Loe raamatut: «Inherited: One Baby!»

Chapter One

Three days later…

In super-stealth mode, Jake Peterson stepped onto the brick step of the Candy Kisses Confectioner’s Shop and Ice Cream Parlor. But just as he was about to launch the most important merger meeting of his life, his cell phone rang.

Cursing himself for not leaving the stupid thing in his rental car, he answered, “Yeah?”

“Did you do it?”

“Hell, no, I didn’t do it.” He ducked out of the unseasonably hot Missouri May sun and into the shade of a bush trimmed into the shape of a—Was that a giant cat? On the branches of the cat’s belly, a flock of starlings bickered like toddlers vying for the teacher’s last animal cracker. Covering his left ear, Jake said, “I thought I told you to wait for me to call you.”

“I know, but I’ve got a baby question.”

“What?”

“Bonnie’s poop’s lookin’ a little off.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, man, it’s kind of purple. Something about it just isn’t right. And it smells a little like catfish bait.”

Jake sighed before asking Rick, his best friend from high school and now the manager of the original Galaxy Sports Store, located a few doors down from where he now stood, “What did you guys feed her? I’ve only been gone fifteen minutes.”

“Creamed chicken and some leftover noodle stuff—oh, and Dietz let her have a grape Popsicle. Man, you should’ve seen that little gal sucking away. Oh—and right after you left, she gummed a cherry Pop-Tart.”

“And did that make her poop red?”

“Come to think of it…”

Jake brushed his left hand over his face. Having grown up and later worked with most of the guys now manning the store, he’d thought they were all capable of watching Bonnie for a few hours. But maybe he’d been wrong. Come to think of it, maybe he was wrong to have even thought about setting foot back in this town. “Where’s Warren?” he asked.

“He got a call from his kid’s school. Millicent got knocked in the front tooth during gym class and he had to take her to the dentist.”

Great. So the only guy in the store with practical parenting skills was gone. “Look, Rick, baby poop is literally a fluid situation. Changes all the time. Don’t worry about it unless—well, hell, just don’t worry. And don’t call me for at least the next thirty minutes. I’m going in.”

“LET’S SEE…I’ll take two Coco Locos, a Dino Bar, and a chocolate-covered strawberry.”

“Mmm, I like your style.” Without looking up, Candy Jacobs-Peterson opened the glass storage case and gave the confections housed inside an appreciative whiff. Even after all her years in the candy business, she still loved the rich smell of her creations.

She reached for a piece of tissue, then snatched a couple of her most celebrated masterpieces. The milk chocolate, almond and toasted coconut Coco Loco blend outsold her other candies three to one. At Monday’s closing, she’d have to remind Candy Kisses’ new owners to make extra for the weekend rush.

Hard to believe that a week from today, the business that had become her family would be sold. For all practical purposes, she’d never had a mother. After her dad had died when she was eleven, she’d been raised by her grandfather right here in this store. Her brief marriage to Jake had started out as a blessing, but ultimately, as she’d feared it would, fallen victim to her curse.

After her divorce, Candy had returned to the store and her grandfather, believing that hard work would be the cure for whatever ailed her. For a while, it had been enough. But when he died and, over the year since he’d been gone, despite receiving comfort from many dear friends, the loneliness had consumed her.

She’d felt lost. Adrift.

And now…

Now, she needed more. Of what, she had no clue.

Yes, you do.

Candy ignored her conscience’s nudge toward unthinkable directions. Truly, something was missing from her life. But whatever that elusive something was, she’d had no luck finding it here in Lonesome, the only town where she’d ever lived. Which was why, first thing next Monday morning, she planned to sign the sale papers for Candy Kisses, close up her house, then leave Lonesome for however long it would take to find peace.

She swallowed a fresh batch of jitters to hand the customer his distinctive pink box that had her kindergarten picture right on the front, lips puckered for a kiss. “Can I get you anything el—”

The box, along with its contents, tumbled to the floor, hitting glowing hardwood with a soft thwack. Candy fluttered her hands to her mouth. “Oh, my gosh…Jake.”

He matched her shock with a wry smile. “That happy to see me, huh?”

“It’s not that—well, it’s just that I…” Pull yourself together, she admonished. So what if it’s been ten years? So what if he’s grown taller, darker and infinitely more handsome? Just treat him like any other customer.

Easily enough said, but how many other customers broke your heart?

“In town for the reunion?” she asked, trying to play it cool while kneeling to clean up the mess.

“Yep. I thought I wasn’t going to make it, but at the last minute…” She stood in time to see him shrug. “You know how plans change.”

“Yes, well…” No one knew that better than her. “It’s good that you could make it after all. I know the guys down at the store must be glad to see you.”

