The Candy Bar Complete - 4 book box set: Candy Bar Series

by Patrice Wilton

  I’d gone about a block or so, when I slowed down, sucking in deep, painful breaths. It wasn’t quite as easy as it looked. I decided to walk and intermittently run a half block or so. This worked better, but still, my calves tightened, and my lungs felt ready to explode.

  I panted and puffed, and thought about Fran. “You don’t want to set something up?” I’d asked. “Make sure you see me again?” And her reply. “No. Why?”

  Well, I’ll damn well show her why. I’m a very good lover and at my prime. By this time in two, three weeks, I’ll be a new man. Slimmer, more buff, and I’ll give the single girls at the wedding a whirl, on and off the dance floor.

  Let Frannie, the heartless hussy, eat her heart out.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  FRAN

  I woke feeling sweetly sore and wonderfully sated. Sex was good for the soul, I decided. I also decided, now that I’d tried it, I wanted a whole lot more of it.

  John was not exactly a heartthrob, but a nice guy who knew how to show a girl a good time. He’d been terrified at first, but I’d quickly put him at ease.

  Taken things into my own hands, so to speak. I giggled. What in the world had come over me? I’d never been so brazen before, instigating sex with a man I barely knew. It was shocking. Despicable. Shameful, really. Fran Sherman, you were a very bad girl. Bad, bad, bad. This was a side of me I’d never seen before and I liked it.

  I was making myself a nice breakfast of bacon and eggs, having an enormous appetite after all that exercise last night, when Susie called.

  I didn’t know what she knew about the previous evening, so I played it cool. “Hey, Suz, I missed you last night. It was a blast. I think I wowed the crowd.”

  “From what I heard, you did more than wow the crowd.”

  “Oh, yeah? What did you hear?”

  “Is it true you went home with John? Chief Hanley?”

  “Who told you that? Lydia or Brett?”

  “Uh-both. Lydia called me first thing this morning, but I’d already heard it from Brett. I didn’t believe it until Lyd confirmed it.”

  “They’re both crazy, what can I say?”

  “So it’s not true then?”

  “Now would I do a thing like that?”

  “No, of course not. I should have known better.”

  “Why? What’s wrong with me? Why wouldn’t I go home with a guy? Especially a hot guy like John.”

  “You think John’s hot?”

  “Don’t you?”

  “I never thought about him that way. He’s adorable and sweet, in his old grumpy way. I wouldn’t exactly call him hot.” Susie hastened to say, “Still, what’s attractive to one person isn’t necessarily what attracts another.”

  “Well I did.”

  “Did what?”

  “Bring him home. Take him to bed. Have sex.” My voice heated. “I’m not a friggin’ nun, you know. And I’m damn well tired of acting like one. I want to have a boyfriend, or at least a friend with benefits. What’s wrong with that?”

  “You had sex?”

  “Yes!” I screamed. “I had sex. Okay? Wait a sec. Let me tweet this.”

  “Fran. Settle down. I just meant…”

  “I know exactly what you meant.” I sucked in a breath. “Gonna put it on Facebook too. I want the whole world to know that Fran Sherman got a man to go to bed with her and had a wild night of incredible, mind-blowing sex.” I was still smarting, in the best way. “So there.”

  “Fran, I’m so sorry. Not about you having sex, I think that’s great, but for making you feel bad about it.”

  “I don’t feel bad. I feel alive, like I’ve been sleep walking for years and just woke up.”

  “That’s great!” She paused. “So, are you going to see him again?”

  “No. Yes. I’m not sure. But I liked it. Him. The sex. Everything.”

  “Good.” Susie lowered her voice. “Should I let Brett know?”

  “Why? Does he want to have sex with me too?”

  Susie choked on her laughter. “He better not.”

  “Don’t worry, I’d turn him down.” I grinned wickedly. I was really enjoying the role of bad girl, and I intended to keep this new fun Fran around for as long as possible. “John will be at the wedding, right?”

  “Sure. All his firefighter friends will be there. Maybe you’ll meet someone else you like.”

  “What? You want me to sleep my way through the whole department?” I gasped. “Susie. That’s terrible. What is wrong with you?”

