The Candy Bar Complete - 4 book box set: Candy Bar Series

by Patrice Wilton

  He scowled. “What possibilities?”

  “Well, you know how it is. Lydia is a divorce attorney so she knows a lot of available men. Actually, every guy she meets is going through a divorce; the men are emotionally vulnerable, ready to be snapped up.”

  I had just taken a sip of milk and now I sputtered, spewing milk on the counter. “Fran!”

  “Well, it’s true.” Fran put some cookies on a plate and offered it to the kids. “Here you go. Oatmeal raisin, fresh from the oven.”

  She put another plate in front of Jed and me.

  “Give them another minute to cool,” she warned. “Want some more lemonade, Jed?”

  Fran refreshed her own glass as well as his. “I’m glad you came over, Jed. Maybe you can help us with that list.”

  He dipped his cookie into my milk. “Don’t try to get my goat, Fran. Lydia doesn’t need a list.”

  Nick spoke, revealing a mouthful of cookie. “What goat, Dad?”

  “Yeah, what goat, Dad?” I made a face at him, moved my milk out of his reach, and bit into the cookie. It melted in my mouth. “Oh, my gosh.” I took another bite. “I’ll never eat tofu again.”

  Fifteen minutes later Fran remembered something she had to do, and I was alone with Jed and the kids.

  He spoke quietly. “I wanted to apologize, Lydia. I said some things that I shouldn’t have in the heat of the moment.”

  “Yes, you did say some awful things.”

  “I’ve had a week to think about everything, and although I’m not happy that you didn’t share the news with me sooner, I’m willing to accept your reasons and move on from here.”

  “Good. That seems sensible.” I sipped on my milk and moved a cookie around the plate. I wondered what he meant by moving on. Like as in being friends, or getting back to being lovers? Or did he mean move on, as in saying good-bye, and rushing off to his next adventure. What the hell did it mean?

  The kids had gone out to the patio, so Jed felt free to talk. “Lydia, I thought that maybe the two of us could explain it to the kids. I started to, but I just didn’t know how to tell them.”

  He looked down at his hands and I wanted to put mine on top of his, and tell him it was all right. He didn’t need to be embarrassed. It wasn’t the easiest thing in the world to tell his children that a woman they barely knew was having his baby, and that they would soon have a baby brother or sister. It might be easier coming from me. On the other hand, maybe not.

  “We were going to take the boat out tomorrow and have a picnic somewhere, and I thought…”

  “I’m seeing the doctor in the morning to get my stitches out. But if we could go around noon, I’d love to come.”

  “We’ll wait.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  His boat was beautiful. A thirty-two foot Sea Ray Sundancer with two sleeping quarters, a fully stocked galley, TV, a microwave, the works.

  “Not too shabby.” I told him. “I thought you said it was little.”

  “I had to downsize after the divorce settlement.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  “Why don’t you get us all sodas while I back us out of here?” He ran around the boat, unhooking one line and another, and I watched him for a moment, then went inside to get the drinks. The trouble was, I liked watching him.

  By the time I got the kids their soft drinks and grabbed two cans for us, he had taken his shirt off, put his sun glasses on, and looked darn near edible.

  He smiled when he saw me and I got all these little butterflies zooming around my stomach. “I was wondering when you were coming up. Did you find everything? We have champagne if you’d prefer that to a soda.”

  I handed him a regular coke and pulled the tab on my can of diet. “Maybe in six months.”

  He nodded. “That’s good. It never stopped Alex any, and the kids are perfectly fine. Still, I didn’t like it.”

  We were nearing one of the bridges when it began to lift. I looked behind me and saw a rather large yacht that needed the height clearance. “And I thought that was just for us.”

  “This boat wasn’t built to stop traffic.”

  “It might be smaller than you’re used to, but it’s very nice.”

  “So are you.”

  I stared at him. Was he coming on to me? Yes, I could tell from the spark in his eye. He wanted to kiss me.

  I looked around for his kids. Nowhere in sight. “Jed, are you flirting with me?”

  “Yeah. You got a problem with that?”

