Sarah’s gaze widened. “Oh! Can we do that, please? I want to go swimming.”
Whitney, who was busy cleaning off the table while Candice tended to Sarah, stopped mid-trek to the kitchen sink and turned to face them. “You know what, I think that’s a great idea. Daniel has to work again this weekend, so Sarah and I should have a girl’s weekend. How about I pick her up after school tomorrow, and she and I can swim, eat junk food, and watch cartoons? Would you like that, Sarah?”
Sarah fervently nodded and clapped her hands. “Oh, Mommy, can I? Please, please, please! You can come too.”
Whitney put the dishes in the sink. “I think your mom deserves a break this weekend. She’s been working hard, and there might be something here she needs to do, something she’s been putting off. Isn’t that right, Candice?”
She cocked a brow at Whitney, who leaned against the counter and grinned mischievously. She knew exactly what her sister was up to, but she wasn’t about to play along. “I don’t know, Whit. I think a weekend at your house sounds like fun. I’d like to go swimming, too, and we haven’t had a girl’s weekend in a long, long time.”
Sarah looked anxiously between the two of them, and she was so wound up, you would’ve thought Whitney suggested doing something a lot more extravagant and fun than swimming. But she could tell by the expression on Whitney’s face that she wasn’t amused with her wanting to tag along.
Candice sighed. Maybe it would be best to just let the two of them have their time together. After all, Whitney didn’t have any children of her own, and her time at home was usually spent alone since Daniel worked most weekends at the grocery store he managed.
“Fine,” Candice lamented. “I’ll stay here, but I can’t promise I’ll get any work done. I’ll probably just spend the whole weekend goofing off.”
Candice leaned back in the chair and gave her sister a winning smile while waiting for her to challenge her again. Instead, Whitney snickered and continued cleaning off the table. “You are so stubborn,” she proclaimed.
Candice laughed. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
Chapter 15
David
David straightened his tie as he walked the corridor to Candice's office the following afternoon. It was five o’clock on day five in his quest to get her to go on a date with him, and he kept his fingers crossed, hoping that five would be his lucky number. When he got to her open doorway, he found her sorting papers in the filing cabinet, and he leaned against the doorframe to admire the view while she had her back turned to him.
Although he and the other managers were required to wear dress slacks, long-sleeved shirts, and ties to work every day, Friday's were reserved for casual wear for the rest of the staff, and today, Candice wowed him in a red sundress and sandals. The dress stopped above her knees, and the thin spaghetti straps showed off her shoulders and the elegant line of her neck. Her sun-kissed complexion beckoned to be touched, and David swallowed in an attempt to moisten his suddenly dry mouth.
"Are you going to say hello or would you rather I just stand here so you can keep admiring my backside?" Candice teased.
David blushed profusely when she peered over her shoulder at him. "You caught me. Was it the heavy breathing that gave me away?"
She walked to her desk and sat down. "I could smell your cologne."
David cringed. "Uh-oh. Is that your subtle way of saying I wear too much?"
His heart thumped erratically when she looked up from her paperwork and gave him a bashful smile. "No. I like it."
So far, so good.
"Okay, Miss Hollins, it's Friday, so today is the last day this week I'll hound you for a date. If you say yes, then I'd love to take you to dinner tonight. If you say no, then we'll start fresh Monday morning. What do you say? Have I won you over yet?"
Candice put down her pen. She studied him closely, and David slid his hands inside his pants pockets and turned around in a slow circle, hoping he resembled a male model and not some monkey on a string. "Come on, Candice. How can you say no to this?"
She laughed, and the soft, sweet sound sent a rush of heat coursing through his veins. Oh, what he wouldn't give for the opportunity to make her smile and laugh every day for the rest of her life.
"You do make a tempting offer, and it just so happens I'm free since Whitney is keeping Sarah at her house this weekend."
He stopped moving. Could she actually be on the verge of saying yes? He tried to appear cool and collected, but his heart rate escalated so abruptly, he could almost hear it pounding in his ears.
"Is that a yes?" he asked as nonchalantly as he could.
Candice shrugged. "Why not? I could use a night out. What did you have in mind?"
She started clearing off her desk, and David was so excited, he could hardly contain himself. He cleared his throat before speaking so he wouldn't come off sounding like some high-pitched lovestruck schoolboy. "How about the little Italian restaurant I was telling you about?"
She squinted like she was deep in thought. "I had spaghetti tacos for dinner last night, so I'm not very hungry for Italian food, but I would love to try out the Blue Lemon Restaurant in Salt Lake City. Whitney brags on it all the time. How does that sound?"
Candice gave him a hopeful look as she retrieved her purse from one of the desk drawers and slipped it over her shoulder. Honestly, he would've been content sharing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as long as they were together. "Well, first of all, I'm too afraid to even ask about the spaghetti tacos. Secondly, that sounds perfect. After you."
