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

by Patrice Wilton

  “Competition keeps us on our toes, and the cream always rises to the top.”

  Good heavens, had he really just said that? How perfectly condescending. Unless he believed it, in which case he was naïve. “Well,” I said. “I’m not so sure about that. Anyway—we got off the topic. You came in here to talk to me about Katie and Billy.”

  “Right.” He scratched his head, giving his watch an exasperated glare. “I wanted to meet you, to see if you were part of the marriage plan.”

  I frowned. “Nope.”

  “Billy will probably inform you when you see him tomorrow. Maybe you should act surprised?” Harrison hedged toward the door. The rain, I noticed, was slowing down.

  “I don’t have a clue what to say to him. He’s always been strong willed and if I say one thing, he’ll be sure to do the other.”

  “Sounds like most teenagers,” he said, sending me a commiserating look. “They do it just to irk us.”

  I smiled. “So true.” For different reasons, we each knew what it was like to be a single parent. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy. Couldn’t help being so big and strong, and handsome and successful. Probably came from a whole lineage of men just like him.

  “Maybe we should pretend to be thrilled,” I suggested. “Try to push them into this. Then they will balk, think we’re the crazy ones, and run off scared.”

  Harrison stepped closer to me, giving me his full attention instead of the door.”Risky. What if it backfires?”

  My luck? That is exactly what would happen. I sighed. “Then we’d all be screwed.”

  He used his thumb to rub a worry line between his brows. “I know one thing for sure. If we tell them flat out that they’re too young, and don’t have our blessing, they will be more determined than ever.”

  “Agreed. So, we show enthusiasm. Confuse them a little.” I leaned against the bar, pouring us each a thimble full of scotch. “Here’s to our mutual partnership, created to protect our children.” I swirled the scotch, watching the amber liquid cling to the glass. “Yet, it’s so sadly layered by lies and deceit.”

  “Ouch.” Harrison paused before drinking. “Is it really that bad? We’re just trying to save them from making a huge mistake, and a lifetime of misery.”

  “What if we are wrong?” I asked, second guessing myself. “What if they really do love each other and we destroy something truly special?” My voice quivered. “I love my son and never want to cause him unnecessary pain.”

  “Then time will prove them right.” He joined me at the bar, forgetting about his watch for a second. “Meanwhile, we might be able to slow things down. That’s all,” he spoke gently, his voice as seductive as a caress.

  We sipped on our scotch, and his eyes held mine. He had a warm, hypnotic gaze that warmed my insides and created a tingling between my thighs. He seemed to be leaning toward me, as if he too, could feel the magnetic pull. The scotch, the ambience inside the dimly lit bar added to the temptation of Harrison. His eyes darkened and his jaw clenched.

  Maybe he wasn’t as unaffected as I’d thought.

  It would be so wrong to embark on a romantic journey with this man, the father of my son’s girlfriend…while we were hatching a scheme to break them up.

  I put my glass down and straightened my shoulders, determined to end this attraction once and for all. If only I could look away.

  “Candy?” He put his glass on the bar, never breaking our gaze.

  I swallowed, my stomach twirling. “Yes?”

  “You’re not married?” His head leaned closer. “There’s no Mr. Thompson around?”

  “No.” I pressed my hand to my belly, the other hanging onto the bar. “Why are you asking?” I knew why. I wanted to hear him say it.

  “Because I want to kiss you right now.”

  Oh-oh. This was bad news.

  I sucked in a breath, fighting the waves of desire that floated through me. I almost succeeded, but then I cracked. Perhaps it was the smooth, fifty-year-old scotch talking—or the heated look in his eyes, but I leaned toward him and whispered, “You would?”

  His slight nod did funny things to my insides.

  I half-hoped he’d turn away, and show greater restraint—or better judgment than me. I covered my mouth. “We really shouldn’t.”

  He moved fast. His hand swept out and took the back of my head, guiding my face forward. His lips settled on mine, slanting one way and then another. It was a quizzical kiss, an exploration, as if he wasn’t at sure that he should be doing this, but curiosity won out.

