Stopping Traffic (A Back to School Romance) (Love at The Crossroads)

by Simmons, Pat

  She didn’t want to replay the events of that day at all. Of course, she didn’t remember seeing him. Royce’s handsome looks would stay a lifetime in a woman’s memory bank, but somehow he wasn’t in hers; she had probably been in shock. She looked away, not wanting to relive that day, and her morning prayers with Solae were helping her to conquer those fears. “Thank you.” She left it at that.

  “You’re more than welcome,” his voice was husky as he trapped in her a stare.

  When she managed to blink, Royce cleared his throat and excused himself, leaving her standing there. He disappeared into the house and returned with a bouquet of flowers and determination in his eyes until he gave them to her; then his stern expression softened.

  “For you.”

  Whispering her thanks, Candace closed her eyes to sniff the fragrance and caught a whiff of his cologne. Exactly who was the guest of honor at this party—her or Brandon Kavanaugh? She doubted Solae would have set this up. Her friend knew better than to mastermind a blind date. Neither of them cared for surprises like that.

  Taking a deep breath, Candace faced him again. “What if I hadn’t come?”

  “My sister-in-law would have enjoyed them, but you did. I was so enthralled the first time I saw you as a crossing guard while on our way to a fire…”

  A fire truck? She wondered if that was her first day on the assignment. “You aren’t the one who whistled at me, are you?” She lifted a brow.

  And he had the nerve to look chastened. “You mean I was the only one who temporarily lost my mind?” Royce raised his hand. “Guilty. You were a distraction then just as you are now. I was relieved when you walked in the door on career day. Not only did you survive the ordeal with Tommy, but I couldn’t take my eyes off you. You didn’t need that safety vest to stop traffic.”

  Career Day. How many embarrassments would she suffer in front of this man? “Well, thank you, I’m sure that run in my stocking was also a focal point. If I remember correctly, you smirked when you looked at my legs.” She arched a manicured brow.

  Lifting a silky brow, Royce’s nostrils flared. “Trust me, you complemented that run. It did nothing to take away from your appearance. You were captivating to me and the class,” he assured her. “And I noticed the day you fell in my arms, at school and today, you aren’t wearing a ring, I take that as you’re not married, so I hope my compliments are not out of line.”

  They were thick. He’s flirting with me and I’m at a loss for words. It wasn’t as if men hadn’t flirted with her since Daniel’s death, but with Lindsay by her side or in her arms to act as a buffer, many didn’t pursue it.

  But turnabout was fair play. Through the hood of her lashes, she glanced at his ring finger—nothing, but that meant nothing, too. Not every husband felt obligated to wear a ring. Her husband wore his with pride. She needed to change the subject. “Is Brandon your son?”

  “No, my nephew. I’m not married nor do I have any children,” he offered the tidbit without her daring to ask. “My brother is the fire captain and got tied up at the station on career day. I stood in as his replacement. Imagine how I felt seeing the woman I rescued at center stage.”

  Suddenly, Candace remembered they were not alone, why she was there and Solae’s threat. She knew her friend would have no problem carrying it out. “Well, thank you again for the flowers, but I have to go. Do you mind if I take a look at the ponies and who is steering them? I know…I’m a control freak; I need to be in control of my daughter’s environment, especially when I’m not around. Just call me a parent freak.”

  “No, you just love your daughter.” Invading her private space, Royce moved closer and removed the gift from her arm that she had forgotten she was holding. Candace was surprised Royce hadn’t caused her to forget her name.

  “You don’t have to rush off. Stay.”

  Although Royce’s words were soft, his good looks couldn’t mask the tiredness in his eyes. She suddenly felt the urge to pamper him. Blame it on her nurturing instincts, but she refrained herself from acting impulsively with a stranger.

  There was this unexplainable connection that made her want to stay and not just to watch over Lindsay. “I can’t. My friend is waiting for me in the car. I’m sorry.”

  Making no attempts to rein in his disappointment, Royce rubbed his jaw—the clean shaven one. “I see. Well, your friend—he—is invited to stay, too. There is plenty of food and room.”

