by Simmons, Pat
CHAPTER NINE
Thirty minutes later, Candace was dumping the contents of her plastic shopping bag on her desk when Solae strolled into her cubicle.
“So what did you talk about? How to strut across the street in stilettoes…” Solae joked, then frowned. “Ah, what’s with the stockpile of pantyhose?”
“I had a run.” Candace didn’t offer details as she removed her lightweight jacket and twirled it onto the back of her chair. When she thought about the run, the firefighter’s face and the intense way he looked at her flashed before her eyes.
If he hadn’t been so handsome, the uneasiness he caused her would have been creepy. But it was as if he was spellbound. “I changed in the restroom before I came to my desk.” Candace answered the question before Solae could ask as she scrutinized Candace’s stockings.
“Okay…” Solae stole Candace’s seat and began counting the Ultra-sheen stocking packages that she purchased at a neighborhood Korean beauty supply store. “And you needed ten pair to replace one run? How big was it, the size of your whole leg?”
“I’ll never leave home without an extra pair in my purse again. Call it ammunition.” Sitting on the edge of her desk, Candace shook her head. “I have never felt so self-conscious before in my life. Well, except for the emergency room trip because I freaked out. All I could think about was Daniel.”
“Since you’re still struggling with that, let’s start back with our morning prayers. Get up fifteen minutes early. It is so past time to shut the devil down on this once and for all,” Solae scolded her, then folded her arms. “Now, changing the subject. You should be a pro as a crossing guard by now, so how could a bunch of kindergarteners intimidate you?”
“Girl, it wasn’t the children. They were so cute with their questions, and only one boy broke up the…you know what,” Candace snuck that in there before leaning forward and lowering her voice, “It was one of the parents. I felt he—”
“He?” Solae lifted her brows. “Hmm, tell me more.”
Solae’s hopeful expression amused her. Candace thought about letting her friend stew, then decided against teasing her. “It was something about his smothering eyes that made me feel like a little rag doll with my raggedy stockings.”
“Humph.” Solae tsked. I guarantee you that man was admiring your legs, run and all, so how did he look?” Anchoring her elbow on Candace’s desk, Solae rested her chin in the cup of her hand, seemingly waiting for a long story.
“Very good-looking man.” Standing, Candace slid her purchases in her drawer, then moved her mouse so her computer screen would come to life, giving Candace the hint she had work to do and was already late getting to it. Plus, if she admitted that he sparked her attraction, Solae would probably faint. That would be a first since Daniel’s death.
“That’s it?” Her friend feigned insult.
“Yep, now I have clients to call. Do you mind?”
Squinting, Solae was slow to vacate her chair. When she did, Candace gave her a few more nuggets. “If I didn’t already have a hole in my nylons, then his smoldering eyes would have burned a hole in them like Superman.”
“Ooh.” Her friend’s eyes danced with excitement. “Remember Sunday’s sermon that all things work together for the good to those who love the Lord?”
“Yes, but I can’t see how Romans 8:28 applies to me and a hole. That sure wasn’t a good thing or of any spiritual significance,” Candace argued.
“Don’t be so sure. I believe God uses insignificant to get our attention. Maybe the run in your stockings caused Mr. Firefighter’s interest to pique.”
“Boy, you’re really trying to make that scripture work for you. Hang it up.” Candace shook her head as she typed in her username and password.
Indignant to the core, Solae planted a fist on her hip. “It’s not impossible. When men look at you, you have to think interest. I told you, you’re too young to hang up your dating hat. You’re pretty, in shape and have nice legs, judging from the whispers I’ve heard around here since the day you started coming to the office. I think if you strut in here with a pair of pants on, the men in the office would be in an uproar.”
Solae needed to look in the mirror. She always had been the prettier one between them. With exotic features that favored a well-known actress and former Junior Miss runner-up, her friend was the one who would and could catch a man’s eye. But keeping his heart was tricky once he learned that her baby factory equipment had been removed.
“Maybe he’s a single parent, too. You should find out—”
“I’ll date when Lindsay gets older. I’m still adjusting to our long hours of separation.”
“Cut the cord.” She made a snipping gesture with her fingers. “Make sure it’s not when my godchild is about to become a grandmother.” She turned around to head back to her cubicle and almost bumped into a coworker, sipping on a cup of coffee. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
“No, it was me who wasn’t looking where I was going.” Her tall bald dark-skinned admirer’s husky voice practically cooed his apology. Judging by that expression, he would forgive her for anything.
What about not having children? Candace wondered. At least she had somebody—Lindsay. Maybe the real matchmaking should be finding a mate for Solae. With the attention off of her, Candace pulled up the accounts that she was scheduled to call.
Sometime later, a peppermint bounced off her shoulder. Knowing the culprit, Candace sighed as she twirled around. Angling her body, she eyed Solae. “Girl, you’ve been doing that since the day I came in the office. Are you trying to tell me I’ve got bad breath?”
“Nope, I’ve been thinking—”
“Always a cause for concern.” Candace grinned.
“Funny. It might be time for you to pucker up the next time you see that firefighter.”