  She snickered, and I could just imagine her smile. We had a similar rebellious streak. “You know I didn’t mean it that way. I just thought you might find someone a little more exciting.”

  “John is exciting enough.” My nipples hardened in memory of his mouth around them.

  “His wife nagged him to death then ran off with a woman,” Susie said in confessional tones. “I think it happened about three years ago. He’s also got two sons away at college, and I guess that keeps him pretty broke. From what I hear, he doesn’t date and doesn’t want to.”

  She painted a bleak picture for any woman who wanted more than a fling. Good thing the only thing I wanted was sex. Was it wrong to want to feel good after so much heart ache in my world? “That’s fine by me. I don’t want to marry the guy. I just want to jump him once in awhile.”

  “Oh, I guess that’s all right then.” Susie seemed at a loss for words. “We have our fitting a week from Wednesday. I’ll see you then, if not before.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I said goodbye, then spoke to Pepe. “What did you think of John? You want me to invite him back once in awhile?”

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

  “My feelings exactly.” I fed Pepe and Milo, then walked back into my bedroom and stripped the sheets. Maybe I’d even dust, just in case.

  * * *

  The next day at work, Lydia cornered me. “So, Fran, how did your…uh…your…date go the other night?”

  “Good. Really great, actually.”

  “It was such a surprise seeing you leave with one of Brett’s friends. And you’d just met him?”

  “Yes, Attorney Lydia. He lectured me on home safety before we had the most amazing sex of my life.” I glanced down the corridor. “Oops. We’ll have to continue this conversation another time. Here comes Ellen.”

  Lydia glanced over her shoulder then turned back to me. “Bet she’s going to make an excuse why she has to leave early.”

  “No.” Being the officer manager, I see the good and bad qualities in people. I search for the best, but I’m realistic too. “You always think the worst when it comes to her.”

  “Just watch and see.”

  Ellen stopped. “Hi, Fran. I wanted to ask you something.” She put a hand on her back, as if it were paining her. “I have to pick up Bradley from daycare at three because Jack can’t get off work. I also have a doctor’s appointment at four, so will it be all right if I leave early?”

  Lydia shot me an ‘I told you so look’, then spoke directly to Ellen. “You left early last week. This isn’t fair to the other girls. Besides, you still haven’t finished that report I asked you for.”

  “I gave it to Shirley. She said she’d have it done by noon.”

  “What would you do if you didn’t have the other girls to pass your work too?”

  I looked at the two women, knowing they’d never get along and quite rightly so. Lydia’s work ethics were beyond question. She worked long hours and did pro bono work as well. Whereas Ellen tried to slide by doing as little as possible, but not enough to justify firing her. She played it every way she could. But she showed up every day, which was a plus.

  “Ellen, I would like to speak to you privately. Please come to my office.”

  Lydia gave me a look that spoke volumes then marched off. Ellen gave a dramatic sigh and followed me to my office. It’s not grand in the scheme of things, but it’s reasonably spacious. It has a door that I normally leave open, and a wall of windo
ws which enables me to keep an eye on “my girls.”

  “Ellen, you may leave early today.” I held her gaze. “If you’re pregnant, you can work something out with Human Resources, but until it’s confirmed, you need to put in the same hours as everyone else.”

  She scrunched up her nose. “Last week, I had to pick up Bradley early because he wasn’t feeling well. That wasn’t my fault.”

  “I know, but in the past few months, you’ve left the office early half a dozen times. Naturally, we will accommodate your doctor appointments, but please respect our business hours.” I spoke quietly but emphatically. “It’s impacting your performance as well as the morale in this office.”

  “That’s so unfair.” Her eyes narrowed and I could see her frustration. I empathized, not knowing what it must be like having a toddler and a full time job too. But Lydia was right, and I had to make sure things were the same for everyone.

  “It’s unfair for you to work fewer hours than the others and expect them to take up the slack.”

  Ellen shook her head and walked away. A few minutes later, I heard a soft knock, then Lydia popped in.

  “What did you say to her? She looked furious.”