  Laughing to cover her nervousness, Candace may have been out of the game since Daniel, but she knew the game Royce was playing. “Believe me, one look at Solae and you’ll bite your tongue. She could never be mistaken for a he.”

  “I don’t need to look. I don’t believe in window shopping if my attention is elsewhere.”

  Whew. Now her palms were sweaty. The man was unstoppable. Instead of putting out a fire, he was kindling her emotions. She had to exhale to keep from fainting. “How flattering, but my friend and I have planned an afternoon to eat and shop—”

  “Candace, we have plenty of food, excellent company…” He gave her a lopsided smile. “If your daughter’s father is not in your life or you’re not seeing anybody, I would love for us to get to know each other over dinner, the movies, skating.”

  She opened her mouth, but nothing came out right away.

  “Please stay.”

  “Either he was moving too fast or she too slow, but she couldn’t process the unexpected conversation. “My friend and Lindsay’s godmother will come looking for me. She has no problem making a scene and repenting later.”

  “I ain’t scared.” Royce shivered and coaxed a smile out of her. “Come on, let’s see if I can convince her to let you stay and play.”

  “Right.” She chuckled at how ironic it was that Solae was the one always pushing her to get out and meet someone, and the one man who she found to be confident, charming and fascinating—did she say fine—happened to be at a child’s birthday party.

  Candace was curious how this man could be so sure of his infatuation when they really hadn’t spent much time together. Craning her neck, she spied her daughter who was in a line, waiting for a clown to paint color art on her face.

  “Well…ok—”

  “Great!” Adjusting the gift to the other arm, Royce touched her elbow and unhurriedly escorted her down the pathway, retracing her steps. Candace expected Solae to be outside her car, marching in her heels to meet her halfway. Candace squinted. Evidently, she was the last thing on Solae’s agenda.

  “Is that your friend next to that silver car? If so, then it appears my older brother has detained her. “That’s Brandon’s father, Captain Hershel Kavanaugh,” Royce said with pride in his voice.

  No wonder she hasn’t come looking for me. Candace smiled, recognizing the admiration the man had for his brother. As an only child, she had wished for more children for Lindsay, but that hope was dashed.

  As they approached, neither Hershel nor Solae looked their way. As a matter of fact, Solae seemed startled when Candace called her name. Jumping, Solae stood at attention as if she had been caught buying Victoria’s Secret underwear and the pastor snuck up on her.

  “Huh? Oh. Hey, Candace.”

  Royce’s brother never looked their way, instead he continued to watch Solae.

  What was it with these Kavanaugh me, holding women captive and with such intensity until a woman lost her mind? Their testosterone level definitely needed to be checked and serviced.

  “This is Brandon’s father and he’s invited us to stay,” Solae said as if Candace hadn’t figured out the reason she had not yet dragged her away from there. Her coy smile meant they would talk later. Definitely, because her friend very seldom changed her mind when it came to shopping.

  Now who was going to babysit whom? And she didn’t mean Lindsay. Solae didn’t date outside their faith and neither of them knew anything about these brothers, including their commitments to God. “Really?”

  “I guess it’s settled, ladies. It looks lik
e the party is just getting started,” Hershel said as he led Solae away from her car.

  For some reason, Candace had a suspicion that the party he referred to had nothing to do with a five-year-old’s birthday party.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “I guess you never can have too many chaperones,” Candace said, accepting the invitation.

  Chaperones were not what Royce had in mind, not after pining for Candace for weeks. He was definitely thinking in terms of something more private as Royce did a quick sweep of her attire. Whereas Solae was pretty, Candace was a knockout. Her legs elevated her to another level—gorgeous—because every woman didn’t have legs that would catch a man’s eye. The outfit she wore showcased them perfectly—a denim form-fitting dress with matching jacket and flats that reminded him of a ballerina.

  They strolled past the front door of the ranch house that belonged to his cousin, Terrence, to the back lawn where the activity was nonstop. More than thirty children, including most of the children in Brandon’s class, formed lines to be next for their turn to ride on the pony.

