Dang. Why did love have to be so hard?
He washed the dishes and put on his coat, a hat, and gloves. He could chop wood, or he could go for a walk. Anything to keep his mind off Candi and how much she’d hurt him.
She was afraid of him, and he hadn’t done anything to make her scared. He’d been a gentleman, letting her have her way without protest. He’d been exactly the type of man every woman said she wanted, kind, understanding, and a great listener.
And what had that gotten him?
The friend-zone.
Before leaving his house, he checked his phone. He wasn’t in a good mood, and if Vibrant wrote with good news, it would kill him, because it meant the guy she was with was getting all of her. She’d sounded like she was about to fall in love, again, too fast. He’d cautioned her to slow it down.
Sure enough, there was a message from Vibrant.
Dear Dr. T,
You are so on point, it’s unbelievable. You saved me from being dumped. I was having unhealthy attachment syndrome all right. This afternoon, he took me around town and I had all these feelings for him. He’s considerate, attractive, and he cares about my feelings. He’s making everything so easy, and when I’m with him, I believe he truly cares about me.
But I can’t get drawn in by the way he makes me feel so comforted, so susceptible, so vulnerable, like I want to open my heart and life to him. Every time I’ve done that in the past, I’ve been dumped. Every time I let myself go, feeling secure, loved, and cherished, I find out it was fake—that I was the only one left holding the bag.
I’m afraid I had to let him go. It hurt me so much, I feel like dying. He’s so perfect for me that if he ended up dumping me, I’d never recover. Ever. This man is everything I want and I haven’t even slept with him. In fact, I don’t care if he’s a dud in bed—well, I care a little, but he’s so much more than a hot body and hunky looks.
He’s family oriented and cares about his mother. He’s a great listener. He’s sweet and romantic. He’s funny and makes me laugh. He wants a commitment. He wants a family. He even wants kids. He has a steady job, and he’s well liked by everyone. He’s responsible, kind, and he’s a real gentleman.
So now, I’m crying in my beer and holding my brother-in-law’s hand. My heart’s broken and it isn’t even his fault. I just know if he finds out how pathetic I am, being dumped by all these guys, that he’d dump me too.
So I dumped him.
It’s going to be a Blue Christmas for me.
I’m hurting so bad, I can’t believe it. I could have been his forever-woman, but now I’m nothing but sad and blue.
Dumped the Perfect Guy
Troy’s jaw dropped and a niggling feeling scratched the back of his shoulder blades. Who was this woman? Could she be Candi?
But no. Candi had said she ended a relationship before coming to town. No one would ever dump Candi. She was every man’s dream—confident, vibrant, and fully alive.
Candi would never be so pathetic as to write a man she didn’t know for advice. What was it Candi had done when he’d told her he gave advice?
She’d laughed. At him.
Candi would never dump the perfect guy. She was too smart.
She’d dumped him, instead, a guy she wanted to friend-zone.
Vibrant, on the other hand, should be thankful that his advice had worked so well. Why was she sabotaging her own success? Silly woman.
Dear Dumped the Perfect Guy,
I’m sorry to hear you’ve hurt this guy. It sounds like you didn’t think about him when you dumped him. If he’s been so good to you, why in heaven’s name would you dump him?
My advice was meant to help you so that you wouldn’t be dumped by players—the kind of guy who’d say romantic things to get you to sleep with him. It seems like this guy is not a player.
Did he put any moves on you? Did he suggest going to his apartment? Did he put his hands in the wrong places? Did he pressure you for sex?
I only ask you because you’re crying in your beer with your brother-in-law when you should be with him.
I hear that you’re afraid he would dump you if he knew about your past, but you are not damaged goods. Any man who would think that would not be worth your time. All those men who dumped you were idiots. They were saving you for this man you think is perfect.
Why did you go and do something so stupid?
I’m sorry, but you used my advice wrongly. Think what you did to this man. You gave him hope, you led him on, and you say you appreciate what he’s done for you, but what have you done for him but break his heart? You’ve done to him what you didn’t want done to yourself.