  I gave Lydia the gist of our conversation. Then I straightened my shoulders and lifted my chin high. “Don’t you worry about Ellen. Just focus on doing your job.” I smiled brightly, and licked my lips. “I’ve decided to make some changes around here, and first on my agenda is me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, I’m changing my attitude. Both here at work and in my personal life. I’ve been a fly on the wall for far too long.”

  Lydia’s mouth dropped open. “I wouldn’t call you a fly exactly.”

  I laughed. “How about a chicken? Cluck, cluck.” I flapped my elbows as if they were wings.

  “Fran, what’s going on with you? You’ve been acting very out of character the past few days.”

  “Good. Sayonara Frumpy Fran. Yes, I do know the office girls call me that.” Smiling, I added, “The new Fran wants a life and by golly, she’s going to get one. Brett dubbed me Fearless Fran, and I like it a whole lot better.”

  “You always seemed happy. I thought you were.”

  “Had you fooled, did I?” I sat down in my chair and twirled it around and around like a kid on a merry-go-round. Lydia crossed her arms, brow creased. She bit her lower lip and I started to giggle.

  “Oh, relax. I’m not cracking up. I just want more than I did before.” Coming back to life, that’s what I was doing. And it felt grand.

  “You have family,” Lydia said quickly. “And friends. This job.” Her eye’s widened. “Oh, and what about John? Will you be seeing him again?” She put her hands on my desk and leaned toward me. “It’s him, isn’t it? He’s the reason for this change in you.”

  “John? No, I don’t think so, although the sex was really very good.”

  Lydia grinned. “Wow. I mean that’s more info than I needed, but I’m so glad for you.”

  “Yes, well, I haven’t decided if I want to see him again, but I want more sex. Definitely. I want more of everything.”

  “Like what?” Lydia folded her arms under her chest and eyed me with curiosity. “If it’s not a man, what is it?”

  Lydia was exceptionally intuitive and sensitive, but for some reason, she wasn’t seeing me.

  I took a deep breath and tried to explain. “For years, all I’ve had is my job, my church, and my friends. Dad, bless is heart, can’t travel because of his allergies and diabetes, and mom doesn’t like to leave him alone. I never see my brother anymore. He’s depressed and back to drinking way too much, and whenever we do get together, it ends up in a fight. So my family is out.”

  “Family is over-rated,” Lydia said. Which I knew was a lie. She had this Irish Catholic family and they had big Sunday dinners and were extremely tight.

  “Easy for you to say,” I replied. “As far as friends, I have you, Susie, and Candy. Everyone’s so busy, I don’t get to see you guys very often.”

  “We might be busy but we always have time for you,” Lydia said firmly.

  “My point is—I’m going to get a life. I am going to work my ass off to get to Nashville or get on one of those America Loves Country shows. I need to make money, Lydia. Those cancer treatments were expensive, and the new experimental drugs were not covered by my insurance. I need to pay off my debt.”

  “Oh, Fran. I had no idea. Can I help?”

  “Only if you have contacts in the music business.”

  She smiled. “I wish I did.”

  “So do I.” I gave her a hug, ignoring the fact that we were in the office where curious eyes might see us. “It’s not just about money. I want a music career and maybe some hot guy to spice things up.”

  “You should have those things.” Lydia gave me a serious look. “Your life has been empty too long.”

  “I wouldn’t call it empty, and I shouldn’t complain, but I do want more. I do.”

  “It wasn’t until I met Jed, that I realized what I’d been missing.” She touched my hand. “I had thought my job and my friends were enough but not even close. You deserve this too.”

  “I don’t expect to find love at my age, but a little male companionship would be nice.”

  “Go after it, Fran. Don’t wait for something to happen. Be proactive.”

  “My name isn’t Sherman for nothing. Nobody stands a chance when I’m on a mission. Especially a bachelor like John.” I grinned. “He is kind of cute. Like a teddy bear, you know?”

  CHAPTER SIX

  FRAN

  “Go Milo, shoo!” My apartment was on the first floor, and I had a big Oak tree outside my patio. It provided shade from the summer heat and was pretty to look at, but that’s not what was important right now.

