Reckless (Wrecked) (2 page)

“And now the shoes,” said Sarah, handing Candi the lower-heeled sandals she’d chosen for her friend.

“I’m so glad we didn’t get those really high ones,” said Candi, sitting on the bed to put them on.  “I would have twisted my ankle for sure.”

“You don’t need heels to show off what you have.  Your muscle tone is friggin amazing.  Besides, you-know-who prefers you in the lower ones.”

Candi looked up for a second to stick her tongue out before going back to buckling her shoes.  “Whatever.  Anyway, I told Jason to just stay out of Kevin’s way as much as possible tonight.”

“That’s going to be pretty difficult, don’t you think?”

“Maybe.  But Kevin just needs to get a grip on himself and stop acting so jealous.  There’s nothing he can do about Jason.  I want him in my life, and that’s that.”

Sarah held up her hands in a gesture of peace.  “I know, I know.  I’m not arguing.  I’m just saying …”

“Put your shoes on,” said Candi, effectively stopping that subject line from going any further.  “The car is going to be here any minute and so is your mom.”

Just then the door opened, and Candi’s mother stuck her head in.  “Are you ready, girls?  Sarah, your mom is on her way, and Jonathan just called … they’re about five minutes out.”

“How many times has he called you with his time checks?” Sarah asked, a knowing smile on her face.

“Five times,” said his mother, sighing.  “That boy is so excited right now, I’m afraid he’s going to give himself a headache before he even sees you.”  She winked.  “You two look gorgeous, by the way.  See you downstairs.”  She blew them a kiss and then closed the door behind her retreating head.

Sarah sat down on the edge of the bed.  “Put my shoes on for me, will you?” she whined.

Candi sighed.  “Are you serious?  Don’t you think you’re taking this a little too far?”

“Taking what too far?  I’m pregnant.  I feel morning-sick again.  I need help.”  She sighed dramatically.  “But don’t worry about it.  I can manage.”  She waited the two seconds it took for Candi to become overwhelmed with guilt.

“Never mind.  Give me the stupid shoes,” Candi grumbled, holding out her hand.

Sarah smiled slyly.  It was almost too easy.  “Thanks. I’ll just rest here and focus on not barfing on your head.”

“Try focusing on not working this pregnancy too hard in the early stages, so you still have some bank when you’re a giant roly-poly and
really
need the help.  Like, to get in and out of a chair.”

Sarah’s mouth dropped open.  She was dumbstruck for a moment before she recovered enough to smack her friend on the shoulder.  “Hey!  That’s not nice, talking to a delicate pregnant girl like that!  Where are your manners, young lady?”

Candi giggled, but wisely said nothing.

The doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of Sarah’s mother.

“Time for pictures and sniffling parents,” said Sarah, watching as Candi finished buckling the second sandal onto her foot.  She lifted her other leg out, admiring the heels that would make her almost as tall as her date.  She planned to be wearing shoes like this all the way up until the end of her pregnancy.  She vowed then to be wearing them on the way to her baby’s delivery.

“Yeah.  I hope it’s not too awful,” said Candi, standing and holding her hand out for her friend’s.  “At least my dad won’t be here.  I’m glad work is keeping him busy and not here taking a million pictures.”

Sarah took it and stood.  “We’ll cut them off after fifteen minutes.  Then we’re outties.”

“Deal,” said Candi, holding up her hand for a high-five that Sarah gladly gave her.

“Time to go blow some minds.  Come on,” said Sarah, taking Candi by the hand.  Together they left the room and descended the stairs to the front hall.

***

The girls joined their mothers in the kitchen where the two ladies were having a glass of white wine together.

“Oh, my goodness … Sarah … you look absolutely stunning,” said her mother Angie, coming over for a kiss.

Candi watched at the way it stopped in the air right next to Sarah’s cheek without even really touching her.  She walked over to her mom and got a full hug, not caring at all that she might mess up her dress or her hair.  Her nervousness over the whole event was more overwhelming right now then her need to look perfect.

“Hey!  Wrinkles, ladies, wrinkles!” reminded Sarah.  “Step away from the prom dress, Mrs. B.”

Candace Buckley smiled, moving back from her daughter.  “Yes, yes, I know.  But she looks so beautiful.”  She was holding Candi’s hands and staring into her eyes, pride making them shiny.

“Thanks, Mom.”