He gestured to the door and as she strode past him, David placed his hand on the small of her back and kept it there as they walked to his truck in the parking lot. Her face heated, and he thought he felt her tremble, but he couldn't be positive. He unlocked the passenger door and opened it for her, and as he walked around to the driver's side, he took a couple of deep breaths to steady his nerves.
On the drive to Salt Lake City, they talked about work and their families, and the conversation flowed effortlessly, just like it had the day they visited Antelope Island. He thought he would feel more nervous since they were alone on their first official date, but he was actually quite relaxed. Being with Candice felt as natural as breathing, and he hoped it was just the first of many dates to come.
They were seated in a secluded corner of the Blue Lemon Restaurant, and he felt hopeful when she moved her chair closer to his, so close that their legs were touching, which sent an electric jolt coursing through his entire body. After they ordered their food, she excused herself so she could call and check on Sarah, and when she returned to the table a few minutes later, she was smiling.
"I'm guessing by the huge grin on your face, she's doing okay?" he asked.
Candice sat and crossed her legs. "She's having a great time. Whitney picked her up from school this afternoon, and they stopped by Mr. Rudy's for some ice cream, and now they're going swimming in Whitney's pool. She had to tell me she brought a big jug of pickle juice from Mr. Rudy's for me. She was so excited, I could barely get a word in."
David furrowed a brow. "Pickle juice? What do you do with that?"
Candice gave him an incredulous look. "Oh gosh, there are so many things you can do with it. Sarah loves it on her homemade French fries. I soak the potatoes in it overnight and when you bake them it adds a tangy flavor that tastes amazing. I use it as a marinade for pork chops, steaks, and chicken too. Mr. Rudy buys these gallon-sized containers of pickles for his deli, and he always saves the juice for me. I drink it sometimes too. Don't you?"
David's mouth puckered just thinking about it. He hoped she was joking, but he could tell by the look on her face, she was quite serious, and that made him laugh. "Oh my god, no. Doesn't that taste bad?"
She smiled again. "My brothers played football in high school, and they used to get these awful leg cramps, so my mom would buy big bottles of dill pickles and save the juice for them to drink. I know it probably sounds terrible, but it stopped t
heir leg cramps every single time. I tried it once, just for the heck of it, and I liked it. I don't drink it often, though, just every once in a blue moon."
David shook his head in amazement. There were so many layers to this woman, and it was a such a treat unveiling them all because he never knew what he was going to get. It also made his heart swell hearing her talk so fondly about Sarah and her family, but he had to admit their closeness made him feel a bit envious. Having traveled so much, he didn't get to spend as much time with his family as he wanted to, but when they were together, he did his best to make every second count.
"So, you have a whole weekend to yourself?" he asked. "Do you have any plans?"
She shook her head. "No, not really. I'll probably just relax, watch some TV, and maybe read a bit."
David squinted as he leaned back in his chair. "There's nothing else you'd rather be doing? What do you usually like to do for fun?"
She was quiet for a while. "Let's see. Well, Whitney has an indoor pool, so Sarah and I get to use it year-round, which is nice. There's an old drive-in theater a few miles outside of Lehi, and every other Saturday, they feature kid's movies, and we spend several hours there, watching movies and eating way too much popcorn."
The image she created in his mind made him smile. "That does sound like fun, but what I meant was, what do you like to do when you're by yourself outside your home? Do you go shopping or sightseeing?"
Candice's smile faded a bit. "Sarah goes to private school, so I have to stick to a strict budget to pay for her tuition, and there usually isn't enough left over for things like that. It's okay, though. As long as she's taken care of, I'm fine, and I don't need anything else."
David didn't think he could possibly admire her more, but as he listened to her talk about the sacrifices she'd made for her daughter and the way she put Sarah's happiness above everything else, his fondness for her grew tenfold.
"There are a ton of things to do around here that don't cost anything. When I first moved here, I spent two whole days driving around, seeing what Lehi and Salt Lake City had to offer, and you'd be amazed at the places you can visit that don't cost a dime."
Candice gave him a half-hearted smile. "I bet you've had so many adventures. I can't help but envy you a little bit. I've lived here so long, I feel like I've seen and done nothing."
Seeing the downcast look on her face made him feel terrible for the many things she was missing out on. She might be satisfied with her life the way it was, but he could tell just beneath the surface that she longed to spread her wings and fly.
"I would be willing to bet with you I could take you somewhere in Lehi tomorrow you've never been before," he said.
She crossed her arms over her chest and grinned. "You sound mighty confident. What would you like to bet?"
He rubbed the stubble on his chin and considered his options while she sat by and smirked. He loved a good challenge, and he would gladly take on any challenge that involved time spent alone with Candice. "If I succeed, then you'll let me take you and Sarah out for breakfast Sunday morning."
She leaned in close. "And if you lose?"
David swallowed hard. "I'll drink some pickle juice. As much as you want."
Candice clapped her hands and laughed. "It's a deal."
They shook on it, but neither of them let go right away, and as he looked into her mesmerizing brown eyes, he felt himself slipping further and further into her grasp. When the waiter appeared with their food, he reluctantly released her, and they spent the rest of their dinner making small talk until it was time to leave.
