Candy's Wild Ride (The Candy Cane Girls Book 3)

by Bonnie Engstrom

  “They both loved that woman. Obviously.”

  ~

  Candy stewed around, flung clothes against the wall of her bedroom and over the chair. She picked up the sandals she had worn that night when the Bills drove up on their cycles. Not the best choice for riding a motorcycle, but she hadn’t known. She threw them in the trash. Good riddance to strange memories. Time to go job seeking again. Her money was running out.

  Melanie had suggested, even pressured her, to try the preschool. “But, I am not good with little kids.” Candy made that clear, but Melanie said there were other options. So, today she marched in to New Hope Preschool and met with Dana the director. She was lucky to get an appointment; blessed, Melanie said. The place was so cheery; a red heart rug on the floor, pictures of adorable children everywhere, a woman named Lorrie greeting her like a long lost friend. She felt comfortable. That had been a long time in coming.

  “This is not right for me,” Candy said. She actually did feel comfortable talking with Ms. Dana, but she felt uncomfortable taking up her time. Little children were not her future. She was sure.

  ~

  “Welcome, Candace.” Ms. Dana shifted some papers, then looked Candy straight in the face. No, the eyes. “I see from your letter and resume you believe you are not teacher material.”

  Candy nodded and felt her ridiculous pendant earrings jangle against her jaw. Why on earth had she worn those? To make a statement? Surely, teachers who worked with little children didn’t adorn themselves that way. Hopefully, Ms. Dana would see that.

  Ms. Dana rubbed a finger across one eyebrow, leaned forward and peered again at Candy. “You’re sure?” She asked in a gentle manner, not challenging.

  “Pretty sure. Actually, quite sure. I’ve never worked with kids. I find them scary.” There, she’d said it. She fumbled with the zipper of the purse on her lap. “I’ve never been around many; never babysat when I was a teen.”

  “Mmm. Sounds to me as if you are scared.” Ms. Dana set the resume aside, clasped her hands and, again, looked Candy straight in the face. “Melanie has great faith in you … as a friend and a Christian woman.”

  Candy nodded. This interview was not going as she had planned. She had hoped the director would tell her she wasn’t qualified, no deal. She was only doing it to appease Melanie.

  “I understand you are divorced. But, I’m not supposed to discuss that. However, you did emphasize that several times in your application letter, as well as your resume. Reason?”

  Candy nodded. Hopefully, that would put her resume in the slush pile and she could leave this stressful situation.

  “That,” Dana said, “is not a deal breaker. At least three of our teachers are or have been divorced. Myself, also,” she said with authority.

  “Really?”

  “Yes.” It was a simple statement.

  “Oh. I thought that wasn’t acceptable in a Christian school.” She fidgeted some more. What was happening here?

  “The only thing important is, hopefully, you are a Christian. But,” Dana cleared her throat, “legally that isn’t supposed to matter. Still, it is rewarding that you are.” She picked up a paper Candy hadn’t noticed before. “This is a letter of introduction from Melanie. Tell me about the Candy Canes.”

  For the next twenty minutes Candy opened her heart. She explained about the high school swim team and how the girls were all still best friends. How they still supported each other in so many ways. She even got into a tangent about Cindy and Rob being missionaries in Costa Rica and how they sent Bible study books and food to them. Finally, she clasped her hands on her shaking legs. “Sorry. I went off,” she said. She reached for a tissue on Dana’s desk and dabbed her eyes.

  “You have a very special and blessed relationship.” She handed Candy another tissue. “Can you start tomorrow?”

  ~

  “You are doing what?” Natalie’s voice rose to a high pitch.

  “I am going to work at New Hope Preschool. Can you believe it?”

  Nat shook her head. “No. But, I believe God led you there.” Her encouraging grin sealed the deal for Candy. The hug helped a lot, too.

  “I’m scared, Nat. All I’ve ever done is retail. And, I hated it. This is so out of my league.”

  “Then, why did she hire you? She must have seen something special, even redeeming.”

