Sweet as Candy - Karla Doyle Page 0,39
of the homes need updating. If that kind of project appeals to you, I’d be happy to take you and Macy around some time. While we’re over there, we can stop at my mom’s place and have a swim. She has a heated pool with a slide.”
Between the shopping bag at her side and the offer to go swimming, Macy’s seeming resolve to ignore Jake crumbled. Wide-eyed, she whipped around to face them. “Can we, Mommy? Can we please go swimming?”
“Yes.”
“Yay!” Macy sprang to her feet, smiling and clapping.
Jake’s reaction was less animated, but his full-size grin came darn close.
“When can we go, Mommy?”
“Jake is a very busy police officer. He’ll have to check his schedule and let us know when he’s available. It might be a while before he has time.”
“I have this Saturday off, if that works for you, ladies.”
“Yes, please!” More clapping, more smiling, this time, with jumping. “Can we go swimming on Saturday, Mommy?”
“Yes.”
Macy launched herself at the couch, hugging her mother with enough force to push Candace into the backrest. “Thank you, Mommy.”
“Jake is the person to thank.”
Without missing a beat, Macy pulled back from the hug, turned to Jake and wrapped her little arms around his neck. “Thank you, Jake.”
The sight took Candace’s breath away. She’d cued Macy to use her good manners and say thank you. This reaction, this display of affection, was completely unexpected.
Wow. Jake mouthed the word, silently, for Candace’s eyes only.
She nodded, biting her bottom lip when Jake reciprocated the hug and Macy stayed put. This was…incredible. For so many reasons.
“You’re more than welcome, Macy,” Jake said, as the little girl unfolded herself from the hug. “There are life jackets and floaties for you to use, so you’ll be safe.”
“I know how to swim. I took lessons.”
“That’s awesome. We’re going to have a great time.” His smile hadn’t dissipated, even a smidge. He pointed at the bag he’d brought. “I brought that for you, by the way. I already checked with your mom, so it’s yours, if you want it.”
Macy dropped to the carpet as quickly as she’d leapt from it. Blue wrapping tissue paper hit the floor seconds later. “Is it a real butterfly?” she asked, lifting a small brown-framed glass case from the bag.
“It is. It’s a blue Morpho, just like the one that landed on me.”
Her delicate, little eyebrows drew together as she inspected the frame’s contents closely. “How did it die?”
“It just got old. They never hurt the butterflies that live in the conservatory. Only butterflies that have died on their own go in the frames for people to keep.”
Macy’s expression relaxed at that. “It’s pretty. Is it a girl butterfly or a boy butterfly?”
“A boy butterfly.”
Macy looked up at him. “How can you tell?”
Candace bit the inside of her cheek to stave off a smile. She’d been on the receiving end of a Macy inquisition enough times to know what Jake was about to face. For his sake, Candace hoped he had a string of fictional answers ready, to go along with his claim that the encased butterfly specimen was male.
“I asked when I bought it. The lady at the butterfly place said the boy butterflies look brighter blue, and have less brown around the edges of their wings.”
The answer seemed to satisfy Macy, enough that she didn’t fire off another question. She rose from her place on the floor while holding the butterfly box in both hands. “Where should I put him?”
“Wherever you’d like,” Candace said.
“Thanks, Mommy, but I was asking Jake.”
Candace restrained the laugh that threatened to burst from her mouth by drawing her lips between her teeth. “All right, then,” she said, pushing to a stand. “I’m going to leave you two butterfly experts to the task while I finish getting supper ready. Sound good?”
Her two favorite people smiled and nodded. Jake was at Macy’s side by the time Candace reached the kitchen, his deep voice full of warmth and genuine interest as he engaged her daughter in conversation.
For more than five years, Macy had gone without a male presence in her life, never questioning it, never wishing for it, seemingly fine without it. Candace’s world revolved around her daughter, yet she hadn’t known Macy’s true feelings about being without a dad. Candace couldn’t change the past. All she could do was work at making a better future for her daughter.
A fit of Macy giggles erupted in the living room, pulling Candace from her mom-fail thoughts. She turned away from the stove