I Want Candy (10 page)

The partying had come later, in high school, and by then Cheri and J.J. were an item. Candy started bringing her boyfriends into the mix. Turner brought his girlfriends. And she’d never once thought it should have been different.

Why, then, did Candy suddenly remember that arrangement with a twinge of shame? Was there something more to this? And why was she suddenly
sure
it had something to do with that phone call Turner mentioned the other night, the one she couldn’t remember.

“Here you go.” Cheri handed Candy a cold bottle of Miller and took a seat next to her. “I’m so glad you got the job at Lenny’s. What are your hours going to be?”

“Uh…” It took a second for Candy to drag herself back to the present moment. “The day shift Monday through Friday and an occasional Saturday half shift. I think it’ll be fine. I’ll just have to save every penny to put toward an apartment.”

“Too bad Tanyalee is still in rehab,” Cheri said, a wistful smile on her face. “She’d hook you up with a place no problem.”

“Maybe when she gets home,” Candy offered, knowing full well that was unlikely. Tanyalee had run her boyfriend’s real estate leasing office, but now that the boyfriend was in the federal slammer, it was doubtful Tanyalee would have much pull in that area when she returned.

Cheri sighed. “There’s sure gonna be a lot of shit to sort out when my little sister gets home.”

Candy patted her friend’s hand, deciding she’d let the understatement go by without comment. Tanyalee had checked herself into a six-week inpatient program in Arizona to deal with her self-proclaimed kleptomania, love addiction, and codependency. The girl had gone berserk with jealousy when Cheri returned to become temporary publisher of the family newspaper, especially when it appeared that Cheri and J.J. were picking up where they left off after high school.

In fact, a whole mess of secrets began to unravel with Cheri’s return. A forty-year-old murder mystery reemerged. Tanyalee admitted that she’d once trapped J.J. into marrying her simply to get revenge on Cheri. And Cheri’s granddaddy—after a few too many trips to the keg—blurted out to his retirement-party guests that he and J.J. had lured Cheri to the publisher’s chair knowing she’d lost her fortune and wanting to give her a hand without bruising her pride.

As if all that weren’t enough, the drama was topped off by a hostage situation, where Tanyalee, Cheri, and Candy nearly got themselves killed.

No wonder Tanyalee checked herself into rehab a few days afterward. Candy would have gone along if she’d had the cash. So, yes, Cheri was right—there was going to be a lot of shit to sort out when Tanyalee got home.

She decided to change the subject to something much happier. “Have you decided what you’re going to do about your engagement party?”

Thankfully, the question brought a smile to her best friend’s face. “Yes!” Cheri said, perking up. “J.J. and I thought we’d have a get-together out here, you know, something casual. Live music and swimming. Tater Wayne can barbecue. And would you do me the honor of making cupcakes?”

Candy felt her rocking chair come to a halt.

“No?” Cheri’s eyes widened. “I realize you haven’t done much baking lately, but I figured—”

“Of course I will,” Candy said, managing a smile as she resumed her rocking. She wouldn’t be touchy about this, she decided. If her best friend wanted cupcakes for her engagement party, she’d have cupcakes. “Just let me know as soon as you’ve picked a date. Speaking of which, have you chosen a date for the actual wedding yet?”

Cheri shrugged. “Probably late fall. We’re not in any rush. J.J. said he always wanted to get married by an Elvis impersonator in Vegas, and I told him that sounded great and to send me a photo of him and the lucky lady, whoever she might be.”

Candy howled with laughter. “Where is J.J. tonight, anyway?”

“Working late at the paper.”

Candy rested her head against the rocker and took a sip of cold beer. She kicked off her flip-flops. It wasn’t long before they both took note of her bare feet, then looked at Cheri’s bare feet, and started to laugh.

“We’ve become barefoot mountain women,” Cheri said.

“Oh, Lord, I just realized I haven’t worn a pair of outrageously expensive shoes for over a year,” Candy said, sounding pitiful. “I doubt I would even remember how to walk in them.”

“Tell me about it. Sometimes I fantasize about just fondling a pair of Christian Louboutins.”

“Oooh, or a good Coach bag.”

“Forget Coach—how about a Birkin?”

Candy moaned. “Now you’re just being a purse tease.”