On the drive back to Lehi, David's right arm and Candice's left arm rested on the middle console between them, but he was too afraid to reach over and grasp her hand because he didn't want to appear too forward, especially since it was their first official date. When he pulled into the parking lot at MBC, he parked beside her vehicle and turned off the engine.
"I had such a good time tonight, David. Thank you."
She lifted her arm from the console and moved closer to the door, and he felt like kicking himself in the behind for not holding her hand. "I enjoyed it too. So, I'll pick you up tomorrow morning, say around ten?"
She nodded. "That sounds good."
"Wear your hiking boots, " he replied with a playful wink.
They stared at each other for the longest time with neither of them uttering a word. After a couple of minutes, Candice reached for the door handle. "Good night. I'll see you tomorrow."
Before he had the chance to reply, she was out the door and walking briskly to her car, and he had to laugh at her nervousness like she was frightened to death he might try to kiss her, even though he was determined to act like a gentleman. He wanted to do everything right, which could be daunting at times, but it was worth it. She was worth it.
Candice waved to him before starting her car and veering away from the parking lot, and David waved back. Tomorrow couldn't get here soon enough.
Chapter 16
Candice
Candice paced by the den window the next morning and tried not to peek around the curtain again. She'd spent the past hour pacing and peeking, and her nerves couldn't handle much more. Why in the world did she agree to David's bet? Was she insane? It seemed as if the more she tried to be logical about their situation, the worse she reacted. Instead of remaining adamant about the two of them being friends, she was steadily losing her grip and succumbing more and more to his charm.
She sucked in a breath when she heard the sound of wheels crunching against gravel, and she peeked around the curtain just as David turned into her driveway. Candice glanced around the den one last time, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything and all the lights were switched off before grabbing her purse and heading for the door. David had parked his truck and was halfway to her front porch when she met him outside.
"Good morning!" she called.
He looked between her and the house a few times, and a confused expression crossed his handsome face for a fraction of a second before he started smiling.
"Good morning," he replied. "Ready to lose this bet?"
Candice grinned. "I put a big glass of pickle juice in my refrigerator, so it would be nice and chilled for you when you lose."
He cringed and laughed at her response, and the deep, hypnotic sound gave her goosebumps. He was dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and boots, and his hair was damp like he'd just stepped from the shower. He was so gorgeous, it literally took her breath away, and she started walking to his truck to keep from gawking at him.
David walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for her, and the loving gesture tugged at her heartstrings. While he walked around to the driver's side, she happened to notice a picnic basket and blanket in the back seat, but she decided not to mention it, though, just in case it wasn't meant for her. Candice set her purse on the floorboard and buckled her seat belt just as David opened the door and hopped inside.
"I probably should've asked this last night,” he said. “But you’re not scared of heights, are you? Do you have asthma?"
She was surprised by his questions and slightly alarmed, but she tried not to show it. "No and no, and why am I suddenly afraid?"
He laughed softly before reaching over the middle console to hold her hand. "There's no reason to be afraid. I promise. I would never do anything to put you in harm's way."
His emphatic expression and serious tone were reassuring, and as he backed out of the driveway and headed east, her fear was replaced with curiosity. He let go of her hand and opened the console and retrieved a handheld GPS device, which he switched on and placed on his lap.
"Hmm. I take it we're going off the grid today," she remarked with a nervous laugh.
He looked at the device and grinned. "You guessed right. I found this spot one day while I was out hiking the Traverse Mountains, and I decided to mark it with my GPS. I haven't been back since that day but if memory serves me, it’s not that hard to find."
Ca
ndice smiled. "I've been to the Traverse Mountains before, so I'm afraid you've lost this bet."
He waved a finger at her before she could say anything else. "Not so fast. I said I would take you somewhere in Lehi you've never been before, and there are a lot of different spots on the Traverse Mountains I bet you've never seen. Am I right?"
She thought back to the last time she visited the mountains when she was in the fourth grade, and her science teacher, Mrs. Powell, attempted to take her class on a field trip. They didn't get very far when a couple of the boys decided to tussle in some poison ivy, and the assistant teacher, Mrs. Lowe, nearly collided with a hornet's nest. Needless to say, it was a short-lived trip.
"Okay, we'll see, but don't start getting cocky just yet," she jokingly warned.
He laughed at her reply, and as he drove them to the foothills of the Traverse Mountains, her excitement grew. She enjoyed David's daring and carefree spirit, and it helped lull her out of her comfort zone, which most people weren't able to do, including Barry. When he parked the truck and grabbed the picnic basket and blanket from the back seat, she was downright antsy with anticipation.
He locked the truck and stuffed the keys into his pocket before pressing some buttons on his GPS. "Ready to go?"
Candice pointed to the basket and blanket. "I’m ready, but do you need help carrying some of that?"
He handed her the blanket. "I'll keep the basket. I have a surprise in here, and I don't want you peeking when I'm not looking."
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