Knee Deep in Love: A Sweet Traveling Romance Novel (All Roads Lead to Love Book 1)

by Vivian Porter

He winked at her before they started for one of the hiking trails, which was nearly deserted except for the two couples they met who were also out hiking. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and the temperature was perfect, not too hot and not too cold. The birds were chirping, the wildflowers were in bloom, and fortunately, the largest animal they encountered was a fox that darted across the trail in front of them.

  They stopped a couple of times on their trek up the mountain to rest, and Candice was relieved when David removed two bottles of water from the basket since she'd worked up quite a thirst. The trail wasn't difficult, but it was more rugged than the trails at Antelope Island, so it took some getting used to. David referred to his GPS often, and after almost an hour of walking, he grabbed her hand and stopped her.

  "We're here," he said.

  Candice looked around them, but there was nothing but trees. "Where exactly is here?"

  David pointed to a thick grove of oak trees to their left before clipping the GPS onto his belt and reaching for her hand. "Just a few more feet and we'll be there. Now, I want you to close your eyes."

  She glanced at the trees before giving him a worried look. "Are you sure about that?"

  David squeezed her hand. "I told you I won't let anything happen to you. Trust me."

  The look he gave her was so sincere and his voice was so reassuring, she was instantly put at ease. She closed her eyes, and as he safely guided her through the forest, she held on tightly to his hand. A few minutes later, he motioned for her to stop walking.

  "Okay, you can open your eyes now."

  Candice slowly opened her eyes, and her jaw slacked when she saw the view in front of her. They were positioned several yards from a precipice on the side of the mountain that overlooked Lehi, and it was the most incredible sight she'd ever seen. Behind them was the mass of oak trees, and it was as if they stepped from one world into another.

  "Oh, David, it's … it's breathtaking."

  She was so overcome with emotion, she didn't know what else to say. She noticed some familiar sights like the tall steeple on one of the Baptist churches downtown and the water tower just outside of town, but otherwise, it was like looking at a whole new territory for the first time.

  "So, I'm guessing I won?" he asked.

  Candice nudged him in the side and laughed. "Yes, you won. I guess I'll save my pickle juice for another day."

  He grinned and set the basket down, and she handed him the blanket, which he unfolded and spread on the ground before sitting. He motioned for her to sit beside him and then started unpacking the basket.

  "How in the world did you stumble upon this place?" she asked.

  David removed two Styrofoam containers, and she grinned when she recognized Mr. Rudy's signature logo imprinted on them. "That's exactly how I found it," he replied. "I stumbled on it while I was out hiking. I must have sat here at least two hours just admiring the view. It's amazing, isn't it?"

  She nodded and breathed deeply, soaking it all in. "It is. I've never seen Lehi from this viewpoint before, and I have to say, it is a lovely town. I guess I've lived here so long, I've become jaded to its charm."

  David handed her one of the plates while he removed the rest of the items from the basket, including two bottles of soda, a small package of cookies, napkins, and some utensils. "Mr. Rudy told me you like chocolate chip."

  Candice nodded and blushed when he handed her the cookies. The container was filled with one of Mr. Rudy's signature sub sandwiches and potato salad, making her mouth water. Everything looked heavenly, including the company and the view.

  "This is wonderful, David. Thank you for going through so much trouble."

  He opened one of the sodas and gave it to her. “It’s no trouble at all. I enjoy doing things for you.”

  Their fingers touched when she reached for the soda, and she abruptly looked away when she felt her cheeks flush again. They ate in silence for a little while, but it wasn’t an awkward silence, and in-between each bite, she admired the view and tried to pinpoint other buildings that were familiar.

  “Candice, do you mind me asking if you and Barry were able to travel and do things together as a family before he passed away?”

