Sweet as Candy - Karla Doyle Page 0,49
She’ll get the wrong idea about us.”
“There’s nothing wrong about us, Candace.” He released her hands and eased backward, cupping her face in his palms as he subjected her to the full power of his deep gaze.
“Mommy, Jake, come see,” Macy called, waving them over to the display case where she knelt. So close, her breath had fogged the glass.
“I’ll go.” He brushed the pad of his thumb over her cheek, sweeping away the lone tear that’d broken free of her control. “Take a little stroll around the store and join us whenever you’re ready.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“My pleasure, sweets. All of it.”
She watched until he reached Macy. From fifteen feet away, Candace saw his lips moving when he crouched beside her daughter. She couldn’t hear his words. Whatever he’d said caused Macy to throw her arms around his neck for a pint-sized power hug. Their heads turned toward Candace in unison, smiles on both faces.
She gave them a wiggly-fingered wave, waited for their attention to return to the jewelry case, then slipped away between the floor racks. Tears and stress were things she kept in check until Macy was sound asleep. Even on Candace’s worst days, she’d always maintained a calm, stable façade around her daughter. She wasn’t about to break that streak.
She sighed while trailing her finger down the sleeve of a wedding gown. Elegant yet unique, and white as a blanket of fresh snow. A dress so far beyond the realm of possibility, she shouldn’t even be looking at it, let alone touching it.
“It’d look beautiful on you. I think it’s your size too.”
She blinked back to reality and met the salesgirl’s gaze. “It’s lovely, but I’m just browsing.”
“Have you set a date?”
“Me? No. I’m not engaged.”
“Yet?” The salesgirl smiled while glancing at Jake and Macy across the store. “I can put it aside if you want to come back and try it on later. It’s one of a kind. If you think this might be the one you’ve dreamed about, you don’t want to leave it hanging. Somebody else might swoop in and take it.”
The dress. The salesgirl was talking about the dress, not Jake, though the same possibility applied.
“I’m not ready to commit, so I guess I’ll have to take my chances.” With the dress and the man.
“Sure. I’ll let you look around some more.” The salesgirl hadn’t taken a full step before she turned back to Candace. “Ooh, but there is one thing I have to show you first. Not a wedding dress, but just as gorgeous, and it’d look incredible on you. Come and take a quick look, then I promise to let you browse in peace.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Candace muttered under her breath while following the eager beaver to another section of formal dresses.
The salesgirl leafed through the rack, withdrawing a dress with a triumphant flourish. “Tada! Isn’t it incredible?”
“Wow, it’s…” Incredible was too ordinary a description for the floor-length, deep-red satin gown with a mermaid flare at the hemline. The formfitting bodice had narrow straps and pleats guaranteed to accent the hips and booty. “It’s stunning.”
“Want to try it on?” the salesgirl asked, jiggling it like the shiny lure that it was.
“No, thank you. I have nowhere to wear a dress like that.”
“How about the Chief’s Charity Gala?” Jake’s voice and presence at her side wrapped her in a wave of warmth. “Unless you have another dress you’d rather wear.”
Macy tapped Candace’s hip to draw her attention. “What’s a gala?”
“A big, fancy party with lots of grownups all dressed up and dancing.”
“Like the ball in Cinderella.”
“Exactly like that,” Jake said. “And your mom is the beautiful princess.”
“And you’re the prince!”
“I’m trying, kiddo.” He smiled down at Macy, then turned its power of irresistibility to maximum and aimed it straight at Candace. “How about it, princess? Make me the envy of every man in the place next Saturday night?”
Spending time together in places like this was already pushing it. Going out on an actual date would set them squarely and publicly in relationship land. A risky move for multiple reasons.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
“You have other plans?” He posed the question innocently, though he knew very well that she stayed home with Macy every night, no exceptions.
“It’s very short notice. I don’t have a babysitter and won’t have time to place an ad, interview applicants and check references.”
“No need to. My sister Megan is a teacher’s assistant in a kindergarten classroom. I can vouch for her personally and I know