What about you, Candy? Are you glad to see me? Jake reminded himself to breathe.

His ex had always been a knockout, but now…

He swallowed hard, forcing himself to look past her whiskey-brown eyes, honeyed complexion and too-damned-sexy, sable-toned hair. In the millisecond it took to blink, he pictured her lounging in bed, wearing that ivory-silk negligee she’d bought him for their first wedding anniversary. Fine lace played hide-and-seek with her breasts while from behind her half curtain of sleek, dark waves, she grinned, beckoning him closer, inviting him to unwrap his gift.

Jake released a sharp breath.

Focus, man. Remember, you’re in town to find a temporary mom for Bonnie—not a playmate for you.

Besides, Jake reminded himself, being burned once by Candy’s particularly painful brand of rejection had been more than enough to scar his lifetime.

“So,” he said with a light clap, rubbing his palms together. “The guys told me you’re about to start a new project.”

“I suppose that’s one way of putting it,” she said, straightening the already-perfectly-aligned jars of her signature ice-cream toppings.

“So? What’re you doing? Finally launching a new store? Some hot new candy you’re taking nationwide?”

Shifting two jars to a higher shelf, she stood on her tiptoes, raising her arms high enough for her breasts to strain the buttons of her white silk blouse. Finished, she said, “You were the only one around here with global dreams, Jake. Mine have always been simple.” A ghostly smile playing about her lips, she shook her head. “I can’t believe the guys didn’t tell you.”

Tell me what? That you’re hotter than ever?

He gulped. “How come I’m feeling like I’m the only one in town who doesn’t know?”

“In case you’ve forgotten, Jake, we’re kind of divorced.”

“Touché.”

Averting her gaze, she said, “Wow. I can’t get over the fact that you’re really here. The last person I expected to see today was you.” When she again looked his way, she’d captured long strands of her hair between her fingers, intently twirling it as if the action would fix whatever was causing the sadness in her eyes.

The last time Jake had seen her twirl her hair was the day she’d signed their divorce papers.

“Candy,” he said, stepping closer to the counter. “Is something wrong? I mean, besides seeing me?” He flashed her a weak grin, which she answered with one of her own.

“No. It’s just that this is a pretty strange day.”

“How so? It’s just another Monday, isn’t it?”

Her nod was followed by a tiny hiccup, which was in turn followed by a gasping sob. “Oh, Jake, I know I’m making the right decision, but…”

In a heartbeat he stormed behind the counter and pulled her close. “Shh…” he said, stroking her hair while at the same time denying a strange sense of déjà vu. “Whatever’s going on with you, Candy, I’m sure everything’s going to be okay.”

As if only just now realizing that he held her in his arms, she stepped back, gazing up at him with a teary-eyed wonder that quickly turned to distrust. “Look at me,” she said, wiping her cheeks with the backs of her hands. She took another step back and straightened her hair. “Here I am, on the threshold of the biggest adventure of my life, and acting as if it’s some kind of jail sentence.”

Jake scratched his head. “Mind explaining all that for those of us who showed up late to the party?”

“Oops,” she said with a brave smile. “I forgot that you don’t know. Today is my last Monday standing behind this counter.” She washed her fingers over the timeworn white marble. “A week from today I’m selling Candy Kisses and leaving Lonesome.”

“Temporarily, right?”

“No. That’s the most exciting part. First, I’m crossing the Andes—on a llama! It’s one of those adventure/eco trips. And then there’s my Amazon cruise, and from there, the Galapagos, and—”

“But wh-what about your grandfather?” Dear Lord, what was she thinking? Candy Kisses had been in her family for more than fifty years. Candy Kisses was her family. She couldn’t just sell it.

“You didn’t know that, either? Grandpa died last spring.”

Jake washed his face with his hands, released a deep-throated groan. “Jeez, I’m so sorry…But that makes your wanting to sell all the more baffling. Woman, have you lost your mind?”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re selling the only thing in your life you’ve ever really loved in exchange for riding some hairy beast through the Andes? What is this? Some kind of harebrained attempt to find yourself?”

“Yes—I mean, no. And what if it is? What gives you the right to question anything I do? And you don’t have to make it sound as if my trip is some whacked-out, New Age spiritual thing. It’s just a vacation. A chance to see new things. Meet new people.” A chance to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life.

Candy brushed past Jake, ignoring the icy-hot tingles where the cramped space forced their arms and hips to touch.

“Where are you going?”

Without looking back, she answered, “Home. I have a lot of packing to do.” From out of the cabinet at the end of the counter, she snatched her purse.

“You’re just going to leave the store? I thought you stayed open late every night of the week?”

“Only Thursday through Sunday.”

“Yeah, but what about today’s customers?”

“They’ll come back tomorrow.”