  That lasted for about a second or two, and then he pried my lips open—although I’m not sure if pried is the correct word since I was openly gasping—and then he slipped his tongue in and tasted mine.

  Oh, sweet heaven. The man could kiss. His lips were firm and knowing—seductive as hell. I’m not an amateur either, so I let mine go soft and pliant as my tongue mingled with his. I gave a little sigh of pleasure and he deepened the kiss.

  I swayed and put my hands around his neck, and then my leg seemed to twine around his. We staggered to a wall, and luckily that supported us so I could concentrate on all the wonderful feelings that were flying through me—the sensations of his mouth on mine, the taste and scent of his scotch-tasting breath, the heat that emanated from his large, hard body. Which got my mind thinking—exactly how large?

  I pushed away, and then grabbed him to me again.

  We kissed for a very long time and I couldn’t breathe, or think, but finally I needed some air. “Whoa. Wait a minute,” I gasped. “What are we doing?”

  “Hell if I know.” He ran a hand through his hair. “It feels good. But it’s not good, is it?”

  “No, it’s like the worst thing imaginable.” Billy’s face, stern with disapproval, came to mind but I cleared my head. “We have to stop. We must never ever do this again.” I wiped my mouth, straightened my clothes, and backed away.

  He followed me, stepping forward as I stepped back. “Do you want to stop?” He slipped a hand around my waist and dipped his head low. His mouth was inches from mine. I quivered. My lungs felt constricted, my mouth felt bare.

  “Yes. No. Not today, or ever.” I stared at his mouth, my hand on his forearm, brushing his wrist and his damn Rolex. “But don’t you have to be somewhere?”

  “Oh, shit.” He closed his eyes. “I can’t believe I forgot. I do, but can I come back?”

  “You mean tonight?” My voice squeaked.

  “Unless you have other plans.”

  “No, no. No other plans.” I licked my lips and tried to think up a good reason why he shouldn’t come. Our kids would hate us. Probably never forgive us for all of eternity.

  I’m not a very strong woman, what can I say? After only a few seconds of emotional debate, I caved. I’d never been kissed like this before. “I’ll see you later, then.”

  He nodded, then brushed his lips against my heated cheek and stepped away, his eyes still on me.

  I reached behind me and held on to the wall, unwilling to let the spirits of the dead Indians buried beneath me win out. I might be weak, but because of Billy I had to be strong and fight this force of nature with every quivering, lust-soaked cell in my body. “No. Don’t come back. You shouldn’t. The kids…”

  “I know.” He closed his eyes, and I could see the angst in his face. “But I want to. Of all the rotten luck. I haven’t met a woman that I wanted to fuck since my wife died, and now it has to be you.”

  His sincere anguish made me smile. “You say the nicest things.”

  He laughed, surprised. “Send me away if I come back.”

  “I might do that.” I pushed my hair out of my eyes and breathed deeply. “I will do that.”

  He winked. “I’d have to be here to find out, wouldn’t I?”

  “Goodbye, Harrison. Drive safely to your meeting. I’ll see you this weekend with the kids.”

  He left, and I was relieved to see him go. Had he stayed, I’m not sure what might have happened, but I kn
ow one thing for sure. It wouldn’t have been good. If…and that was a very big if…he came back, I’d show better control and reasoning power. I’d tell him that under no circumstance would we ever end up between the sheets. It was so not going to happen.

  My thoughts turned to Billy, and I felt a sharp pang of guilt. It was true that he’d not always been easy to get along with, and had acted out both at home and at school. He even ran away once and caused me a lot of anguish and grief—but that wasn’t his fault. It was mine. I worked nights, and I should have been home with him more. I also should have found a father-figure for my son during his young, formative years.

  A boy needed his dad and I failed him, big time. Sure, I tried when he was young. I dated a few men but nothing seemed to work out. I turned my focus on running a business and raising him alone. That was fine until the high school years, when all of a sudden he was too big to control and too stubborn to listen.

  Got to admit, the kid’s a lot like me. Only I made bigger mistakes—life-changing ones—although on hindsight I wouldn’t go back and change anything. Those errors in judgment gave me Billy.