  “I’m still not sure what I will be doing. I think she said something about starting with supervising kids on the playground. I think I could do that.” She grinned at Nat. “But, I still have reservations. Please pray I don’t yell at them. I walked through the campus with her today. The children are so adorable. They ran up to her for hugs. ‘Ms. Dana, Ms. Dana’ they said. ‘Do you love me?’ How can I compete with that?”

  “You don’t have to. She isn’t asking you to. Just be yourself.” Natalie hugged Candy. Tomorrow she would be gainfully employed, making about nine dollars an hour.

  ~

  Bill Senior was both appalled and confused. He and Candy had met at Nat’s Gym at six a.m., and she shared her new employment. What was she thinking? She had never had children or been a mother. How could she do this?

  After she told him her exciting news and did some bench presses, she ran off. “Gotta shower and get ready for work,” she’d said. “First day on the job. Wish me luck.” She had raised a hand; he raised one back.

  ~

  She walked into the New Hope office in tennies and a comfortable workout outfit. Seemed right for the job.

  Ms. Dana and Ms. Lorrie greeted her, and Dana took her hand and led her around to every classroom. Some of the children were doing crafts, and some were singing. All were adorable.

  A bell rang, and Dana said, “This is your cue. Assist on the playground.” Then she left.

  Tawnie, the teacher of the four year olds, turned to her, said “Hi,” and told her to take three kids to potty. What?

  ~

  “You what?” Natalie started to giggle uncontrollably. She coughed and sputtered. She had a vision of Candy wiping little bottoms and holding small hands under the faucet. Candy pounded her on the back.

  “Really, Nat. That’s what all the adults do at the preschool. Even Dana sometimes. We take turns. I’m sure Melanie has done her share of potty time. Part of the deal.”

  “I just can’t … I just can’t … see you doing it.” She gasped and giggled again, then sucked in a deep breath.

  “Hey, girl. I’m grateful for the job.” Candy gently slapped Nat on the shoulder. “And,” she continued with emphasis, “it’s a great place to work. Everyone is kind and cheerful, and best of all Christian. And,” she rolled her eyes, “there are always treats in the office. Today it was Ms. Lorrie’s chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies. Homemade.” She grinned sheepishly. “I took two.”

  ~

  Bill Senior called. She wasn’t sure how he got her cell number. Probably Nat leaked it.

  Certainly not Mom who was against anyone older than thirty. Too bad, Mom.

  “And to what do I owe this honor?” She made an attempt to be light.

  “Wanted to learn how your first day with the little ones was.” She was sure he was grinning on his end of the call.

  “It was great, terrific even.” She paused to give him the full effect. “I did a lot of potty duty. And, gorged on cookies.”

  “You pilfered from the kids’ lunches?”

  “No, silly. The cookies were in the office for everyone to take. Homemade. Chocolate chip. Yum.” That should put a bee in his bonnet. Or helmet.

  “Oh. Dinner tonight?” He sounded so hopeful. “Maybe something low-key like Pei Wei? On my cycle.”

  “I hate to refuse. But, I really am very tired after all that potty duty.” She almost choked trying not to giggle. “I’m sure you understand.”

  “Sure. Sort of.” She could hear the disappointment in his voice.

  “Sonny not available?” Why had she used that moniker for Bill Junior? However, Bill Senior did call him
that.

  “No, he has a date.” That was all he said. No information.

  “Good for him.” But, she wondered.

  “Nat didn’t tell you?”

  “No. We only saw each other for a few minutes when I stopped into the gym after work. She was busy.” Yeh, right. Why did Nat hide the date with Bill Junior from her? The relationships with the Bills was getting complicated.

  Her phone buzzed again. Oops, she still had it on silence as a concession for during work. Actually, she liked the low buzz better than the chime. “Hi, Con. I saw your name come up.

  “Sure. You are welcome to borrow anything. But what on earth would I have you’d want? You are the clothing designer, so you must have scads of gorgeous things.” She paused to listen to Connie’s chatter. “Why do you need a long wool scarf? It’s almost summer.”

  “Who with?” Noelle the English teacher would probably slap her for such inappropriate grammar. But, Connie on a motorcycle? No, couldn’t be.