  I stood at the base of the tree, holding my cat toward the bottom limb, encouraging him to take the first leap. Milo, the lazy slug, clung to me in fear as I tried to disengage myself from his claws and keep at a safe distance.

  “You don’t have to stay long,” I whispered into his shaking fur. “Just an hour or so. Come on kitty, do it for me.”

  Milo hissed and scratched me. That was it. I wasn’t in the mood to be dictated to by a short, hairy, bad-tempered feline. Being one myself, I knew the importance of dominance in the animal kingdom.

  “I promise you’ll be rescued, now get up there, or I’ll take you myself.”

  His back raised and his fur stood on end. Since I was wearing protective gear, a sweatshirt and gloves, I tucked him under my arm and climbed the ladder that I’d set in place earlier. I tossed him onto a branch and quickly ran down the steps, picked up the ladder, and carried it inside. Then I called the fire department and asked for John.

  When he answered, I was out of breath. “Oh, thank heavens I got you. This is Fran. Milo ran off, and I searched the neighborhood for him,” I lied. “I finally found him, but he’s up a tree.”

  “You can’t coax him down?” he asked suspiciously.

  “If I could, I wouldn’t be calling you, now would I?”

  He sighed. “I’ll send a truck over right away.”

  “Thank you, thank you,” I said in my sweetest voice. “Can you come too?” I crossed my fingers.

  “I’m the chief. I don’t usually rescue cats.”

  “But can’t you, just this once?” Good with my vocals, I switched to frightened tones. “Please make an exception. Milo means the world to me.”

  From the window, I eyed my traitorous cat, who looked like he might jump down on his own. I ran out, flapping my hands to scare him up the limb. “Please hurry. I’ll be right outside. It’s the tree behind my apartment.”

  “All right. See you in about twenty minutes.”

  I returned indoors and took my sweatshirt off, putting on a low, clingy top instead. My boobs were probably my best feature, not before, but after my mastectomy. Since I don’t have many good features to brag about, I use what I’ve got. I shimmi
ed into my size six Seven’s even though I could barely breathe, ran a brush through my chin length, layered, and lightened hair, and used some lip gloss.

  I wouldn’t turn any heads, but I figured I looked good enough for a middle-aged, robust firefighter. Chief, I corrected myself. I was dating a chief. Well, not exactly dating, but having sex with. After rescuing my poor pussy, I intended to invite him back for some of my mine.

  I was standing, hands on hips, glaring at Milo, when the firefighters arrived. John came with Mike in one of those smaller rescue vehicles. I watched them round the corner and rushed over, putting on a slightly hysterical act.

  “Oh, I’m so glad to see you,” I cried. “My poor baby is stuck in the tree and won’t come down.”

  “Mike, grab the ladder,” John told the younger man. “I’ll try to coax him down.”

  “Oh, I’ve tried that, but he’s just so frightened.”

  John ignored me and went to the tree. “Here, Milo.” He held out his big arms, and the cat made a flying leap right into them.

  He looked at me and raised a brow. “Well, that was easy.”

  “Yeah, too easy,” I muttered, reaching for Milo. “Poor, poor baby. I’m so glad you’re safe.”

  The pissed-off Persian hissed at me.

  “He seems upset,” I said, looking as innocent as possible.

  “Did you put him up there?” John asked in a quiet voice.

  “Of course not!” I put on a shocked face. “What a ridiculous question.”

  “Is it? We got a call from someone saying a lady had a ladder and was forcing her cat up a tree.”

  “Well, well, of all the nerve. I wasn’t forcing the cat anywhere.” I bit the inside of my cheeks to stop the smile. “I was merely trying to rescue him, that’s all.”

  John’s eyes crinkled. “You sure about that?”

  “I’d say it under oath.”

  “Good thing you don’t have to.” He waved Mike away. “We’ve got the cat,” he shouted. “You can put the ladder back.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “So was this a ruse to see me?” he spoke quietly.

  “No.” I didn’t look at him but continued to stroke Milo, who didn’t want anything to do with me. “Would I chance harming my pet just to see you again? Wouldn’t I simply pick up the phone and call?”