  He’s a soft-hearted young man, and loyal, but he hides a big inferiority complex behind a tough exterior. I figured that out about both of us. We shrug things and people off so we don’t get disappointed, or hurt.

  That was exactly what I needed to do with Harrison. It wasn’t my feelings I had to worry about—it was Billy’s, my number one.

  “Why’s the place in darkness?” a voice behind me asked.

  Startled, I jumped, then put a hand to my throat and laughed. “Didn’t hear you come in. Has it stopped raining? We had quite a lightning storm here a half hour back.”

  “Yup. Skies cleared up,” Jake, my hunky bartender, said. “No one’s here yet?” He flicked on some dim lighting, and then without being told, began lighting the candles on the tables.

  We had a big round bar with four TV sets, and we’d get a lot of people crowding around soon. It used to be standing room only, and the high tops would have quickly been snagged by attractive women gathered in small groups. Where the pretty woman drank, men were sure to follow. Now, a lot of my customers—ones who’d been coming here for years—were down the street at that new gastro pub.

  I didn’t make my own brew, or have every sport on TV showing, but I did have a lively band every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, and the usual “talent show” once a month. It still focused on local talent—dancers, singers, or artists, and these nights sold out well. It was the other four nights a week that had fizzled.

  “What’s wrong?” Jake asked. “Why do you look so miserable?”

  “Do I?” I ran a hand through my hair. “It’s just all the stress. The “girls” came in today and I told them I was putting the bar up for sale. You know I mentioned it to you last week, and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about it since.”

  He nodded, and I continued with my story. “Well, they jumped down my throat and said I couldn’t do that—this is the place that brought magic and love into their lives.”

  “True, but the climate’s changing. Faster than we wanted it to.”

  I trusted Jake. He loved the bar as much as I did. “What do you think I should do? They want to give me financial backing, but I’m not sure that I want to stay here any longer.”

  “It’s a tough decision. You’ll figure it out. No one can make it but you.” He put his hands in his jean pockets, and leaned back against the bar. His long legs stretched from one side to the other, whereas my short ones dangled from a bar stool.

  “I do want a change. I’ve been here most every night for going on ten years. I missed all that time with Billy when I should have been around for him.” I sighed, and folded my arms around my middle. “Now it’s too late. He doesn’t need me anymore.”

  Jake stopped setting up, and looked at me. “What do you mean?”

  Tears sprang to my eyes. “He’s getting married.”

  “Holy shit! No wonder you’re upset. Who’s the girl?”

  I told him I hadn’t met her yet, and how the father had shown up and the pact we’d made.

  “Big mistake. You need to put your foot down, not give them your blessing.” He washed up the wine glasses we’d used earlier. “Can’t imagine him tied down at his age. She pregnant?”

  “I asked, and the father said no.”

  His bright blue eyes zoomed in on my face like a laser beam. “What are you not telling me?”

  “Nothing.” He continued to look deeply into my eyes, as if pulling out all my secrets. I folded like a paper airplane. “Okay. I kissed him. That’s all.”

  “Kissed who?”

  “The father. Harrison Wolfe, lawyer. Great kisser, Jake. There was a storm…”

  “Holy shit.” Jake’s face registered shock. “No way.”

  “I know,” I said, guilty as charged. “But I’m not going to do it again.”

  “Unless you want to drive Billy away forever, you better keep your lips and hands to yourself. He’s off limits. Way off limits.” Jake wiped his hands on a towel, and tossed it aside. His eyes were shadowed and his mouth an angry grim line. “I can’t believe you.”

  Jake was not only my employee, but also my trusted friend and confident—and no, he’s not gay. His words cut me deep, highlighting how badly I’d misbehaved. I was thoroughly ashamed of myself, and swore to be a better person—a more devoted mother—while I still had the time. Another woman would soon take center stage in my Billy’s life.