  “Which Bill?” She had guessed right. Almost.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Candy left the long wool scarf on the porch. She wasn’t sure she wanted to see Connie. She felt as if Nat and Connie had been a little underhanded. Not to mention Bill Senior. What was going on? The Bill situation was getting out of hand. Maybe she was making too much of it. But, Big Bill did make it very clear the other day that he cared for her. But, how? In what way? Had he said specifically? No. It had all been inference. Clothed in ambiguity. What did “I care more than you know.” mean? Or, “If I had a choice, I would make a move.” What did he mean if he had a choice? He does. And I want it.

  You do, Bill, you do! She wanted to scream. At him. But, he either wasn’t listening to his heart, or he was horribly confused. She was, too. She felt herself falling hard for Bill Senior, the one Natalie had in her sights, the one her mother was against because of his age. Now, even Bill Junior was unavailable since Connie was hugging onto his back on a motorcycle. The Bill situation was more than complicated. She decided to try very hard to set it aside, but couldn’t. She needed her Candy Cane sister, the strong one.

  Apparently it took a long time for a call to go through via California to Costa Rica. Cindy answered after numerous rings. She was so insightful. “Trouble?” she said. It was a strange way to answer the phone, but so very Cindy. Somehow she knew.

  Candy did her best to explain, but since Cindy didn’t know either of the Bills, it spilled out diluted and jumbled. She tried to go through the whole scenario from the beginning, how Big Bill made a play for Nat and practically insisted in investing in her gym; how he brought his son, Young Bill, into the mix and she, Candy, had thought they might click. She told her about the cycle rides and dinner, and giggling how Nat had consumed so many oysters. Cindy finally laughed. But, she had been listening intently in silence before Candy shared that escapade.

  “Wait,” Candy said. “There’s more.” She explained about running into Young Bill in the supermarket when they were shopping for pickles and chips. That part of the scenario gave Cindy the giggles again. Until Candy told her about Connie’s date tonight.

  “What!” She thought Cindy would magically morph or mutate through the phone lines, that’s how upset she sounded. “Connie wouldn’t do that,” she finally said with resolve. “She wouldn’t.” Candy heard a sigh and pause. “She did, didn’t she? Didn’t honor the Candy Cane sisters promise.”

  “Yeh, almost like the one doctors take … to do no harm, and,” Candy added, “to honor and respect and support each other and never steal another’s boyfriend.” The day they had graduated from Vista del Mar, they had made a solemn pact, a promise, a treaty to each other. They didn’t do the blood thing like so many teen boys did, but clasped hands and prayed together, but they promised to honor their special commitment. Yes, they were young, and perhaps naïve, Candy thought, but all Christians, they intended to honor it. Until now, when Connie hadn’t.

  ~

  Connie twisted Candy’s scarf around her neck and jumped on the back of Bill’s cycle. She wrapped her arms around his torso and clung hard to the softness of the leather jacket. Her hands were clasped around his chest, and her breath blew on the back of his neck. What, she wondered, was she doing here?

  They pulled up to a restaurant she didn’t recognize. He parked the cycle and made a big play of helping her off. “Thanks,” she said. “I’ve ridden before, and I’m okay.”

  That seemed to impress him, and he did a little bow when he removed his helmet and locked hers and his under the cycle’s seat. She had to remind herself this was Bill Junior, the son. The gorgeous one. The model with the intentional, scruffy five o’clock shadow impersonating a Hawaii 5-0 actor. What was she thinking? She had just given Nat and Candy a sermon about how she loathed male models. Now she was dating one.

  “Where are we?” Connie asked. Should she be wary? This restaurant was off the beaten track. It was a funky little Italian one nestled in a small inlet next to the water. But, obviously popular, because about twenty people were sitting outside waiting on benches. She hoped the food was good. They had taken Newport Boulevard, the main street of the Peninsula, then cut through a few side streets she wasn’t familiar with. But, the smells coming from the door of the cottage-type place were tantalizing. Her nose actually wiggled. Maybe Sabatino’s Lido Shipyard Sausage Company was okay. Should be with such a long name.

