Sweet as Candy - Karla Doyle Page 0,69
at school last week, and that the teacher told the class she’d been in the hospital.”
“Yes, she spent several days there, but she’s home now and back to her normal self.” Talking about Macy brought the color back to Candace’s face. “You can tell little Vincenzo that Macy will be at school on Monday.”
“I’ll do that. Thank goodness she’s okay. I can’t imagine how scary that must have been for you.”
Candace nodded. “It was a stressful week.” She squeezed Jake’s arm purposefully while looking up at him. “Macy and I are very fortunate to have Jake to lean on.”
“The good fortune is all mine.” Reading her mind, or maybe just wishing he could, Jake focused on the Balduccis again and dismissed the couple with a nod. “If you’ll excuse us,” he said, then led her away.
With every step they took, her grip on his arm relaxed.
He didn’t need to be in cop mode to know something was off. “I guess you know them from Macy’s school,” he said, as they walked.
“Their son is in Macy’s kindergarten class.”
“I knew it was a private school, but I didn’t realize it was so…”
“Snooty?”
He laughed and smiled at her. “I was going to say exclusive.”
“Snooty.”
“All right, or snooty.” He pulled out a chair for her at a dining table, then took the neighboring spot after she got her dress sorted and settled. “Just doesn’t seem like your kind of place.” He glanced across the room and found Vincenzo Balducci staring at them. Not that he blamed the guy for ogling Candace, but doing it for this long ventured into creep territory. Especially with his wife by his side. “Or like your kind of people.”
“I ignore the parent population as much as possible. The school itself is wonderful, and it operates year-round, rather than the usual two months off in the summer. That calendar works much better for me, as a single parent who trusted no one, until recently.”
“How recently?” Yeah, he was totally fishing. And not ashamed at all for doing so.
“About a week, since you introduced me to Megan. Who did you think I was talking about?” She bit the inside of her cheek, but failed to keep her smile in check. When it broke free, she leaned out from her chair and kissed him. “Until you, Jake. You changed everything.”
“So did you, sweets.”
Still touching his face lightly, she eased back enough to meet his gaze. “How disappointed would you be if I suggested we skip the rest of the gala and do something else with our date night?”
The fact that she even had to ask blew his mind. “On a scale of one to ten…zero. Though that might be a bit on the high side.” He rose, took her hand and helped her to her feet. “Where would you like to go? Steakhouse, Greek, Italian, that fine-dining place with the live jazz on King…”
“I was thinking of someplace smaller and more intimate.”
“A woman with a plan, I like it.” Hand on the small of her back, he guided her through the budding crowd. He nodded at some fellow officers along the way, breathing a sigh of relief as they pushed through the doors, into the warm, late-summer evening. The gala had been his idea, but he wasn’t sad to put it in the rearview. Too many people. Especially when he only wanted to be near one.
“So, where are we headed?” he asked, threading their fingers together.
“Your place.”
“No restaurant first?” He must be crazy, offering up anything that’d delay getting her alone.
“I love this gorgeous dress you got me, and the flowers,” she turned her wrist to admire the corsage, “but I’d rather spend tonight with just you.”
“Best plan ever.”
“I thought so.”
No point in suggesting she wait at the curb while he retrieved the SUV, since she’d declined the reverse offer when they arrived. Instead, he tugged her closer, kissing her forehead when she leaned against his shoulder.
They needed more time like this. Together, just the two of them. With his sister in the mix to babysit, they’d have plenty of opportunities. Tonight was just the beginning.
Chapter 15
Candace
Tonight was just the beginning. Shame on her for thinking she’d be safe from recognition. She, of all people, knew better than to make societal assumptions. Yet she’d allowed herself to feel comfortable and carefree going to a policemen’s gala with Jake. Stupidly naïve was more accurate.
Enzo’s presence had dealt her one heck of a wake-up call. Thank God he’d been with his wife. Thank God