  “I won’t go near him again. Cross my heart.” I did a fake cross but because I’m not involved with any organized religion, it didn’t mean much to me. I believe in the divine power but prefer to keep my prayers private. “The big problem is how are we going to keep Billy from getting married? He’s of legal age, even if he hasn’t reached maturity. Hell, the boy’s hardly got anything to shave.”

  Jake grinned. “Well, some young lady thinks he’s manly enough.”

  “Oh, don’t even talk about it. I don’t want to think about him having sex. It’s gross.”

  “What about you and daddy-o? You think that’s okay?”

  The heat flowed up my chest, onto my neck and warmed my cheeks. Luckily for me, the door burst open and a stream of regulars rushed in.

  I breathed a sigh of relief, having narrowly escaped Jake’s inquisition. Since we went way back, he could dig my ugliest secrets out of me, and my raging hormones were not up for discussion.

  I knew my libido could get me into serious trouble if I didn’t get a handle on things. They’d flipped into high gear the second the magic thing happened and I’d jumped into Harrison’s arms.

  It wasn’t my fault. I was guiltless. The Indians were up to their old mischief, probably doing some crazy love-making dance under the ground where we stood. Hooping and hollering in full tribal gear, having a gay old time at my expense.

  I stamped my foot, hoping they’d know that I was onto them and their tricks. Now, I just had to outsmart them.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Jenny, our one waitress, arrived twenty minutes late, full of apologies and excuses about the weather. Her brown hair was pulled back in a swinging ponytail, but I could see the damp sprinkles in her hair, and that the bottom of her jeans were soaked too. Her canvas shoes were making squishy sounds as she walked.

  “Don’t worry about it,” I told her. “Why don’t you grab the hairdryer out of the storage room and try to dry yourself off. You can’t work the shift in wet clothes.”

  “Okay. I’ll just be a sec.” She ran off, and Jake and I got the bar readied for the customers who came trickling in.

  I was pleased to see that the quick moving tropical storm hadn’t kept our die-hard customers away, and just hoped they stayed long enough to keep my eyes from straying toward the door.

  I chatted with a few of the customers, asking about their kids or their favorite sports teams, anything to try to keep my mind of Billy getting hitched to a girl I hadn’t even
met.

  He still had two months left of college—what was he thinking?

  I can so clearly remember driving him to Florida State University, helping him set up his room, then we’d wandered around campus and found the cafeteria, and a Laundromat, and the bookshop. The first day he’d been nervous, but had shooed me away after only a couple of hours, embarrassed hanging out with his mom. I’d cried all the way home, but we both got used to living separately.

  The seasons seemed to flow from one to another, with Billy coming home for the summers, working part-time at a computer store nearby. Eight hours a day, four days a week. I was so proud of him! Big change from the wild youth who’d spray-painted buildings as a way to rebel.

  I met a few of his girlfriends over the years, and they’d all been nice young women. I could see that while Billy enjoyed their company, he wasn’t head-over-heels. It was the way it was supposed to be. Go to college—have some real-life experiences—throw a few seeds—and then get back on track and find a job, stability, yada, yada.

  Not frickin’ get married right after graduation. The knowledge of what his life would be like made my stomach roll.

  I didn’t want my slender hold on Billy to go. I wasn’t ready to slip down the chain of command. But it wasn’t selfish reasons that made my heart ache. It was motherly concern. I didn’t want my son to take on the physical, emotional daily grind of supporting a family at the tender age of twenty-one.

  Billy would have enough on his plate—finding good steady employment—a place to live—learning to pay his own bills and budget. I guess I assumed he’d move in with me, after he graduated. At least for a while.

  I downed a couple of Advil from under the bar, fighting a headache. Good!

  “You’re quiet this evening, Miss Candy.” Jim Watson, a newly divorced banker, said to me. “Where’s that bright smile of yours?”

  I shook my head. “Sorry. Sinus headache, that’s all.”

  “It’s the weather,” he said, and lifted his empty beer glass. “I’ll have another if you don’t mind.”

  “I’d mind if you didn’t,” I said, forcing a grin. I slid a bowl of popcorn his way. “Warm popcorn too. Jenny just made it a few minutes ago.”