  She was surprised when the mention of his name didn’t cause her to tear up, which she considered a big step in the right direction. It also didn’t cause a pang in her heart to think back on their time together. “Barry worked for a transport company, driving an eighteen-wheeler all over the United States, and he rarely had time off, except during Thanksgiving and Christmas. We took Sarah to a couple of the parks here in Lehi, but that’s the most we were able to do since he didn’t have many vacation days. On some of the rare weekends he was home, we went camping, but that's about it.”

  David was quiet for a bit. “I hate that you and Sarah have missed out on so much.”

  Candice shrugged and took another bite of her potato salad. “We built a good life together, and Sarah was happy, so I was content. I never felt like we were missing out on anything because we had each other, and that was all that mattered to me.”

  David drank some soda and gave her a curious look. “You mentioned to me that you’d like to visit Italy someday. Is there anything else you’ve dreamed of doing?”

  Candice shook her head. “I’ve never been to a concert before, so that might be fun, but nothing else comes to mind. I don’t dwell on things like that too often, because right now, my main focus is taking care of Sarah. That's what’s most important to me.”

  David put his plate down and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Candice, I would love to take you and Sarah on some adventures if you’d allow me to.”

  As soon as he said it, she was overwhelmed with a plethora of different emotions, from exuberance to fear and everything else in between. “David …”

  He reached out and grabbed her hand. “Candice, I know you want to be friends, and I’m requesting this as a friend. No strings attached. You have no idea how much it means to me to see the two of you smiling and having a good time. That’s all I want.”

  She could tell he was sincere, and as thoughts of their time together at Antelope Island played through her mind, there was an incessant need deep within her that urged her to grasp at every bit of happiness she could. “All right.”

  David seemed shocked at first, but a few seconds later, a huge smile spread across his handsome face. “Well then, since you lost the bet, we’ll start with the breakfast you owe me tomorrow morning, but only if Sarah can come to.”

  Candice nodded. “She’d love that.”

  David told her about the restaurant where he planned to take them, and Candice couldn’t wait to call Sarah and tell her the good news when she got home, especially since she’d talked nonstop about David since their day at the park.

  As she listened to him talk excitedly about their upcoming getaways, her heart beat a little bit faster, and she couldn’t deny she was just as anxious as he was to get started.

  Chapter 17

  David

  The next morning, David left an hour early because he was anxious to get his day started with Candice and Sarah. He had their whole day planned out, starting with breakfast at the Black Bear Diner in Draper and ending with a trip to the aquarium. He couldn’t get his and Candice’s conversation on the mountain off his mind, and he could barely sleep for making mental itineraries of the adventures he wanted to share with her and Sarah. He was trying so hard not to jump way ahead of the friend zone, but it wasn’t easy. Candice sparked something inside him he hadn’t felt in a long time, and he was desperately afraid of losing it.

  He turned into her driveway forty minutes ahead of schedule and was surprised to find her and Sarah outside on the front porch swing. Before he brought the truck to a complete stop, they were bounding down the porch steps in his direction. Part of him was disappointed he’d never seen the inside of their home, nor been invited in. Perhaps keeping her personal space at arm’s length was another way Candice chose to keep their fri
endship platonic. It bothered him a great deal, but if that was what she wanted, then he would find a way to accept it.

  “Hey, Mr. David!” Sarah called as soon as he stepped out of the truck. She caught him off guard when she jumped in his arms and hugged him, but it warmed his heart and helped his feelings tremendously.

  “Good morning, Sarah! How are you?”

  He saw Candice grinning as she walked over to join them. When he set Sarah down on the ground, she started jabbering nonstop.

  “Mommy said you’re taking us to eat breakfast. Where are we going? Do they have pancakes? I love pancakes! Do you like pancakes, Mr. David? I like waffles, too, but I’d rather eat pancakes.”

  Candice put a hand on her shoulder. “Slow down, sweetie. Don’t forget to breathe.”

  Sarah gave her an eye roll, and David bit his tongue to keep from laughing. He noticed Candice traded her hiking clothes from the previous day for a skirt, blouse, and sandals, and she looked stunning as always. “Good morning to you, too, Miss Hollins.”