“Really? Are you back on that again?” Candace picked up her phone to resume her client calls. She was not about to get drawn into another dating conversation with her friend that day. Solae seemed to have other plans, but the client picked the right time to answer her call.
“Jake Greenlee.”
The longtime customer of Kendall Printing seemed grateful for the follow up call, but wasn’t convinced that her branding proposal was worth the added expense.
Before ending the conversation, Candace finally persuaded Mr. Greenlee to meet with an account executive. She needed as many appointments as possible for her to shadow as part of the prerequisite to her training program.
Soon it was time for Candace to leave for her crossing guard duty. “I’ll be back with Lindsay in a few hours. It’ll be like old times when I used to work at home and she was close by. She was quiet then. Now, she’s a little chatterbox…of course, you can always volunteer to take her home. Hint, hint.”
“Girl, please. I’ll take my god-baby, feed her and make sure she does her homework, so when you come and get Lindsay, she’ll be ready for her bath and bed.”
“Thank you.”
Back at her post while she waited on her first wave of students at the crosswalk, Candace dared to think about the firefighter. Whose father was he? Was he a single parent like her? Suddenly, Candace wrinkled her nose. If the jerk was married, his wife should smack him for ogling her.
CHAPTER TEN
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For some unknown reason, Romans 8:28 stayed with Royce after he finished reading the chapter. Was God was going to reveal a nugget of wisdom? Nothing came.
Closing his Bible, he walked into the kitchen to warm up leftovers when a vision of the breathtaking Miss Clark beckoned to him. The woman had been in and out of his mind all day since leaving the classroom earlier.
Of course, Royce wasn’t complaining as he entertained the vision, which always brought him to the query as to why she was Miss Clark instead of Mrs. He could only think of two reasons: divorced or single with a child.
His phone rang as
he popped his plate in the microwave. He programmed three minutes as noted Hershel’s name on the caller ID.
“I’m giving you a heads up that our dear sister-in-law convinced me that I should let her plan Brandon’s birthday party. I told her to go for it, so everything is set for next Saturday at Terrence’s Ranch. She assigned you to help supervise.”
His nephews’ parties were legendary. When it came to his sons, Hershel went overboard. His reasoning was that bigger was better to justify inviting what seemed like an entire city to celebrate the boy’s birthdays ever since they were toddlers. It was his way to make up for the absence of their mother.
“Bro, did you forget you scheduled me to work a twenty-hour shift that happens to end that morning?”
“Hey, blame it on Julia who decided to schedule the party for next Saturday since Brandon’s birthday is in the middle of the week.”
If it wasn’t for the fact that he only had two nephews, Royce would skip it. “I’ll be at Terrence’s in time for cleanup.”
“Brandon wants to invite the whole class—all twenty-one rug rats,” Hershel casually mentioned.
“And your point is?” Royce took his plate of out of the microwave the minute it beeped. Taking it to the table, he took his seat. “Hold on.” Royce silently said grace and then dug into the baked chicken, corn on the cob, and baked beans.
“Hello. Did you not stop by the engine house this morning— on your day off, mind you—to inform me that the same crossing guard who collapsed in your arms was one of the speakers? Did you not hug me because I asked you nicely to fill in for me?” He chuckled. “Royce, I’m inviting Brandon’s entire class.”
The realization sunk in. Miss Clark might bring her daughter. Royce swallowed his food. “You know, I’d do anything for my favorite nephew. What time do you want me there?”
After Hershel recovered from a hearty laugh, he gave Royce the details.
***
“Lindsay got another invite in the mail yesterday,” Candace mentioned casually as she and Solae lunched at Applebee’s across the street from their workplace.
Sipping on her lemonade, Solae grinned. “Those things are coming like junk mail.”
“Who you tellin’? I guess Lindsay and I will be shopping after work. I’m becoming a social butterfly without trying,” Candace joked.
“You know I love you, but there has to be more to your life than crashing kindergarteners’ birthday parties. What does this make, two weekends in a row?”
“Three. I think half the children in the class are September babies. Thank God Lindsay’s birthday is in the summer.”
Solae seemed thoughtful as she glanced out the window. “It’s been a while since we’ve had some us time. Why don’t we go to the movies for a few hours?
“I took Lindsay to the matinees last—”
“See… that’s what I’m talking about, girl. Will you cut the string. Okay, let’s go shopping…and you’re forbidden from buying Lindsay another thing.” She pointed a manicured finger at her.
Candace didn’t back down as she tried to make her friend understand. “Now that she’s in school all day and I’m working outside the home, the weekends are all I have with her. She’s all I have.” All I have of Daniel, Candace didn’t voice.
“As your friend, sister and Lindsay’s godmother, you either go with me and we do something fun for a change, so that my god baby has room to grow, or I’m crashing this party. I mean it.”
Candace rolled her eyes at Solae’s theatrics. “All right, all right, but I’ll need to stay at least five minutes to chat with the parents and check out the place for safety hazards. The invitation says pony rides and a petting zoo.”