The women laughed again, until the laughter ended in identical sighs. They sat in quiet for a few moments, listening as the sounds of an evening by the lake enveloped them.

“Thanks for letting me hang here while Jacinta and Hugo get their freak on.”

Cheri chuckled. “You know you’re welcome here anytime—all the time. I told you to come
stay
with us, remember?”

Of course she remembered—and she’d refused the offer every time. Candy shook her head in silence, and instead of responding, she decided to watch the orange, red, and pink ripples of sunset dance on the water. “Moving right along—I need to talk to you about Turner.”

Cheri sat straight up in her rocker, planting her feet flat on the wooden porch as if she were bracing herself. “Okay,” she whispered.

Candy lolled her head to the side and gazed at her friend. “He still wears his wedding ring.”

“I know. He hasn’t gone on a single date since Junie died.”

“He doesn’t seem to want to talk about her, though. At least not with me.”

Cheri hissed. “He doesn’t even open up to J.J. much about her and they’re still practically joined at the hip. Turner is an extremely private person, you know. J.J.’s tried to get him to open up, but Turner hasn’t done his grieving in front of anyone, apparently not even his brother and mother.”

Candy nodded, mulling that over. “Cheri?”

“Hmm?”

“You would remember if Turner ever asked me out in high school, wouldn’t you?”

Her friend scrunched up her brow. “Of course I’d remember!
Did
he? You never mentioned that he did, though J.J. claims he always wanted to date you.”

Candy placed her beer on the porch and dropped her face into her hands.

“What?” Cheri touched her arm. “Did something else happen with Turner? What’s going on?”

Candy raised her eyes again and shook her head. “I wish I could tell you what’s going on, but I don’t know how to describe it. I’m having these feelings for Turner that I just don’t get. We kissed again today.”

“Seriously?”

Candy sat up straight and took a moment to gather her thoughts. “No. You’re right. I don’t think calling it ‘kissing’ is accurate. We
attacked
each other today. He initiated it this time, and we went from zero to out of control in seconds. I swear I could have ripped the man’s clothes off and done him right there in the parking lot, video or not.”

Cheri’s eyes got big. “Um, what parking lot? What video?”

“The municipal complex. After I delivered his lunch.”

Cheri sucked in air. “Whoa,” she whispered. “That’s crazy.”

“You have no idea,” Candy said, shaking her head in bewilderment. “I’ve never felt this out of control with a man. It’s like it doesn’t matter what’s right or smart because my body knows what it wants and doesn’t give a damn about anything else.”

Cheri gasped again.

“But honestly, I can’t be messin’ with Turner like that. Casual sex would ruin our friendship, and even if he was ready for it, I couldn’t start anything real with him because I don’t plan to be here long.”

A sad look crossed Cheri’s face and she scrunched up her mouth.

“You know I’d never be able to carve out a life for myself in Bigler the way you have.” Candy hated that she had to say all this aloud, but it had to be put out in the open eventually. “It’s obvious that Jacinta and I will never connect, and she’s my only family here. The job market is nonexistent. And you know I love you, but you’re going to get married soon, and you’ll have your own family to focus on. I’ll come visit. I promise.”

Cheri nodded, trying not to cry.

“We’ll always be a part of each other’s lives.”

“I know.”

Candy reached over and hugged her friend.

“But then again…” Cheri tipped her head.

Candy waited.

“Maybe you shouldn’t write Turner off so fast. Maybe there’s something there. Maybe there’s always been something there with you two, and your body is just trying to get you to pay attention to what’s in your heart. Maybe this is your opportunity to figure it out.”

Candy bit her lip and stared at the lake again. Admittedly, she’d never thought of it quite that way. Cheri could be right. But still, if she and Turner ended up having an insanely hot fling—and it was obvious that would be the kind they’d have—where would it lead? Even if she found some kind of professional work nearby, was she ready for a committed, long-term relationship? Had she
ever
been?

“I don’t have such a great track record with men,” Candy said. “You know that better than anyone.”

Cheri shrugged. “I didn’t, either, but I’m pretty sure the past is only good for one thing and that’s getting a person where they are at the present.”

Candy smiled. “You sound like a wizened old newspaper publisher.”

Cheri started to laugh, but it was cut short when they both heard tires crunching on the gravel lane.