  Candice blushed. “Good morning, Mr. Maxwell.”

  Sarah grabbed his hand and started pulling him toward Candice’s car. “Let’s get my booster seat so we can go. I’m starving! I tried to sneak some cereal into my bedroom this morning when Aunt Whitney brought me home, but Mommy caught me and made me put it back because she didn’t want me to get full before we leave.”

  This time, he did laugh, and when he glanced over his shoulder at Candice, she put her hands on her hips and shook her head. He removed Sarah’s booster seat from the back seat of the car, and when they returned to put it in his truck, Sarah held onto his hand again. He couldn’t get over how energetic she was and how he never saw her without a smile on her face.

  When they were all settled in the truck and safely buckled in, David roared the engine to life and started backing out of the driveway. Candice crossed her long, tanned legs, and he looked in the rearview mirror to focus his attention elsewhere to keep from running off the road. “Sarah, have you ever been to the aquarium in Draper?”

  Her face immediately lit up. “No, I haven’t! Are we going there, Mr. David? Oh my gosh! I can’t wait! Did you hear that, Mommy? We’re going to the aquarium!”

  Candice shook her head again. “He just asked if you’ve been there, sweetie. He didn’t say we were going.” She looked at David. “Wait, are we?”

  He gave her a sheepish grin. “I thought we might visit the aquarium after we eat breakfast at the Black Bear Diner if that’s okay with you.”

  Sarah clapped her hands. “Oh, that place sounds so cool! Do they have real black bears there? I bet the aquarium has sharks and dolphins and those fish that look like porcupines. Can we go? Please, please, please!”

  Candice held a finger to her lips to try and reel in Sarah’s enthusiasm a bit. “Yes, we can, but do you remember the talk we had this morning?”

  He glimpsed in the rearview mirror just as Sarah expelled a dramatic sigh. “I know, I know. I need to let the grown-ups talk too.”

  David grinned. It was sweet witnessing the way they interacted, and he could only imagine how tiresome it must be trying to answer Sarah’s questions all day long and having to contain some of her boundless energy. Candice truly was an amazing mother.

  During the remainder of the drive to Draper, the three of them talked about what they hoped to see at the aquarium, and by the time they arrived at the diner, Sarah was much calmer. The restaurant was very busy, and as the waiter escorted them to the last available booth, his heart warmed when Sarah politely asked if she could sit next to him.

  “Of course, you can,” he said. “I would be honored.”

  She slid inside the booth, unfolded her napkin, and placed it neatly on her lap while David slipped in beside her and Candice sat across from them. It was adorable watching Sarah act like a young lady, but as soon as she picked up the menu, he could see the excitement spread across her face even before she started bouncing on the seat.

  “Can I get this, Mommy?” She pointed to the Hungry Man Platter, which included four pancakes, three eggs, four slices of bacon, two sausage links, grits, a biscuit, and two pieces of toast.

  Candice gave her a skeptical look. “Honey, there’s no way you can eat all of that. Why don’t you look at the kid’s menu? They probably have pancakes on it too.”

  Sarah pouted her lips and shrunk back in the seat. “But I don’t want to eat just pancakes. I’m really hungry.”

  They stared at each other like two bulls facing off while David looked on helplessly. “I tell you what,” he said. “Why don’t Sarah and I share the Hungry Man Platter? She can eat the pancakes and whatever else she wants, and I’ll have the rest.”

  Sarah nodded happily while Candice gave him a look that bordered between gratefulness and sympathy. “Okay.” She laughed. “But you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

  He didn’t grasp what she meant until thirty minutes later when he was left staring at a full platter minus one pancake and half a sausage link. Candice had an impish grin on her face while enjoying her much smaller breakfast of waffles and fruit, and Sarah was preoccupied with a coloring book and colors the waiter dropped off at their table.

  “I hope you brought your appetite.” Candice smirked.

  Sarah looked up at him and smiled. “Come on, Mr. David. You can do it.”