Beaming, Solae lifted her arms in the air as if she had scored a touchdown. “Yes! Well, wouldn’t you say this was a productive lunch? It looks like the negotiations went well.”
Balling up a napkin, Candace aimed it at her and fired. Solae ducked, but not soon enough. They cleared the table and headed back to work, laughing.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Saturday morning, Lindsay couldn’t contain her excitement about riding a baby horse at Brandon Kavanaugh’s party. Candace dressed her in a denim jumpsuit and cowgirl boots. She even loosely tied a red bandana around Lindsay’s neck and twisted her thick hair into two ponytails. Admiring her handiwork, Candace thought Lindsay could pass as a poster child for a cowgirl.
When the bell rang, Lindsay screamed and raced to the door. She hopped from one leg to the other, anxious for Candace to hurry up and open it.
Solae glided inside and oohed and ahhed over Lindsay’s outfit before squatting and giving her goddaughter a hug and kiss. Standing, Solae greeted Candace in the same manner.
As was the norm, Solae made casual dress into a fashion statement. She wore the warmest shade of blue that made her skin glow. She eyed Candace’s attire at the same time, a denim jumper and flats—plain and simple.
Twisting her mouth, Solae practically circled her. “I guess you’ll pass,” she teased. “We definitely need to work on updating your wardrobe.”
“Thanks,” Candace said dryly. “I love you, too.” She couldn’t help it that her casual clothes were really casual. She didn’t go out and now that she was working outside the home, she was building her business wardrobe.
“Come on, Mommy and Aunt Sollie, I don’t want to miss my turn on the horsy!”
Playfully snatching the car keys out of Candace’s hand, Solae juggled hers. “I’m driving. There’s a strip mall near the birthday party with a café and boutique shops for us to window shop.” She grinned.
Since Solae kept an extra booster seat in her car, Candace didn’t have an objection to riding with her. After she swiped their sweaters off the sofa along with the child’s gift, Candace locked the front door. In the car, Solae programmed the party address in her GPS and pulled away from the driveway.
Lindsay entertained them with details about who was having a birthday party next. “Ryan says he will have clowns and Jasmine is going to have a tea party.”
“You’re going to be broke,” Solae murmured, exchanging glances with Candace.
“Tell me about it.”
After thirty minutes of singing songs and Solae quizzing Lindsay on her numbers and alphabet, they turned off the highway to a gravel road. They couldn’t miss Terrence’s Ranch as they followed the big signs and balloons along the path.
“Remember, in and out,” Solae reminded Candace again, making herself a temporary parking space at the ranch’s entrance. “Introduce yourself, make sure the children will be supervised properly on the horses, and leave…”
Tuning her friend out, Candace unstrapped Lindsay from her booster seat and helped her out the car as Solae continued to give orders. “Five minutes—seven tops—anything beyond a second longer,” Solae lowered her voice, so Lindsay wouldn’t hear, “I have no shame in crashing a child’s party.”
Lindsay soon forgot about both of them as her eyes widened with excitement at the kiddie carnival rides. It was almost as if parents were trying to outdo each other with the grandeur of their parties. From the balloons to the animals, there was no doubt that Brandon’s family had gone all the way out for his birthday celebration.
“Bye, Aunt Sollie.” Lindsay waved and skipped ahead of Candace, who held the child’s present in her arms.
Solae honked and Candace twirled around. “I mean it, Candy,” using a childhood nickname that only surfaced when she was serious.
“I know.” Annoyed with her friend’s pestering, Candace gritted her teeth and hurried to catch up with her daughter to get it over with.
They were almost at the front porch when Lindsay made a beeline to a little boy who waved at them furiously. Suddenly, the front door swung open. The firefighter from career day filled the entryway, appearing larger than life. Immediately, she noted he had shaved, which made him look different from when she first saw him. Why did the absence of his five o’clock shadow disappoint her?
“Hello,” Candace found her voice. Whether it was just hot or her deodorant wasn’t working, but something was the source of her perspiration.
“Hello, Miss Clark, I was hoping you would come, actually praying that you would.” He seemed relieved as he stepped forward. Not only was he built, but he stood majestically over her five-foot-five frame. This was one of those times Candace wished she had worn her three inch heels.
“You remembered my name?” she asked, somewhat flattered.
“Your name, your face and that cute little daughter of yours.” His boyish smile added to his overpowering masculinity. “I’m Royce Kavanaugh.” Extending his hand, Royce swallowed up hers in a secure, but gentle embrace as his eyes kept hers captive.
“Ah…Candace Clark.”
“Beautiful…named after the Ethiopian queen in the book of Acts,” he said almost in awe.
She had never been compared to a queen and the African connection was even more flattering, considering he linked it to the Bible. She would have blushed, but his adoration turned into a stern expression, definitely meant to intimidate.
“You had me worried about you.”
“Pardon me?” She frowned.
“I’m the firefighter who caught you when you collapsed from the stress of witnessing the little boy who got hit on his bicycle. After we made sure he was okay, I didn’t mind being the one to rescue you.” He winked.