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

by Vivian Porter

  Her mind wandered to the first few months after Barry's death, when Sarah used to cry herself to sleep and the way she talked about him nonstop from sunrise to sunset every day. It used to worry her that Sarah would have a difficult time moving forward, but now that she thought about it, Sarah had barely mentioned her daddy in the past couple of months. The sudden realization filled her with sadness.

  "Candice? Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?"

  She sat up quickly, and David followed suit. She wiped the tears that welled in the corners of her eyes before they had the chance to escape. She hated more than anything to ruin such a perfect day, and it wasn't David's problem to worry about anyway, so she decided against telling him what was on her mind. She stole a glance at Sarah, who was lying on her stomach on the opposite end of the large blanket, pushing her toy truck through the dirt and completely lost in her own little world.

  "Candice?" David murmured.

  He looked genuinely worried, so she gave him the biggest and best smile she could muster. "I'm fine. I was just remembering how distraught Sarah was after Barry died, and it just dawned on me that she's hardly said a word about him lately, which is very unusual. Do you think … do you think her memories of him are fading?"

  Just saying it out loud made her voice tremble and filled her with dread. David glanced back and forth between her and Sarah as if searching for the right answer, and she immediately felt guilty for unloading her troubles onto him.

  "I'm sorry, David. This isn't your burden to bear, and I shouldn't bother you with it."

  He scooted closer until he was right beside her, and his expression was intense when he grabbed both her hands, forcing her to turn to him so he could look her in the eyes.

  "Candice, I might not have any experience with situations like this, but I do know one thing for certain, and that is, I'm here for you, no matter what. You can talk to me about anything, including Barry. He was a major part of your life and always will be. That being said, I don't think Sarah is forgetting him. I'm no expert, but this change in her might actually be a good thing. Maybe she's just moving forward and healing in her own way. Wouldn't Barry want that?"

  Candice looked up at him and smiled. Perhaps he had a point. "I suppose you're right. I know it would bother him if he saw her upset and crying every day the way she did in the beginning. He would want her to go on with her life. She's been so happy this past couple of weeks, and we owe a lot of that to you, David. Thank you."

  He nodded. "Would Barry want you to move on with your life too?"

  Her pulse quickened as he stroked the back of her hands.

  "Yes, he would," she whispered.

  He was so close, she could feel his warm breath on her face, and her gaze was drawn to his mouth. She wished she had the courage to throw caution to the wind and kiss him, but she'd kissed only one man in her life, and their last kiss had been so long ago, she could scarcely remember it. Did David even want to kiss her? Had she strung him along for so long now that he was satisfied being friends and nothing more? Every question and doubt that coursed through her mind made her anxiety mount until she was shaking in her boots—literally.

  "Candice."

  David's deep baritone voice was the comforting balm she desperately needed, and as she pushed the worrisome thoughts far from her mind and focused on the here and now, her heart leaped to her throat when she noticed him leaning into her. Before she had time to question it, his lips were on hers, and he was kissing her with the utmost tenderness. It was a brief kiss, but the impact from it lingered long after it ended.

  He had the most loving expression on his face, and Candice wanted to say something, but nothing felt adequate enough. Her whole body flooded with warmth the moment their lips met, and like a moth to a flame, she felt inexplicably drawn to him again, not wanting the feeling to end. Candice closed her eyes and leaned in for another kiss, but then …

  “Mommy, can we get some ice cream when we leave here?”

  And just like that, the spell was broken. Startled, Candice quickly moved away from David before Sarah sat up on the blanket and turned to face them. Her face flushed hot, and she opened her mouth to reply, but the only thing that came out was a high-pitched squeaky noise that made her blush even worse. She attempted to clear her throat.

  “Sure, we can,” David intervened. “I believe we passed an ice cream parlor not far from here.”

  Sarah smiled big. “I hope they have strawberry!”