  He picked up his fork and took a deep breath before giving Sarah a wink. “Here goes nothing.”

  It took another half hour, but he was able to clear his plate. Sarah cheered for him while Candice watched with an amused expression on her beautiful face. David put his napkin on his plate and leaned back in the seat. If it wasn’t such an ungentlemanly thing to do, he would’ve unbuttoned his pants so he could breathe better.

  “Are you sure you’ll be able to walk around the aquarium after eating that?” Candice asked.

  David waved a hand in the air. “No problem at all. Just let me sit here and rest a minute before I try and get up.”

  She and Sarah laughed, which was music to his ears. They seemed to be having a good time, and that was all he truly wanted, even if it meant having to waddle his stuffed belly around an aquarium. The waiter stopped by their table and took their plates, and they enjoyed another glass of sweet tea before he felt ready to move.

  “I noticed the aquarium is only a couple of blocks away,” Candice remarked. “Why don’t we leave your truck here and walk?”

  He could hardly consider taking two steps at the moment, much less walking two blocks, but Sarah was fired up and ready to go as soon as she mentioned it. She cast her colors and coloring book to the side and waited expectantly for David and Candice to make a move.

  “You might have to give me a push,” he joked with Sarah.

  She placed her tiny hands on his back and gently pushed him out of the booth, giggling the whole time, and when David paid the check, they walked outside to the parking lot. He could see the top of the aquarium from where they stood, and it didn’t appear too terribly far away. Sarah clutched his hand and held on tightly.

  “You and Mr. David have to hold hands, Mommy. My teacher makes us hold hands every time we go to the cafeteria and playground, so no one gets lost.”

  He glanced beside him at Candice, whose cheeks reddened as she held his hand. He felt a chill race up his spine the instant her fingers intertwined with his, and as he walked between the two of them to the aquarium, he knew he was right where he belonged.

  Chapter 18

  Candice

  The following Thursday morning, Candice arrived at work a few minutes earlier than usual. She put her purse in one of the desk drawers and turned on her computer before stealing a glance at the clock on the wall. David would be there soon if he wasn’t running late, and the thought of seeing him again filled her stomach with butterflies. She’d spent every morning that week anticipating his arrival like some lovesick teenager waiting for her prom date, and after battling her inner critic for weeks ov
er the status of their relationship, she knew one thing for certain. She really liked David Maxwell.

  Candice knew better than to try and convince herself it was just friendship that kept them seeking each other out during the day and talking on the phone during all hours of the night when they weren’t together. She finally accepted it for what it was, and she was amazed at how freeing that could be. Instead of dissecting every aspect of their "friendship," she let go of the what-ifs and allowed herself to feel true joy for the first time in months.

  "I would love to know what's going on inside that pretty little head of yours right now."

  David's voice jolted her from her daydream, and she blushed when she caught him standing in her doorway with a steaming mug of coffee in one hand and a cup of orange juice in the other.

  "I swear, you're as quiet and stealthy as a church mouse sometimes. Were you some kind of spy in a past life?" she quipped.

  David smiled mischievously as he walked over to the desk and handed her the juice. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but that's classified information."

  Candice laughed when he gave her a wink and sat down in one of the chairs across from her. She took a sip from the cup and tried not to let her eyes roam too long over the dress shirt that was stretched taut against his muscular upper body or the rugged sexiness of the five o'clock shadow on his face. "Thank you for the orange juice."

  David nodded. "My pleasure. So, are you going to share what you were so deep in thought about when I showed up?"

  Candice put her elbows on the desk and leaned in close so she could whisper. "I'm sorry, sir. That's classified information."

  David slapped his knee and laughed. "Touché, Miss Hollins."

  They drank in silence for a little while until their coworkers started filing through the front door entrance one by one. A couple of them waved to her as they walked by her door, and she didn't miss the curious glances from some of the women when they spotted David in her office. It used to bother her but not anymore. Let them talk if they wanted to. She was happy, and that's all that mattered.