I’m beginning to suspect you have commitment issues. You choose the unsuitable guy so you don’t have to get close to him. Someday, when you’re able to fix your issues, you might find this man you hurt still waiting for you. Or maybe not. A man so perfect as you describe would be snatched up by any woman smart enough to see past her own self-centered nose.
Dr. T
Chapter Twelve
Troy didn’t expect to hear from either Candi or his letter writer, and he didn’t.
He passed the next few days deeply immersed in his work. One of his patients was a single mother who desperately wanted to spend Christmas with her children. He needed to write up a report to the state that she was emotionally stable enough to have unsupervised visitation. Mostly, she had to stick to the restraining order against her ex-husband who was abusive.
There were also the depressed who were on suicide watch. The holiday season was especially hard on people who felt alone and unloved. In their imagination, others were having a happier holiday than them.
Working helped, but it didn’t take away the pain of losing Candi. The only thing he could console himself with was that he never did have her. He’d built up a fantasy relationship around her, idealized her, and made all the mistakes he’d told his clients not to do.
Live and learn.
He was almost finished with his charts, when Hailey Bennett popped by his ward.
“What are you doing here?” He looked up from his tablet computer where he was entering notes.
“You’re coming to my party, right? I know TJ, Tucker, and Levi are all having parties, but you have to come to mine first.”
“I’m kind of busy,” Troy said. “I’ll have to go to everyone’s party, to be fair.”
“Humpf. I’m the one who got you the Santa gig. You owe me.”
Hailey Bennett had a strange way of making people feel obligated to her. “I’ll be there.”
The other anniversary celebrants had also been by to make sure he would visit them. Troy didn’t think he was so popular, but maybe giving advice to the lovelorn made him the default friend of women, although it didn’t do much for his love life.
It would look pathetic if he went to the parties by himself, but he couldn’t bring himself to call any of the women he’d regularly slept with. What they had seemed so superficial compared to the way he felt about Candi.
Was it only because she was hard-to-get?
He’d psychoanalyze himself later.
He locked up his office and drove the thirty miles to Sapphire Falls. Four couples got married last year on December 20th when a historic snowstorm inundated Sapphire Falls and disrupted the flights.
The day had started out as Levi and Kate’s wedding, but they were separated by the storm, and Levi decided to make the remaining three Bennett brothers: TJ, Ty, and Tucker compete for his wedding. In true Sapphire Falls fashion, everyone pulled together and Levi and Kate were finally united and instead of one wedding, there were four that memorable night.
Troy stopped off at Levi and Kate’s first. They were the couple who made creative uses of candy canes, and sure enough, candy canes dangled from every tree and wire throughout the house.
Levi and Kate greeted him, and he congratulated them on their anniversary. A peppermint cake sat on the buffet table, a replica of their wedding cake, and p
eople were dancing in the large farmhouse great room combining the kitchen, dining area, and living room.
He couldn’t stay long since he had to visit the rest of the parties. He wondered which party Honey, Max, and Candi would be attending, or whether they’d stayed home.
“Before you leave,” Kate said, approaching him with a giant candy cane the size of a walking cane. “Here’s something for you.”
“Oh, you don’t have to give me anything.” He waved her off. “It’s your anniversary.”
“This isn’t from me. And I promise you it hasn’t been used.” She laughed. “Someone has a crush on you. You think this is big enough?”
“Uh, well, thanks.” Troy accepted the gift and kissed Kate on both cheeks. “Happy Anniversary to my favorite bride.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, now get to the Bennetts’ places before the cock crows.” She pushed him from her house.
Next step was Tucker Bennett’s farmhouse, where he lived with his wife, Delaney, the town handywoman who did all the redecorating.
Their party was in the barn. Tucker and Delaney welcomed him and offered him a piece of cherry cobbler. Country music played from the hayloft, and several single women asked him to dance. He dared not glance around to see if Candi was in the crowd, so he went around the floor, focused on the girl in his arms.