  “No. Yes. I’m not sure.”

  “Make up your mind. If it’s yes, you’ll have to swim back.”

  I punched his arm. “You’re horrible.”

  “I’m not horrible. I just want…”

  What? I was holding my breath, wondering if he really was going to kiss me when the kids exploded on the scene, breaking the tension between us.

  “Hey, guys.” Jed held his arm out to encircle them. “You getting hungry?”

  “Yup. I’m starving.” Nick said.

  “Me, too.” Nicole glanced up at me. “Did you bring us some cookies?”

  Darn. Why hadn’t I thought to do that? “I’m sorry, honey. I forgot.”

  “That’s okay. We have some chips downstairs. I’ll get ’em.”

  She ran off to go downstairs, and it was just as she was returning that a crazy kid on a skidoo came roaring past us and Jed had to yank the wheel sharply to the right.

  The bag of chips went flying in the air. Nicole lost her balance, and teetered toward the leeward side of the boat. The same side that dipped toward the water.

  I screamed. And things played out in slow motion.

  Nicole looked up. I saw her little face frozen with horror. She lost her footing and toppled overboard.

  I kicked off my shoes and jumped in.

  The slap of the water was a shock, but I came up sputtering. “Nicole?” I yelped and looked around frantically. There she was. About ten feet away.

  She was flailing with her hands and her legs, and crying, “Help, help!”

  “Nicole. I’m here. Hang on.”

  She started to go down and I knew I had to get to her quick. Thankfully, I’m a strong swimmer and I took off with long strides. And a whole lot of adrenalin.

  Meanwhile, Jed had shut down the boat and tossed a life buoy in our direction.

  She was sinking and I had to dive under to grab her. I felt an arm and I grabbed for her, but she was like a slippery eel and I couldn’t hold on. I kicked harder to go deeper, and then I had her in my arms and used my legs to bring us both to the surface. We broke water, and I heard Jed and Nick yelling our names.

  “It’s okay, honey. I’ve got you.” Nicole was still flailing and crying, and I was afraid she’d drown us both. “I won’t let you go. I promise, baby. Hold on to my neck, and I’ll swim us back.”

  Jed was pointing at the buoy, and I twisted my head and saw it behind me. Clutching Nicole, I did a one-armed breast stroke until I reached it, lifted her on it, and waited for Jed to pull us to safety.

  He had the ladder down and was standing on the back platform ready to pull us up. I handed Nicole over to him and he held her on one hip before reaching down for me. My clothes felt like a dead weight as I hauled my ass out of the water.

  Heedless of my drenched clothes, Jed pulled me close. The three of us were clinging to each other, and Nick, not wanting to be left out, squeezed in too. I put my hand on his back, and he released a ragged sob.

  Nicole and I both were shaking and shivering from shock. She was sobbing, and the more she cried, the harder it was for me not to join in. All my maternal instincts were flooding out of me, and protecting her, keeping her safe, was the only thing that mattered.

  I stroked her head as she whimpered into her daddy’s neck. Her little legs were wrapped around his middle. She was warm, loved. Safe.

  “Hey, baby.” Jed kissed my forehead and rubbed my back. “You’re a hero. You rescued my little munchkin.”

  I sniffl
ed, and whispered in his ear. “I was so scared.” Then I smoothed Nicole’s long, wet hair away from her cheek. “You okay, honey?”

  She grabbed my hand, and hers felt so small, so tiny and defenseless, that my stomach clenched. Oh, what if something had happened to her? What if I hadn’t gotten to her in time?

  “I’m okay,” she answered. “Dad. You’re squishing me.”

  He chuckled, and released his hold. “Okay, sweetheart.” He put her down, but kept a hand on both kids. “You scared the crap out of me falling in like that. Never, never do that again. Either of you.”

  Nick said, “I’d never do that. I can swim, but not that good.”

  I bit my lip to stop it from trembling. “Nicole, you and me need a shower. How about it?”

  She shook her head vehemently. “No, no shower. No more water.”