  Bill grabbed the lapels of his leather jacket, shook it a bit from his frame and strode into the entry to give his name. A cutsie young woman with red streaks in her brown hair led them to a small secluded table in a corner. Her fake diamond studs glittered in the low light. “Hi, handsome,” She winked as she tossed menus on the starched white tablecloth. “We always serve antipasta first.” She signaled to a female server who plunked down a narrow dish laden with small bites of meat and olives and peppers. Cutsie had ignored Connie, then turned back almost as an afterthought and said, “Oh, Sweetie, hi to you, too. Welcome.”

  Connie grinned and started to pick at the peppers on the dish. She wondered if Bill had been here numerous times before. Although the hostess didn’t suggest that, the fact they had been seated immediately did. So? Whatever. Didn’t matter. She was with Mr. Gorgeous.

  ~

  Candy heard a long, loud sigh from Cindy’s end. Finally, Cindy said, “I don’t know what I can do. She is her own person, but has never had the same level of commitment the rest of us have. Maybe it’s that creative streak. Want me to call her, or email her?”

  Candy felt guilty. She was calling Cindy thousands of miles away asking her to help with a situation right under her nose. She changed the subject. She was getting good at that. “So, how are the chips and pickles?” She laughed and waited.

  “Probing, are you?” Cindy asked.

  “Not really. Billy told me. I am sorry if he ruined your surprise.”

  Cindy roared with laughter. “Oops. Gotta run to bathroom. Call you later.”

  ~

  Connie felt her eyes get donut-sized. Tall, angular, thin but buff Mr. Gorgeous was attacking a huge plate of sausage and peppers. Like he hadn’t eaten in a month.

  She decided to be diplomatic. “Good, huh?”

  “Great, the best. How’s your ravioli?”

  “Delicious, but way too much for me.” She took another small bite and rolled her eyes in pleasure. “I will need a doggie bag for sure.”

  She couldn’t resist any longer. “How can you eat so much and still pose and look so – so lean?”

  His answer startled her. She put down her fork. What?

  “I joined your friend Nat’s gym, and I work out every day. However,” he said, “I believe it’s genetic. Dad is pretty slim and buff. For his age,” he added with a grin. “Grandpa Lord was always slender, even in his nineties. Guess we are just blessed.”

  “Lucky you. Being in the fashion design business, I have to be careful.”

  “You don’t have to model your designs, do you?”
r />   “Not often. But, I do attend a lot of events, and I am supposed to look glam.”

  Bill reached his hand across the table and touched hers. “You are more than glam, Connie. You are naturally beautiful.”

  Heat creeped up her neck. Was this man for real? Even in her business, surrounded by media and other designers and models, both male and female, no one had ever said she was “’naturally beautiful.’” She smiled, squeezed his hand and said, “Thank you. That’s one of the best compliments I’ve ever had.”

  The words would cover her like a fuzzy blanket when she tried to get to sleep tonight. Sleep had come hard lately.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Bill Senior tossed and pulled the sheet over his face. Daylight Saving Time was the pits. Light filtered in through the shutters in his bedroom. Maybe forty minutes more of sleep would help. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. Both the young girls were beautiful, but there was something about her. Like they had an affinity for each other. They had only met that once in her living room. Still, he’d felt the connection. She had smiled at him and lowered her head and blushed. Was he crazy? He was certainly confused. He needed to talk with his only confidant.

  “Son? You still in Coronado?”

  “You’re here? In bed in the condo?” Why hadn’t he heard him? Maybe he was getting hard of hearing, old. “You up for coffee?” He set down the phone, showered quickly and jumped on his cycle. Starbucks was only ten minutes away.

  ~

  Bill Junior was shocked. He stared at his dad’s shaking hands wrapped around the paper cup. “You sure?”

  “No, not one hundred percent, but close.” Bill Senior squeezed his eyes closed. His son was sure he saw moisture under his dad’s lashes. “Do you think she’ll go out with me? Would it be weird if I asked her?”

  Young Bill felt his shoulders quivering from hard contained laughter. “Naw, Dad. I think it would be great.”

  “Ya think?” Dad seemed so uncertain, like a school boy worried about his first date. Actually, when Bill Junior thought about it, that’s what it was. First date in over thirty years.