“I’m so proud of you, sweetie.  Look at you!  You’re so beautiful.  Absolutely stunning.”

Candi smiled, but she could feel her lip tremble as she thought about her date.

“Nervous?”

“Just a little.  Or a ton.”

“You have nothing to worry about,” said Mrs. Peterson.  “I assure you … my son will behave himself.  He’s had a stern talking-to from his father.”

Candi turned to her.  “Thanks, Mrs. Peterson.  But I’m not worried about Kevin.  I’m more worried about the prom queen silliness.”

Mrs. Peterson frowned, shaking off Candi’s concern with a casual gesture of her hand.  “I hear you’re a shoo-in.  Just remember, shoulders back, chin up, and never let them see you sweat.”

“Good advice,” said Sarah, coming over to take her friend by the hand and pull her out of the kitchen.  She leaned in next to Candi’s ear and whispered, “I’d also add
tits out
to that list of instructions.”  Then over her shoulder she said in a louder voice, “Anyone who wants pictures of these two hotties needs to come to the front porch.  We’re only staying ten minutes after our dates arrive.”

They walked to the front door, just as a limousine was pulling up to the curb.  Candi saw them out the window that was just next to the front door and squeezed Sarah’s hand.  “Don’t!” Candi yelled, when she saw that Sarah was about to go outside.

“What?  What’s wrong?”

“They’re here!” Candi squeaked, her palms instantly going sweaty and her face heating up. She dropped her grip on Sarah and rubbed her hands together, barely resisting the strong urge to rub them on her dress.

“Oooo, let me see,” said Sarah, pushing Candi out of the way so she could look out the window.  “Oh. Em. Gee.  Look at my date.  How adorable is he?”

Candi got one eyeball into position - the rest of her view blocked by Sarah hogging the whole area - and saw her brother coming up the walk.  “Oh my.   He does look nice, doesn’t he?”  He’d been at Jason’s house getting ready with a whole group of guys - the ones who’d gone in together to pay for the big limo and arranged to all eat dinner together before the dance.

“Nice?  Try hot.  Try smokin’ hot.”

“Ew.  That’s Jonathan, Sarah.”

“I know.”  She looked at Candi with a cheshire cat grin.

Candi laughed.  “You’re a sad woman, you know that?”

“Sad?  No.  Just hormonal.  Rawwrr,” Sarah said, imitating a cat scratching and winking before going back to staring at her date as he came up the front walk.

The mothers came in as the doorbell rang.  Mrs. Peterson said, “Step back, girls.  Try not to look so eager.”

Mrs. Buckley waved them back, gesturing for them to stand at the foot of the stairs so the boys had room to enter.  She walked over and opened the door, exposing the two tall boys wearing rented tuxes, both of them carrying small plastic boxes in their hands.

***

“Hi, mom,” said Jonathan, stepping inside the foyer and bending down a little awkwardly to give  her a kiss on the cheek.  He set a clear plastic box down on the front hall table.

Candi watched him, amazed at how good he looked.  For some reason, even though they’d been back for over a month and he’d only gone from island-fit to even more-fit - now that he was training with the rugby team - she still sometimes expected to see the skinny, pale braniac walking through the door.  He was still a brainiac, but everything else about him had changed.  And as soon as his eyes lit on his date, Candi remembered why.

Jonathan’s face turned a pale pink below his tan.  “Hello, Sarah.  You look … like the most beautiful girl in the entire world.”

Sarah stepped up to him and patted him lightly on the cheek.  “You say that every day.”  She stood on tiptoes to kiss him lightly on the mouth.  He reached an arm around her waist and pulled her in close.  “Okay … how about, you are the most beautiful homo sapiens-sapiens on this terrestrial body?”

She nodded.  “I like it.  I can work with that.”  She closed her eyes to accept the kiss from her goofy boyfriend, the father of her unborn child.

Candi rolled her eyes.  “You guys are dorks.”

A movement at the door caught Candi’s eye, making her heart stop beating for a moment. 
Oh my god.  He’s here!
  Her throat went dry and she thought she was going to choke.  She coughed once, but it didn’t help.

“Are you okay?” asked Jonathan, staring at her with concern in his eyes.

Candi waved him away, unable to answer verbally.  The most amazing-looking guy Candi had ever known was walking through her door right now, and it literally took her breath away.  Tall and broad-shouldered, blonde hair and bright blue eyes, he was every inch her dream date.