  Staying close by her side, Royce watched as Candace acknowledged the other parents she knew. “It’s good to see so many fathers with their children. At least I’m not the only single parent in the bunch.”

  “Oh no, you’re not. Whether you know it or not, my brother is divorced and is rearing my nephews alone.”

  It was noteworthy that Hershel had become so instantly smitten with Candace’s friend. It took more than an attractive face to get his attention as Hershel always reminded him and Trent. “Me and my kids are the ones who got burned by a trifling woman. And I’m praying every night to keep me from becoming bitter. I mean, what type of woman leaves her children? Pretty women are nothing but trouble.” would spill out from the depths of Hershel’s soul from time to time.

  After ditching Candace’s gift on the table where others were displayed, he guided her to a pair of lawn loungers off to the side for some privacy.

  Once Candace made her choice, Royce took the other. His body sunk into the uncomfortable lounger as he stretched out his long legs. A yawn escaped as he thought about the sleep he was sacrificing to be there with her.

  “Sorry.” He covered his mouth.

  “Did you fight fires last night?”

  “Yes, and there were other calls, too.” Royce did his best not to yawn again. Maybe sitting still wasn’t a good idea.

  “Then why are you here instead of sleeping? You look tired.” Her concern, frown, and slight scolding were endearing. “Whether I’m a firefighter or not, I’m expected to be at my nephew’s party. Orders from my sister-in-law and brother.”

  “With so many children, I doubt if you would be missed for the couple of hours it would take for you to get some rest.” She scrutinized him.

  Yes, Royce could see himself as the beneficiary of her pampering. “I had to come to see you again. Sometimes a person only gets one last chance, especially in my line of work.”

  She took on an unreadable expression. “You don’t have to have a dangerous job to live each day as if it’s your last chance to say or do things,” she whispered, amazing him with her understanding.

  “I guess this is a little late, but to clear my conscience I have to ask…is Lindsay’s father out of the picture, or is there a chance for reconciliation where I need to step aside?” He willed her to say that there were no obstacles. Royce watched her body language for his answer before she even uttered a sound.

  Although he was very attracted to her physically, family was important and he believed every man should do the right thing. If only Hershel had let him use Brandon to scout around for information.

  As he waited, Candace’s eyes teared up. Immediately, Royce’s slumped body went on alert. Maybe Lindsay’s father had put her through some kind of drama and it was painful for her to talk about it.

  Gritting his teeth, Royce felt guilty for stirring up those emotions. It took all his will power not to reach out and comfort her.

  Sniffing, Candace mustered a weak smile. “Lindsay never met her father. Daniel was a good man, husband and would have made a great father, but he was killed crossing the street three months before she was born,” Candace quietly explained, bowing her head. “Jesus gave me comfort. Prayer and counseling gave me strength. Without question, Solae and her mother have been my support system.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that about your late husband. I can’t imagine how you must feel. That child’s accident must have caused the memories of your own personal loss to resurface.”

  There was so much he wanted to know about her. Royce documented her every movement and expression. From the rapid batting of her lashes, Royce guessed she was fighting back the pain. This was not what he envisioned for their first real meeting.

  As the silence stretched between them, Royce battled his brain on how to recover the light conversation they shared before her revelation.

  Candace smiled again. This time it was genuine. “You made a lasting impression on Lindsay. I’ve learned more fire prevention tips listening to her than I have watching crime shows.”

  “Good for her.” Royce winked. “So what’s your favorite show?”

  “Law & Order.”

  “Good choice.”

  “But you were the hero on career day. Lindsay said all the girls liked the lady dancer, but everybody liked Mr. Firefighter because you brought them stickers, coloring books and other goodies.”

  As if she heard her name, Lindsay skipped up to them. The neat little girl who arrived to the party had vanished, replaced by this one with dirt on previously pristine white top and strands of thick black hair that had escaped a hairband.

