Sweet as Candy - Karla Doyle Page 0,62

she shook her head. “I know she’ll enjoy having your undivided attention for a while.”

“Maybe she’ll get tired and go to sleep, so you can enjoy my undivided attention later.”

Not only was she silent, her smile didn’t go all the way to her eyes. Something was off. Had been since Macy got sick.

He leaned in and placed a kiss on her lips. A soft one that demanded nothing in return—which is exactly what he got.

Yeah, something was definitely off. Whatever it was, they’d figure it out. Get through it and back to that amazing place they’d reached last Saturday. He wouldn’t stop trying until they did.

Candace

Candace stood a couple paces from Macy’s bedroom door. Out of sight from the two most important people in her life, but within earshot. Not because she didn’t trust Jake. She did. Completely.

She stayed close to hear Macy’s happiness. To memorize the warmth and affection that always tinted Jake’s deep voice when he interacted with her daughter. Because after the talk that’d happen next, she wouldn’t hear those things again.

She had to let Jake go. More accurately, she had to push him away. Macy’s illness had set a ball in motion, one that had the potential to bounce back and cause many kinds of damage. She had no doubt Jake would stick around and support her, support them, if that happened. That’s exactly why she had to cut him loose. He’d accepted so much already, she couldn’t let him take on yet another thing from her complicated life.

Back pressed to the hallway wall, she listened. Ten minutes went by, filled with a variety of happy sounds. Macy’s squeal of excitement. Her innocent giggles. Her sweet little voice jibber-jabbering Jake’s ear off, a running commentary detailing every second of her hospital stay. Jake’s genuine laughter. His kindly spoken responses that proved he’d paid attention to every word Macy said. All of it so beautiful.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as she attempted to rebuild the defenses that’d fallen while listening to them.

“Hey.”

At the sound of Jake’s voice, she battened down the emotional hatches and opened her eyes. “I couldn’t resist eavesdropping a little. I like hearing her excitement when you make her the focus of your attention.”

“I like that too. More than I ever thought I would.” Shoulder against the wall, he smiled down at her. “Thank you for that.”

Just like that, the boards flew loose from the hatches. She needed reinforcements, stat.

His gaze traveled her face before settling on her eyes again. “I see you, Candace, even though you’re doing your damndest to hide from me.”

She motioned for him to follow her down the stairs. On the main floor, they sat together on the couch, Jake’s arm slung along the backrest with his fingertips grazing her nape. The position had become the norm. Any other time, she would have leaned closer, relaxed against his shoulder and chest. She wanted to do that now. So much so, she had to consciously maintain an upright posture.

“Talk to me, sweets. I want to help.”

“I know you do. But this time, I can’t let you. And it’s not because I’m being stubborn, like that time with the money. This is just something I have to handle on my own.” Now, to add the kicker. “Permanently.”

“Permanently, as in, you’re never going to let me help with this particular problem, or…?”

“Permanently, as in, the other kind of permanently.”

“You want to break up?” He shook his head when she nodded. “I don’t believe you.”

A frown did its best to pull her mouth downward, but she fought it, managing to hold her lips to a straight line instead. “Things changed after last weekend.”

“You’re damn right, things changed. You, me, Macy, Trooper. Everything clicked. Then you and I, we definitely clicked.” He caught her hand as she rose, halting her attempted getaway and holding her captive between his knees. “What’s going on?”

“Macy getting sick led to my realization that we don’t really click, Jake. You’re a great guy and we’ve had some fun together, but I’m a single mother whose priority and focus needs to be her child.”

“I’ve never suggested otherwise.”

“Good.” She nodded, pointless as it was. “Then you understand why we can’t see each other anymore.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Look at what happened last weekend. We were finally together together, then I jumped out of bed and left you there. That says a lot.”

“Yeah, it says you’re the best mother in the world to a little girl who needed