His eyes scanned the room, his gaze stopping when it reached her.  She knew the instant he laid eyes on her because his relaxed stance went instantly still and tense.  And then he reached up and tugged a little at his collar, the box he held in his hand tipping its contents sideways.

“Hey, Candi,” he said in his deep voice.

“Hey.”

He smiled, his shoulders relaxing a bit.  “Ready to go dancing?”

She smiled back, only a little tremble in her lips.  “As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”

“Pictures first!” said Mrs. Peterson.  “Everyone out on the front lawn.  I have a full battery, and I’m not afraid to use it!”

“We need help with the corsages,” said Candi’s date, still standing in the doorway, looking down at a plastic box on the front table where Candi had put it earlier.  “The guy ones.”

“They’re called boutonnieres,” said Jonathan, walking over and picking the two boxes up.  “My mom can pin them on.  Come on; we’re going to be late for our dinner reservations.”  He looked down at his watch as he balanced three boxes in one arm, a small frown on his face.  “We have exactly eight minutes and thirty-five seconds to do pictures before we have to be rolling away from the curb.”

Sarah pushed him towards the door.  “Tell me you didn’t calculate to the second how long it’s going to take to get from here to the steakhouse.”

“No, just to the minute.”

Sarah sighed, talking to herself.  “Baby steps.  Baby steps to normal, Sarah.  Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

Before they made it all the way outside, Candi caught Jonathan’s little smile.  “Who wants to be normal?  Normal’s boring.”

Sarah pinched his butt lightly, making him jump out the door.  “I’ll give you boring …”

The mothers followed them out, leaving Candi and her date in the front hall.  He advanced towards her, never taking his eyes from her face.  When he reached her, he looked down, towering over her at over six feet tall.

“You look petrified,” he said, smiling to reveal his perfectly straight, bright white teeth.

“I am,” she whispered.

“Is it me?  Or just the prom in general?”

Candi nodded, unable to totally focus on what he was saying enough to formulate an intelligent answer.

He smiled, leaning down to kiss her gently.  His lips were warm, and his familiar scent washed over her, overwhelming her with his maleness and the way he always made her feel so vulnerable and strong at the same time.  She sighed with pleasure.

“Happy?” he asked.

“Yes, Kevin.  You always make me happy.”

“Wellll … not always.”

Candi smiled.  “Okay, that’s true.  You’ve made me happy every day since you finally took your head out of your butt two weeks ago, and every day on the island before that.”

“And the month in between those two times I made you crazy.”  He tipped his forehead down to hers until they were touching.  “I’ll never not be sorry for that, Gumdrop.  I was an asshole, and you deserved much better than that.  If another guy had done it, I’d have kicked his ass for you.”

Candi pulled her head away so she could give him a deep kiss, filled with the passion she felt for him and the love that had never gone away, even when he’d been so heartless.  When she was done, she stepped back.  “Enough of the past.  Now it’s time to just enjoy the now and the possible tomorrows.”

Kevin took her by the hand and led her to the door.  “Photo session time.”

Candi grimaced.  “Don’t remind me.”

Just as she was passing through the door, the phone rang.  She let Kevin go out ahead of her so she could go back quickly and answer.  Their dad called home a couple times a day and had promised not to forget to call before she left.  She smiled warmly as she lifted the phone to her ear, not even bothering to check the caller ID.

“Hey, Dad.  Perfect timing.”

A voice on the other end hesitated.  A man cleared his throat.  “Excuse me.  Mrs. Buckley?  Mrs. Candace Buckley?”

“Uhhh, no.  This is her daughter.”

“May I speak with Mrs. Buckley, please?”

“Sure,” said Candi, resting the back of the phone on her shoulder, grabbing the nearby pen and paper so she could take a message.  “May I ask who’s calling?”

“Yes, absolutely.  This is Agent Charles Caffey with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”

Candi’s pen hand froze over the paper.

“Excuse me?  Can you … repeat that?”

“I’m with the FBI.  Charles Caffey.”

The pen fell out of Candi’s numb hand.

“Di … did something happen to my father?” she whispered, her heart spasming painfully in her chest.

“What?  No.  No, no, no, this call isn’t about your father at all.”

Candi put her hand to her chest, breathing out heavily.  “Oh my god, oh thank goodness.  I almost had a heart attack there.”

“My apologies.  I didn’t mean to alarm you.  Is Mrs. Buckley there?  May I speak with her?”