  She started stuffing her toys into her purse, and while she was preoccupied, David pulled Candice into his embrace and gently brushed his lips against her cheek. She swooned when the bristle on his chin rubbed against her skin, and as they parted and began gathering their belongings for the drive home, she counted down the minutes until she could be in his arms again.

  Chapter 21

  David

  The next morning began with an SOS call from Braxton, begging David for his help getting out of more decorating duties with his wife and daughter. In an effort to save his friend from the chaos, David proposed a day of sightseeing in Salt Lake City since there were still a couple of hotspots he hadn't visited, like the Temple Square and the Natural History Museum.

  Now, several hours later, he and Braxton were eating dinner at Braxton's so-called "favorite Mexican restaurant" before heading home.

  “You’ve clearly never had real, honest-to-goodness Mexican food before,” David said.

  Braxton laughed out loud as he cut the chicken fajitas on his plate with a knife and took a huge bite.

  “I’m from Texas, so I know good Mexican food when I taste it,” David continued. “And this isn’t it.”

  Braxton shook his head. “Well, you’re a northerner now, so good luck getting your tortilla on. The only advice I can give is to start brushing up on your cooking skills because this is as close to the border as you can get in these parts.”

  David nodded as he nitpicked at the quesadilla on his plate. Maybe Braxton was right. He’d tried a few Mexican restaurants since moving to Utah, but none of them satisfied his craving for the authentic cuisine he was used to. Perhaps it was time to bring out the old pots and pans and try recreating it himself.

  “You never did tell me how your day at the Arches National Park went with Candice and Sarah,” Braxton commented.

  Remembering the kiss he’d shared with Candice warmed his whole body from the inside out which, unfortunately, didn’t go unnoticed by Braxton. While David gulped his sweet tea to moisten his suddenly parched mouth, his friend sat up straight in his chair and gave him a knowing nod.

  “Aha!” Braxton exclaimed. “You can’t keep a straight face to save your life. Remind me to count you in my next poker game. Okay, so tell me what happened.”

  David set his glass down and picked up his fork. “We had a nice time. I was worried Sarah might get bored since there isn’t much to look at besides the rocks and arches, but she was psyched about it. I believe she’s part tomboy because that kid loves playing in the dirt.”

  Thinking back to Sarah’s excitement over the park brought a big smile to his face, and he was already way ahead of the game planning their next trip.

  “And what about Candice?” Braxton asked.

  David took another bite of his food. It was hard to eat with Braxton staring at him so intently, but he knew he wouldn’t let up until he’d given him all the details. “We had some good conversations, and she confided in me about Barry, so I consider that a step in the right direction. I can’t explain it, but I feel good about how things are going between us, and I think she feels the same way. At least, I hope she does.”

  Braxton moved his plate to the side and leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table and intertwining his fingers. His gaze never left him, and after a few awkward minutes, David put down his fork and crossed his arms over his chest. “Okay, what’s wrong? You keep staring at me like you’re expecting me to sprout another head or something. What’s on your mind?”

&
nbsp; Braxton shrugged. “Nothing’s wrong. It sounds like you and Candice are doing really well, and I’m happy for you.”

  David raised a brow. “But?”

  Braxton picked up his glass and drank some of his soda. “But nothing. I think it’s great the two of you are getting along so well, and I hope and pray that continues because you both seem very happy. I just feel like I need to remind you about how close Candice is to her family and Lehi.”

  David put down his fork and pushed his plate away. “Braxton, we’ve had this discussion before. I don’t plan on taking another job or moving or asking Candice to move away with me. I would never do anything to hurt her.”

  Braxton sat upright. “What if you received a job offer that was too good to refuse?”

  David shook his head. “I don’t see how there could be any job that amazing to make me risk losing what I have with Candice.”

  Braxton didn’t reply, and when he looked down at the table and started fidgeting with his napkin, David got the sneaking suspicion he was holding something back. “Wait. Do you know something I don’t?”