“Huh,” Cheri said, craning her neck. “That doesn’t look like J.J.’s truck.”

That’s because it wasn’t. Within ten seconds both women realized that Turner had just arrived.

Chapter 8

“Oh, shee-it,” Candy whispered.

Cheri stood up and waved as Turner hopped down from the vehicle. He’d taken two steps toward the cottage when he saw Candy in the rocker, then swiveled his head to find her car parked in the shadows.

“Oh,” Turner said, sheepishly shoving his hands in his uniform trousers. “Hey, listen, let J.J. know I swung by. I assumed he’d be around…” Turner took another quick glance at Candy. “Ya’ll enjoy your evening. Sorry to disturb.”

“Wait.” Candy jumped up from the rocking chair and ran down the front steps in her bare feet. Before she knew it, she was standing directly in front of Turner, their eyes locked in the twilight. She grabbed his hand. “You got a minute to talk?”

“Sure.” He revealed just a hint of a smile.

“I’ll be inside if ya’ll need anything,” Cheri said, a bit too cheerfully.

Candy led him to the dock, painfully aware of the warm bulk of his hand in hers. The dock would be as good a place as any, she guessed, since she had no idea what she was doing or what she was going to say to him. Hadn’t she just declined Turner’s offer for dinner a few hours ago? Hadn’t she just dismissed his suggestion that they talk? Yes, she had. But when she saw his beautiful face just now, that mix of sorrow and desire in his expression, she knew dealing with him was her only option.

No matter what else came of this, she cared for Turner. He was one of her oldest friends.

Candy squeezed his hand. She looked up at him as he walked by her side, and smiled.

*   *   *

Female. Luscious female. She was female in every respect—her scent, her soft touch, her laughter, her intangible energy. The essence of Candy reached out and caressed his body, poured into his being, flooded his senses.

Turner allowed himself to inhale long and deep, letting all that she was settle deep inside him.

God, how he loved women. Damn, he’d gone too long without feeling the pleasure of simply being in a woman’s company.

Truth be told, he hadn’t
allowed
himself to experience this. There were women everywhere in Turner’s world, every day, and some of them had been less than subtle about what they wanted from him. But it had been as if he were deaf to their call, no matter how sexy they were, how smart or funny or appealing. Nothing—
no one
—had tempted him since Junie’s death.

No one but Candy, the woman here at his side. Her thigh pressed against his as their feet dangled over the edge of the dock, occasionally knocking together. They both pretended it was accidental. They both knew it wasn’t.

They’d been sitting in near silence for about ten minutes. It was as if they were getting used to being in each other’s presence at a lower frequency. They were doing pretty good—so far, there’d been no wild kisses, or gropes, or thighs flung around his hips.

“Turner?”

“Yeah.”

“We’re both adults, right?”

“I sure as hell hope so, ’cause what I’m thinking is for mature audiences only.”

She giggled just a little, but he watched her struggle with her feelings. When she bowed her head, that stunning curtain of blond curls obscured the side of her face. As much as he loved her hair, he needed to see her expression. So Turner used his fingers to push the thick waves aside and tuck them behind her ear.

She looked up, wariness in her eyes. “You are a very good man,” she whispered, and though the words were pleasant enough, a large lump had already formed in his gut. He already heard the “but” coming …

“I’ve always known you’re considerate and honest and
loyal,
” she added, just before she took a lightning-quick glance at his wedding ring, still visible in the near dark.

Ah. So that’s what it was.

“And I only recently figured out that you’re the sexiest man I’ve ever known.”

Okay. I hadn’t seen that coming
. “Thanks,” he said, slightly embarrassed. “And you’re incredibly—”

“Wait—I’m not finished with you.”

Turner laughed, and he figured that since she saw him as such a stud, she wouldn’t mind if he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her a little closer.

Apparently, he was wrong.

Candy peeled his hand from her body, then gave it a friendly pat as a consolation prize. Somehow, it didn’t seem like the move of a woman overcome with his sex appeal.

“Turner, it’s fairly obvious that you’re still grieving for your wife. I don’t want to interfere with that. And the truth is, I’m not sticking around Bigler any longer than I absolutely have to, so as much as I’d enjoy rolling around in bed with you, I don’t think that kind of fling would be good for either of us.”