  Jed nodded. “That’s okay, honey. You don’t have to. You can just get out of those wet clothes and put something dry on. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  He looked at me. “You, too. Downstairs in my closet you’ll find some things of mine. Put on a T-shirt or something. Oh, hell, I don’t know.”

  “I don’t feel like any more water right at the moment, either.” I made a face. “But I guess I have to.” I pulled sea-weed out of my hair.

  Jed wrapped a big towel around Nicole and told the kids, “I’m going to get Lydia a few things. Sit down. Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

  “Okay, Dad,” they chorused.

  I followed Jed down the steps, past the galley, and into the forward cabin. He stopped and turned. I knew what he was going to do. And I wanted it as much, maybe more, than he did.

  I tilted my head and he kissed me for a very long time. It was the nicest kiss I’ve ever had.

  “Thank you,” I blubbered.

  “For what?” He smiled. “I’m the one who needs to be thanking you.”

  I turned away. He touched my shoulder. “If the kids weren’t upstairs, I’d show you my appreciation…”

  “They are.” I pulled my wet T-shirt off and unhooked my bra. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

  He groaned, and I laughed and unzipped my shorts.

  “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

  “What?” I grinned.

  “Torturing me.”

  “Is that what I’m doing?”

  His hand cupped my ass and gently squeezed. “Yeah.”

  “Then I guess I am.”

  Chuckling, he threw a towel at me. “You’re going to get yours, young lady.”

  Smiling, I wondered when.

  * * *

  I came up on deck wearing one of his short-sleeved shirts knotted at the navel and his size 34-inch shorts belted at the hips. He looked at me and whistled. “You look a hell of a lot better in my clothes than I do.”

  I grinned cheekily. “You just wear them differently.” My hair was clean and damp and stuffed under a Dolphins cap, my face free of make-up, but the way he was looking at me made me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world.

  He had cleaned up Nicole the best he could by combing her hair and then pulling it back into a pony-tail. “I was trying to braid it, but I haven’t figured that out yet.”

  “I could do it. Would you like that, Nicole?”

  She nodded, and looked at me with big, shiny eyes. “I love you,” she said.

  I gulped, and felt my insides turn into a pile of mush. This darling child. If anything had happened…but it hadn’t. So just stop it. Don’t go there, I warned myself.

  “I love you, too, Sweetie.” I glanced over at Nick. “And that kid, too. What’s his name?”

  “Nick?” he said hopefully.

  “Yeah. Nick. I love him too.”

  He smiled as though I had lit him up inside.

  Nicole sat down in front of me. “Can you teach my Dad how to braid?”

  “I think I can.” I looked at Jed. “Come here. I’ll show you.”

  I put my hands over his and we interlocked fingers as the two of us braided her hair. My breasts were pushed into his back as I leaned over him. I was ridiculously aware of the strength and solidity of his back as he playfully pushed up against me, and the body heat that emanated from him. And I’m not ashamed to say that I loved every moment of it.

  Nick was getting impatient. “Can we go now? I’m hungry. So hungry, I could eat a horse. No, a dinosaur. One of the meat eating ones.”

  “Wow.” I laughed. “That’s hungry.”

  “Okay,” Jed answered. “We’re close to a dockside restaurant or not far from home, if you want to go back.”

  “We want to eat now.” Nick stomped his foot.

  “Okay, we’re almost at a place we can tie up. It’s real casual so you won’t have to worry about being underdressed,” he said to me.

  “Are you kidding? After what just happened, I’m not worried about a thing.”

  The food was delicious. I must have been starving because I started with conch chowder, then the appetizer size coconut shrimp with mango chutney, and shared Jed’s plate of fries. I wolfed down every bite.

  Jed had finished his beef burger and beer and was giving me a funny look. “What did you do to your hair?”

  “It’s under the cap.”

  “All of it?”

  My cheeks turned crimson. “Of course. Why?”

  “Take your hat off and let me see.”

  “No.” He reached for my cap and I slapped his hand away. “My hair’s a mess. Leave it alone.”

  Nicole giggled. “Your hair looks like Ariel’s; that’s my mermaid doll. She would have jumped in and saved me just like you did.”