If Candi was present, she didn’t step forward to make herself known.
“Come to my kitchen.” Delaney, Tucker’s wife, tapped Troy’s shoulder after he gave his congratulations and prepared to go to the next party. “I’ve something for you.”
“I was supposed to bring you a gift. Sorry, but it’s been hectic,” Troy stammered.
“It’s not from me, because God knows I can’t cook worth beans,” Delaney said. “But I am a Mrs. Bennett.”
As was half of the town.
He followed Delaney to her farmhouse kitchen, and she opened her large Sub-Zero refrigerator, rumored to be worth ten thousand dollars. She had to store a lot of food, because she and Tucker had four adopted sons.
“German chocolate frosting from Mrs. Bennett’s refrigerator.” Delaney handed him a Saran wrapped plastic food container.
“I’m sure I have no use for this.” He tried to give it back to her. “Unless it’s for Honey and Max.”
“Oh, no, my source says it’s for you.” Delaney flashed him a sneaky smile. “Keep it in a safe place.”
“Who’s your source?” His heart felt like stone.
It was like the entire town knew about his failed romance with Candi Myers, and some prankster was rubbing it in his face.
German chocolate cake frosting was the Sapphire Falls sign that someone was getting engaged. Mrs. Kathy Bennett, the mother of all the Bennett boys started the tradition, and now it looked like each of her daughters-in-law were bent on spreading the joy.
Oh, boy.
“Thanks.” He nodded to Delaney. It wasn’t her fault, and he wasn’t going to shoot the messenger. “I’ve got to get to TJ’s farmhouse.”
Delaney tipped on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Best of all wishes, Troy Caine. You’re the heart of Sapphire Falls, and you’ve given hope to many people here.”
“If my advice were so great, you’d think I should be happier.” He couldn’t help spilling on Delaney.
Of all the women in Sapphire Falls, she was the least threatening. Heck, she was almost like one of the guys with her power tool fetish.
“Happiness is yours for the grabbing, but go see what Hope has to say. She’s the guru.” Delaney let him out the door.
Hope was Mayor TJ Bennett’s wife. She’d come to Sapphire Falls on a quest to find her biological father. She was also a free spirit, immersed in Eastern philosophy, essential oils, yoga, and healing.
TJ and Hope lived on a sprawling farm that included a pond. It was frozen and their party was an ice-skating one. Several couples held hands on the ice, spinning around, almost like ballroom dancing.
Troy didn’t want to look too hard, lest Candi was one of the women dancing around the ice. One looked particularly talented, but she wasn’t wearing a hot pink parka.
Many of the town’s teenagers were present at the outdoors activity. If there was alcohol, it wasn’t served near the ice. Good thing, as drinking and ice skating didn’t mix.
The senior citizens were present too, warming their hands around a firepit and toasting smores.
“There’s my boy,” his mother’s voice shouted from the group. “He’s going to be Dear Santa at the Gala Ball. He gives the best advice.”
“My daughter wrote to him,” another woman said. “And she just got engaged.”
“Heard there’s a run on German chocolate cakes around here,” Conrad, who owned the grocery store, said. “I’m almost sold out of coconut.”
Troy hugged his mother, happy that she was at the non-alcoholic party. Hope Bennett was a good influence. She didn’t eat sugar, was a vegetarian, and taught yoga in town. She also gave massages with her essential oils, and the older crowd swore she took away their aches and pains.
“I saw that girl of yours at the community center,” his mother said. “She was teaching everyone how to dance, but I already knew all the steps. She used me as an example, and guess what? I was the best one on the floor. It brings me back to when your father and I used to burn up the dance floor. Foxtrot, rhumba, swing, and boy did we know how to tango.”
This was too much information, but at least his mother was sober and happy.
“I’m glad.” He kissed her forehead. “Let me know if you need a ride home.”
“Oh, I’m good.” She looped her arm around one of the newcomers, a middle-aged shop owner. “Jack’s taking me home. I never knew he used to teach dance in New York City. When Candi asked for volunteers, he raised his hand.”