  After hugging her mother, she hesitated, looking at Royce. “Hi, Mr. Fireman.” She waved, but didn’t leave Candace’s side.

  “Hi Lindsay, don’t you look cute today,” Royce said, making the girl bashful.

  “What do you say?” Her mother prompted while gently tugging on her daughter’s ponytail.

  Giggling, Lindsay thanked him, then took off as if she was merely checking in or checking up on her mother. Candace watched as she rejoined a group of girls.

  Royce observed the tenderness between them, wondering if there would be room for him to squeeze in as a third wheel. He had an edict never to get involved with another woman who had a child. It was easier to end a relationship if children weren’t a factor. But that was before Candace. If it wasn’t for her sweet little girl, Royce would have never met her.

  He got caught staring when she faced him again. A ray of sunshine captured and highlighted her pretty brown eyes. “Have you ever been married or do you have any children?” She switched the tables on him.

  Linking his hands together, Royce shook his head. “No, I’ve never been a husband or father, but I’m told I’m a great uncle.”

  He grinned; she chuckled, then she began to toy with him. “Let me guess. You haven’t found the right one or you’re not ready or…”

  “The right one…hmm.” He stroked the rough hairs on his chin. “That’s an easy one. God could put me in a room full of dozens of beautiful Christian women, but the one I would seek would not only be pleasing to the eye, but also a sweet praying woman.”

  “Christ is my backbone. He has provided for me and scolded me. I try to practice what my pastor preaches about how without holiness no one can see God. I didn’t understand that until I received the baptism in water in Jesus’ name and His Holy Ghost. That’s who I am,” she sounded defensive. “Besides, there are plenty of women in every church. I’m sure yours is no exception.”

  “True.” But I’m not sitting here talking to them. “Every Christian doesn’t know how to fast and pray. She also has to be comfortable with my absences because of my long shifts and rejoice when I come home. Not every woman wants that type of sacrifice.”

  A youngster’s squeal pulled Candace’s attention away from him. She fumbled with her fingers before meeting his stare. “Why me?”

/>   “You got my attention. Forgive me if I’m coming off as overbearing, but I’ve wanted to get to know you for almost a month. Today was my chance and I took it.”

  Candace sucked in her breath, following his honest admission. She seemed to give what he was saying some thought. “I’m flattered, but I don’t know if I am the one. I went from being a bride to becoming a wife to being a widow and then a mother. I’ve lived a lifetime before I reached twenty-four years old.”

  “Yes, you have,” Royce said softly, realizing the magnitude of the trials she had faced. “And I’m sure you’ve come to this point in your life because you know how to pray.”

  “Have you ever dated a woman with a child?” Did she ask to challenge his insecurities or was she oblivious to them?

  He squirmed in his seat. “I have, and to be honest with you, I didn’t feel good when the relationship were over. I was as much of a part of the children’s lives as their mothers, and they were heart-broken.”

  “Thank you for sharing that. I appreciate your honesty.” She had a tender, but unreadable expression that didn’t hint where he stood after his last statement. “My daughter’s happiness means everything to me. I was an only child and so was Daniel. Lindsay doesn’t have any grandparents unless I count Miss Minerva—Solae’s mom. My child needs stability and I don’t see how dating one guy after another one will give her that.”

  If that was her attempt at pushing him away, it was useless. No water or chemical could smother the fire she had ignited in him. Royce was not only a praying man, but a determined one, too. I just feel that you’re the one, he thought, but I can’t just blurt that out. The woman may already think I’m a stalker. “I’m not asking you to date a string of other men, just me.”

  Royce took advantage when she stalled in her response. “Candace, you are too young and too beautiful not to have your own happiness. You can’t live your life vicariously through your daughter’s. I would like to take you to dinner and a movie.”

  Feeling mischievous, he pressed her. “But if you won’t go out with Mr. Fireman, maybe that pretty little cowgirl over there,” he pointed in the direction where Lindsay and the others were playing, “will accept my date for a McDonald’s Happy Meal and a matinee—have to be mindful of her bed time—and I’ll even let you tag along.”