  At first, he seemed self-conscious about saying anything, but it didn’t take long before he was able to coax Braxton into confiding in him.

  “Look, it might be nothing, but a few days ago, I was in Aaron’s office, and he received a phone call from someone named Drennan. He didn’t mention your name, but what he said led me to believe they were talking about you because I overheard something about a construction manager job in California. By the time Aaron hung up the phone, he was extremely agitated.”

  David recalled Candice intercepting some calls for Aaron from a Randy Drennan, and he wondered if it might be the same person, but he didn’t dare breathe a word of that to Braxton. He shrugged. “I doubt that had anything to do with me, but if Aaron does say something about sending me to oversee a project in California, I’ll just tell him I can’t. I’ll also remind him that one of the reasons I accepted his job offer was so I wouldn’t have to travel anymore.”

  The waiter stopped by their table to ask if they were interested in ordering dessert, and they both declined. When he walked away, Braxton picked up where he left off.

  “David, I promise I’m not trying to harp on you about this or anything. I grew up with Candice, we’ve worked together a long time, and she and Lynda are good friends. I guess I’m just overprotective when it comes to her and Sarah, but I know you’re a decent guy and that you wouldn’t intentionally set out to hurt them.”

  David finished off his drink and fished his wallet from his back pocket so he could leave the waiter a tip. “I completely understand the way you feel, and I’m grateful they have such close friends like you and Lynda watching out for them. The more I get to know them, the more protective I am of them, too, and the last thing I want is to see them hurt, least of all by me.”

  Braxton leaned over the table again and gave him a quizzical look. “Just out of curiosity, are there any states or countries you’ve never been to that you’d still like to visit someday?”

  David pondered his question a long time. His mind drifted to the numerous construction projects he’d led, including his favorite to date, which took place on the East Coast in 2012, when he worked with a charity organization to help families rebuild after Hurricane Sandy.

  “The only place I can think of is Charleston, South Carolina,” he replied. “My grandparents lived there until my grandfather retired from the Marine Corp before I was born. They live in Texas now, but they taught me a lot about the history of Charleston, and it sounds like a memorable place to visit.”

  The waiter brought their check to the table, and after Braxton paid the bill and the waiter walked away, David pointed to his plate. "You let me know whenever you're in the mood for some real Mexican food," he murmured so the other restaurant patrons wouldn't overhear. "I'll fix you some of my grandmother's famous enchiladas and salsa, and you'll never look at Mexican food the same way again."

  Braxton laughed. "You're on!"

  Chapter 22

  Candice

  Candice shook her head as she picked up another rogue mini-marshmallow and dropped it into Sarah's bowl of strawberry ice cream. At last count, she'd dropped five, and except for the one that rolled somewhere under the recliner, possibly never to be seen again, she'd managed to retrieve them all.

  "You must have a hole in your mouth because most of the marshmallows are ending up in my lap," she said.

  Sarah giggled. "Of course, I do, silly. The hole is how the food gets in there."

  Candice smiled before squeezing her tight. So far, they'd spent their Sunday morning cuddling on the recliner, watching cartoons, and gorging on sweets. It probably wasn't the healthiest way to spend the day, but they were making memories, and that was all that mattered to Candice.

  She rested her chin on top of Sarah's head and tried not to fall asleep, but that was easier said than done. Her thoughts had been consumed by David since the day they met, but now that they'd kissed, her mind was working overtime, making sleep nearly impossible. A chill raced up her spine when she recalled the softness of his lips and the heat from his touch, which made her shiver.

  "Are you cold?" Sarah asked. She took the blanket that was draped over their laps and covered Candice's upper body with it. "How's that?"

  Candice kissed the top of her head. "That's perfect, doodlebug. Thank you."