“What kind of business plan is that? You’ve got to seize the market. Be ready to close the deal on even the smallest sale.”

Heading for the front entrance, she said, “At the moment, Jake, the only thing I’m closing is the door. Last warning or you’ll be spending the night.”

In one of those grandiose moves only her ex would even think about pulling off, he braced his hands on the short counter and swung his legs over. Sure enough, he beat her to the door and now stood, arms crossed, blocking it.

“You haven’t grown an emotional inch, have you?”

“Oh, like you have? Hiding from whatever’s eating you by cutting it out of your life?”

“I’m not hiding. I’m going home to pack.”

“Packing for your trip to run off and hide.”

Tears welled at the backs of Candy’s eyes and she stubbornly forced them away. It had taken years to stop crying herself to sleep over this man. No way would she give him the satisfaction of crying over him now. Had he forgotten what he put her through? Had he forgotten what kind of pain she’d put aside just in trusting him enough to marry him?

He’d known what kind of rotten family she’d come from. He’d known, and yet he hadn’t cared. For if he had cared, he wouldn’t have pressured her for so much more than she would have ever been able to give.

“If we’re talking about running, Jake,” she said, taking a deep, calming breath, “I’m not the one who left the only home he’s ever known to whoop it up on Florida’s beaches.”

“We’re not talking about me, Candy, we’re talking about you, still avoiding your problems.”

“What problems?” she asked a little too shrilly. “Until you, the Official Playboy of the Entire Eastern Seaboard, showed up, life was looking good.”

“There you go, blaming your troubles on me.”

“Argh, I guess some things never change. Add the two of us mixing like oil and water to that list. I thought your showing up out of the blue for the reunion was some kind of sign. You know, that you had finally put the past behind you and we could at least act civilized toward each other. But I guess I was wrong.”

Fumbling through her purse for her keys, she was again fighting back tears, telling herself that it was saying farewell to her store that had her in such a dither. “You never understood me.” Understood what I gave up for you. “And who are you to lecture me about my faults, when there you are, day after day, throwing it all away.”

“Throwing what away?”

Your big chance, Jake. Your chance to be the one thing you could never be with me. The one thing I know you wanted above anything else—especially me. The chance to become a father. Keys in hand, Candy pressed her lips tight.

“Answer me.” Gripping her shoulders, he gave her a light squeeze. “What was that last comment supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I don’t know.”

“Bull!” Jake released her along with a wall of pent-up air. His back to her, he raked his fingers through his hair. This whole scene was out of control. He’d intended this to be a clean-cut mission. In, propose, out. One, two, three. So where had he gone wrong?

Funny how that was the same question he’d faced the last time they’d fought.

If he knew what was good for him, he’d leave right now and take his chances with hiring a woman to play the role of his wife. Maybe he could even answer one of those mysterious ads in the backs of magazines that promised to create false IDs and personal histories in thirty days or less.

Yeah right, and maybe donkeys fly south for the winter.

Face it, bud, the only shot you’ve got at keeping Bonnie is standing right in front of you, staring you down as though she’d just as soon spit on you than look at you.

“Jake,” she said in an uncharacteristically small voice. “Why are you really here? And don’t give me that line about being in town for the reunion, because Page Watson told me six weeks ago that you wrote ‘Return to Sender’ on the outside of your invitation.”

Six weeks ago, Cal and Jenny had still been alive.

And Candy was right. Ordinarily, Jake wouldn’t have shown up at their class reunion for all the beer in St. Louis. Sure, he would’ve loved hanging out with the guys, but given the very good chance that he’d also run into Candy…thank you very much, but he’d have more fun in bankruptcy court.

That being the case, again, why not walk away? Hop the next flight for Palm Breeze and never look back?

Bonnie, that’s why.

Flashes of cute chubby cheeks, heart-melting toothless grins, silky-soft tufts of hair and the scent of freshly washed and lotioned baby tummy not only steeled his resolve, but took the decision out of his hands and put it squarely in the hands of fate.

Hardening his jaw, he said, “You’re right. The reunion was an excuse. I’m really here to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“Marriage. Or to be more specific…our marriage. And the question of whether or not you’d be amenable to starting it back up?”

Jake couldn’t tell whether Candy had parted her ripe lips to speak or was caught in a gasp. Either way, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. He’d meant to thaw her a little before popping the mother of all questions, but dammit, given his time crunch—not to mention her travel plans—there wasn’t a whole helluva lot else he could do.

“I-I…I’m sorry,” she said, her voice breathy, as if his suggestion had knocked the wind from her lungs. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll have dinner with me tonight and instead of fighting, we’ll talk—even better, say you’ll cook dinner for me.”

“B-but—”

“Great,” he said with a wide grin. “I’ll be at your place at seven.”