” the salesgirl asked, jiggling it like the shiny lure that it was.
“No, thank you. I have nowhere to wear a dress like that.”
“How about the Chief’s Charity Gala?” Jake’s voice and presence at her side wrapped her in a wave of warmth. “Unless you have another dress you’d rather wear.”
Macy tapped Candace’s hip to draw her attention. “What’s a gala?”
“A big, fancy party with lots of grownups all dressed up and dancing.”
“Like the ball in Cinderella.”
“Exactly like that,” Jake said. “And your mom is the beautiful princess.”
“And you’re the prince!”
“I’m trying, kiddo.” He smiled down at Macy, then turned its power of irresistibility to maximum and aimed it straight at Candace. “How about it, princess? Make me the envy of every man in the place next Saturday night?”
Spending time together in places like this was already pushing it. Going out on an actual date would set them squarely and publicly in relationship land. A risky move for multiple reasons.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
“You have other plans?” He posed the question innocently, though he knew very well that she stayed home with Macy every night, no exceptions.
“It’s very short notice. I don’t have a babysitter and won’t have time to place an ad, interview applicants and check references.”
“No need to. My sister Megan is a teacher’s assistant in a kindergarten classroom. I can vouch for her personally and I know for a fact she doesn’t have a criminal record. Problem solved.”
“But Macy’s never met your sister and she’s not used to having a sitter,” Candace said quietly. “It’s too much, too soon.”
“For Macy, or for you?” He shook his head when she didn’t respond. “Forget I suggested it.”
“Jake—”
“Don’t worry about it.” He focused on Macy, gently squeezing her tiny shoulder. “Show your mom what you picked.”
“A crown!” Macy thrust a rhinestone-studded tiara as high as her little arm extended. The second arm followed suit, fist clenched around a similarly decorated necklace. “And royal jewels!”
“Wow, look at all those gems. I hope you didn’t use your puppy-dog eyes to guilt Jake into buying you both things.”
“No way.” He tugged lightly on Macy’s blonde ponytail. “I’m the one who had to convince her to take them both. Right, kiddo?”
“Right,” Macy said, beaming up at him.
Candace’s heart expanded watching them interact. “Well, I hope you said thank you.”
“I did, Mommy.”
“About ten times already.” He glanced at the red dress where it hung on the front of the rack, abandoned by the salesgirl who’d slunk away during their hushed disagreement. “Anything else you want to grab before I pay for Macy’s stuff?”
She answered by shaking her head. Easier to maintain some semblance of emotional control if she didn’t open her mouth.
“All right.” He nodded toward the service desk near the front door. “Let’s head out. Macy and I have dress-up plans and she promised I can wear the necklace while we have our tea party.”
Candace couldn’t help but smile. “Ooh, exciting. I can see why you’re in a hurry to get going.”
“Heck, yeah. It’s not every day a guy like me gets to wear royal jewels.” He probably meant a heterosexual, alpha male.
Other definitions came to her mind when she thought about a guy like him. Handsome and sexy, for sure. Also, stubborn, determined, thoughtful and kind. And romantic. She couldn’t forget romantic.
“Wait.” Macy tugged on her mother’s hand when Candace started walking. “Aren’t you getting the pretty dress, Mommy?”
“Not today, baby girl.”
“You don’t have any fancy dresses in your closet. What will you wear to the princess ball?”
“I’m not going to the ball. Maybe next time.”
“If you don’t go, who’s going to be Jake’s princess?”
The question hit Candace like a punch to the gut. As a painfully shy teenager, she’d declined more invitations from boys than she’d accepted. “If you always say no, they’ll stop asking you and move on to somebody else,” had been one of her mother’s favorite pearls of wisdom. Her mother had been correct back then.
She looked over at Jake. The man who’d refused to be pushed away, who’d looked into her eyes and sworn to stick around met her gaze. No assurances of a next time left his lips. If she continued saying no, would he eventually stop asking and move on to another woman? Of course he would, and he’d be better off for it. Her side of the equation held a different outcome. One that royally sucked—for her and her daughter.
Chapter 11
Jake
Megan tapped her index finger on the box she held. “Since I’m about to risk a door slamming, or punch in the face, with this stunt of yours, may I take a peek inside?”
“Be my guest, just don’t mess anything up.” Jake looked over at his sister while bringing his Cherokee to a stop on Candace’s street, close enough to see her townhouse, but far enough away to go unnoticed. “I had the salesgirl put it in the box so it’d look perfect when Candace opens the lid.”
“Never thought I’d see the day my rough-and-tumble, wiseass brother would
stress about how a dress was folded in a box.”
“Zip it and take your peek. Quickly. I don’t want her to look out the window and spot me before you get to the damn door.”
“Are you aware just how bad you have it for this chick?”
“Woman, not chick. And yes, I’m aware.”
Megan paused with her hand on the lid. “Then she’s a lucky woman, because good men like you aren’t easy to find.”
As much as he appreciated the sentiment from his typically sarcastic sibling, they didn’t have time for a greeting-card moment. “Feel free to tell Candace how great I am…if she doesn’t slam the door or punch you in the face first.”
“Gosh, I can hardly wait to ring the bell and find out which it’ll be,” Megan said, carefully lifting the box’s lid. “Holy crap, Jake, this is gorgeous. And it’s from the vintage shop on King—very classy.” She lifted the accompanying business card and waved it at him. “Did you pick up anything for me?”
“Not this time, sorry.”
“You should be sorry. You know that’s my favorite store. You wouldn’t even know about it if I hadn’t dragged you in there to look for authentic bell-bottoms to wear to that pimp-and-ho party a couple years back.”
“I owe you one. Two, if you pull this off for me. Now close the box and get moving.”
Megan wrinkled her nose at him while replacing the lid. “Maybe I’ll tell Candace how much of a stubborn, demanding ass you can be. Though if she’s spent even a small amount of time with you, I suspect she’s already aware of those qualities.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He shooed her toward her mission, leaning across the empty seat before she closed the passenger door. “Hey. Thanks for this, Meggie. I mean it.”
“I’ll do my best to get you what you want.” She jiggled the glossy, pink box. “But if she says no to this invitation, she doesn’t deserve you.”
He nodded as Megan pushed the door closed with a hip bump. If Candace turned down his offer a second time, it’d be motivated by insecurity and uncertainty. Understanding her reasons didn’t mean he had to accept them. As his sister had pointed out, he could be a stubborn, demanding ass. Qualities that had burned him on occasion, but were exactly what he needed to break through Candace’s walls for good.