  While Sarah was busy eating her ice cream mixed with gummy worms and marshmallows, she laid her head on the back of the recliner and closed her eyes, hoping for a few minutes of shuteye before the cartoon ended or Sarah's bowl was emptied, whichever came first. But just as she was about to doze off, the doorbell rang and jolted her wide awake again.

  "Who could that be?" she wondered out loud as she removed the blanket and stood.

  Sarah immediately sat upright, and her eyes were wide and expressive. "Is Mr. David coming to see us today?"

  Candice smiled. It was adorable how much she enjoyed being with him, and it certainly helped make this past month and her transition back to the land of the living and dating so much easier. "No, sweetie. He's in the city with Mr. Braxton today. Maybe it's Aunt Whitney."

  As she plodded to the front door in her pajamas and house slippers, Candice covered her mouth and stifled a yawn. It might be almost noon, but she was ready for nighttime to arrive so she could crawl into bed again and catch up on her sleep. When she opened the door, she wasn't surprised to find Whitney on her threshold, but she was caught off guard seeing her accompanied by their mother.

  "Mom? What in the world are you doing here?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

  They walked past her and into the foyer where her mother set her purse down on the table before journeying to the den.

  "Really, Candice?" she asked. "Why does something have to be wrong for me to want to visit my daughter and granddaughter?"

  At that time, Sarah peeked her head around the recliner. "Grandma!"

  When Sarah rushed into her arms, Candice pulled Whitney close to her side. "Seriously, is something wrong?" she whispered in her ear.

  Whitney laughed. "Oh, stop being so dramatic. She was just concerned about you and wanted to see how you're doing."

  She still wasn't convinced. Normally, she was the one forced to make the drive to her mother's house to visit because she rarely drove all the way across town to visit Candice unless something was up.

  "I'm here to kidnap you and your mommy," her mom told Sarah. "We're going shopping!"

  Whitney snickered. "Oh yeah, and there's that."

  Candice groaned and pinched Whitney's side, making her yelp, before joining her mother in the den.

  "Shopping?’ she inquired, hoping she sounded more enthusiastic than she felt.

  "Yes! I thought we'd spend the afternoon shopping in Salt Lake City and stop somewhere for dinner on our way home. If we have time, maybe we can visit that little hole-in-the-wall bookstore we all love so much. What's it called … The Book Shack? Or
is it The Book Hut?"

  Candice sighed. "The Book Nook."

  Her mother clapped her hands together. "Yes! That's the one. Now, you two go change clothes."

  Sarah didn't have to be told twice, and after thrusting her bowl of ice cream into Candice's hands, she jetted down the hallway to her room like her pajama bottoms were on fire.

  Whitney ambled into the room and peeked over her shoulder. "What in the world? Is that strawberry ice cream with marshmallows and gummy worms?" she asked.

  Candice laughed when Whitney and her mother turned up their noses and puckered their lips. "Hey, don't knock it until you try it."

  Whitney shook her head. "Spaghetti tacos and now this. It's like being related to Willy Wonka."

  Candice smirked and took a big bite of the concoction before handing Whitney the bowl and leaving the room.

  "You seem so much happier," her mother commented.

  Candice put down her soda and took her eyes off Sarah for a moment so she could turn to her mother and Whitney, who were sitting on the opposite side of the booth, eating their burgers and fries. It was now several hours later, and the four of them were at Sarah's favorite restaurant with the playground equipment inside the building. Candice managed to get half a cheeseburger and some fries in her before she let her go play, and now she was happily taking turns on a slide with two other children.

  "Thank you, Mom," she replied. "I am very happy."

  Whitney finished her last fry and took a sip of her drink. "So, when do we get to meet Mr. Wonderful?"

  Her mom nodded. "I was wondering the same thing. We should plan a get-together at my house soon."

  A knot formed in the pit of Candice's stomach. "There's plenty of time for that. I don't want to scare him off."

  Whitney tilted her head and flashed her a sarcastic grin before turning to their mother. "I feel like we should be offended by that. What do you think?"