Troy shook Jack’s hand and the older man patted his elbow. “You’re a good kid. I told your mother I’d like to invest in a ballroom dance studio in town. It’ll go well with my sporting goods store. We were wondering if you could ask Candi Myers to stay and run the studio.”
“Uh, I’m not, well, maybe …”
“He’s speechless,” his mother cooed. “He’s so in love.”
“I’ve got to go,” Troy said. His ears burned as he walked away. Why did everyone in town obsess over love and romance?
Not everyone got their happy ending.
As he crossed the field toward the parking area, he spotted the hosts, TJ and Hope.
He gave TJ a man hug and congratulated the big guy. Once, long ago, TJ had been a divorced man and no one had foreseen he’d ever be happy. It took time and one spritely free spirit named Hope Daniels to weave her magic on him.
The magical love fairy handed him a jar. “This is for you, Troy Caine. For healing and for love.”
“I’ll take the healing, but love isn’t in the cards for me,” Troy said, thanking her.
“You want me to read a few cards for you?” Hope asked. “I have a deck in the kitchen.”
“Maybe some other time.” He didn’t want to be impolite, but Hailey Bennett was going to be on his case for stopping at her house last.
Except it made sense. Hailey lived in town on Plum Street, close to Max and Honey’s place. Since he hadn’t spotted their contingent yet, he figured they’d be there.
Not that he was stalking them.
He was Max’s friend. His best man.
And he’d been scarce, although he hardly had anything to do. Honey was skipping the bachelorette party, and Max eschewed the bachelor party. Instead, they were going to invite all their out of town relatives to the Christmas Gala Ball the day before their wedding.
“Best of all luck.” TJ clapped a big hand on his shoulder. “I heard you already have the frosting. Now you just have to get the girl.”
Fifteen minutes later, Troy parked between Hailey and Ty Bennett’s two houses. Ty had bought the house next door to Hailey as a way of wooing his secret girlfriend into his life and it
had worked. For whatever reason, Hailey and Ty had hidden their relationship from the entire town while Ty lived and trained in Denver.
Loud dance music rocked from Hailey’s house. It looked like the party would be there. The porch was brightly lit with flashing strobe lights, and the yard was full of animatronics. A North Pole sign spun like a barber’s pole, and a large Santa perched on the roof next to the chimney.
Troy stamped the snow off his boots and entered the house.
“There you are!” Hailey Bennett grabbed him. “You dirtball. I told you to come here first.”
Why was it the entire town seemed to track the whereabouts of everyone else?
“Congratulations.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek. “You are so not a blushing bride.”
“And you’re so not the blushing best man,” Hailey said. “Even if you got your other gifts, you better make use of this one first.”
“You’re the one who’s supposed to get gifts,” he countered, knowing that somehow, someone was setting him up. It was probably Max and Honey, still desperately trying to make their matchmaking work.
Unfortunately, he’d steered clear of them after Candi ended their friendship. He’d show up for the wedding, but he couldn’t tolerate any sympathy or well-meaning wishes.
Hailey turned around and grabbed a sealed mason jar from the dining table. “Peppermint Booze without the blue panties. You’ll have to find a pair and fill it. Sorry, I wish I could have personalized it.”
Troy thanked her for the gift, but she insisted it wasn’t from her. By now, he was pretty sure a certain ballroom dance instructor was sending him a message.
These items were on her scavenger hunt list. That much was obvious. But why wasn’t she showing her face?
She only had a week left in Sapphire Falls and time was running out—or maybe these were parting gifts.
His heart heavy, he looked around the house, but there was no sign of Candi, Honey, or even Max.
Again, several women asked him to dance, so he set the jar aside and collected phone numbers. He wasn’t a complete loser, and he didn’t need a woman who’d hurt him so deeply, then mock him with the gifts.
Sapphire Falls: Going Toe to Mistletoe (A Christmas Romance) (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 8