  “Yeah,” Nick agreed. “But you were better than a stupid old mermaid. You were,” he rolled his eyes, “I don’t know, like Superman, but you’re a girl-saver.”

  We all laughed. “Thank you, Nicole and Nick.” I hugged them both. “It was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me.”

  “What if there had been sharks in the water?” Nick asked.

  “There are no sharks in the Intercoastal,” his dad said firmly.

  “Alligators, then,” Nick said defiantly.

  “Yeah, gators with big mean teeth,” Nicole looked at me with big eyes full of admiration. “We would have been gobbled up.”

  “No alligators, either,” Jed said, winking at me.

  Why did a little wink speed up my heart rate and warm my blood? I’m a grown woman, not a hormonal teenager.

  “What about fish that bite?” Nick asked with glee.

  “Like barracudas?” I said helpfully.

  “Yeah, like those.”

  “None of those, either,” their father said sadly.

  “Just a lot of garbage, and crap floating about, and gas from all the boats. Yuck!” I said, making a face.

  After we’d finished our lunch, the kids and I used the washrooms while Jed paid the bill. As we headed back to the boat, a breeze picked up, and my cap flew off my head. Jed made a grab for it and I put my hands up to hide my hair.

  Nicole pointed at me and squealed, “Where did your hair go?”

  Jed spun around and saw me. “What did you do?”

  “I found your scissors and chopped it off.”

  “Why?”

  “It was so tangled I couldn’t run a brush through it.” I tilted my new nose in the air and spoke with a certain amount of defiance. “I had these nasty things stuck in my hair and it smelled like gasoline, even though I shampooed it twice.”

  I wished he would stop looking at me as if I’d grown horns. My hair had been awful before, it was going to be much better short. Once it was styled, of course. Not now. Now it looked like I’d taken his toenail scissors and done a hatchet job.

  Which I had.

  “I hated my hair, and now it’s gone, so there.”

  “I loved your hair. It was wild and beautiful, like you.”

  I bit my lip and mumbled, “You liked my hair? And you thought that?”

  Maybe
I had gone a little overboard, literally, when I grabbed the scissors. Shit. I thought of the sloppy braid I’d tossed in the bin and almost cried. Forcing a smile on my lips, I said, “It’s just hair. It’ll grow back.”

  * * *

  After we got back to his apartment we had our talk with the children. I told Nick and Nicole that they were going to have a brother or sister. Jed explained that the baby might be a little different and have special needs, but they didn’t care. They were excited about having a baby to look after and to play with.

  After the kids were in bed we had a private conversation.

  Jed’s eyes were warm with appreciation. I thought it was because I’d jumped overboard and brought Nicole to safety. I hadn’t done anything special, and I certainly didn’t want his gratitude. I wasn’t a hundred percent sure what I wanted from Jed, but it sure in hell wasn’t gratitude.

  So, I was very happy when he said, “Lydia. I have something important to tell you. And it’s not because of what happened today. I’d already made up my mind about this.”

  “What, Jed?” I held my breath. Oh, please! Let him love this baby of mine the way he loves his own.

  “The thing is—I discussed it with Nick and Nicole and all three of us want the baby to be a part of our family. However you want to work it is fine by me. Just know that the baby will have a father, and a brother and sister, and that we will love him, no matter what.”

  I felt my heart expand and fill up all the little voids inside of me. “Thank you.” I wasn’t sure how I pictured into this family unit, but it didn’t matter. Our baby would have a family.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  Bruce was happy to see me. I sat there without complaining while he shaped and styled the mess I’d made of my hair.

  “You have good hair,” he chirped, snipping away as though trimming a rose-bush. “So much of it. Did you save the rest you hacked off? Oh, please, say you did. It would make a beautiful wig.”

  “You mean for cancer victims? Locks of Love?” I smiled, suddenly thrilled that I’d chopped off that hunk of hair. “Yeah I have a braid, oh, about this long.” I indicated the length, “but it’s in desperate need of a wash. It smells like dead fish and gasoline.”