Sheri WhiteFeather – The Bachelor's Baby Dilemma (страница 7)
After she read the four-page purchase agreement, Tanner handed her the check for the deposit, and they both signed the paperwork. Everything they’d discussed was in there.
She said, “I’ll open an escrow account first thing in the morning.” It was too late to do it today. But once it was done, the escrow office would handle the rest of it, representing and protecting both parties involved. Candy had been through this before, only last time she’d been the buyer. Still, she understood the process.
He finished the muffin. “This is really good, by the way.”
“Thanks.” She was glad that he was enjoying the snack she’d made.
He reached for another muffin and broke it in half, dropping crumbs onto his napkin. “I saw Meagan this weekend, and she helped me decide between this place and another one. I described your guesthouse to her, but I also told her that I could see Ivy running around in your yard. It was a nice image for both of us.”
It warmed her soul to hear it. So much so, she wanted to lift her hand to his jaw and feel the masculine warmth of his skin. But she didn’t, of course.
Keeping things light, she said, “I wonder if Ivy will look like Meagan. She was such a cute kid.”
“She remembers you, how gorgeous she thought you were and how much she wanted to be like you. She even mentioned that there are some pictures of you and me in an old photo album. From what she said about them, I’m guessing they’re from my junior prom.”
Suddenly Candy felt seventeen again, or as close to it as a thirty-four-year-old could get. “That was a fun night.” Happy and starry and romantic.
“From what I can remember, your dress was red and the front of it was...” He made a curved motion.
She was surprised that he recalled something so specific. But she had a vivid recollection of it, too. “That was the first time I didn’t mind wearing a ball gown.” Because she hadn’t been gliding across a stage, being judged for her poise and grace. “It had a sweetheart neckline. That’s a popular design.”
“It looked spectacular on you. It revealed just enough cleavage to drive a poor boy like me wild. I think my tongue was lolling out of my mouth. When I wasn’t sticking it down your throat.”
Feeling far too free, she laughed. “The perils of youth.”
He laughed, too. “I called you Red Hots that night, after those spicy little red candies.”
“I was always some sort of candy to you.”
“The perils of your name.”
She smiled. “So it seems.”
“You really did look hot in that sweetheart dress.”
“It was certainly our fanciest date.” She hadn’t taken him to her junior prom because she’d had a pageant the same day, and those competitions had always come first. She hadn’t gone to her senior one for the very same reason. But by then, she and Tanner had broken up. Curious, she asked, “What was your other prom like?”
“What other prom?”
“Your senior one. Did you go? Was it everything it was supposed to be?”
“It was okay, I guess. I took a girl who was the party type, but that’s what I was into by then. Mostly we got drunk and passed out in the hotel room all of us had rented.”
“All of you?”
“The group I went with. It wasn’t a lone date, like yours and mine. And if it’s any consolation, I had a horrible hangover the next day. Oh, and I got cussed out by my dad. I don’t remember what it was about. I just remember him yelling at me over the phone.”
Candy barely knew Tanner’s father. He’d traveled for work and was hardly ever home. But when he was there, she’d noticed how the family had to jump to his tune. Obviously, it had only gotten worse after the divorce. “You’re going to be better with Ivy than he was with any of you.”
“I’m sure as hell going to try. Maybe I can get some pointers from Eric. He’ll understand the father/uncle thing. It’s probably the same in his tribe.”
“When do you plan to talk to him?”
“I don’t know. But I’d like to meet Dana, too.”
She had a brainstorm. “I can arrange for the four of us to get together. Maybe I can have a barbecue here next Sunday, if everyone is available. They can bring Jude, their son, so you can get used to being around a baby. Or a toddler, in his case. He’s around fifteen months. But he’s still within the age range that Ivy will be while she’ll be under your care.”
“That sounds great. I agree that it might take a little pressure off me to be around their son. I don’t know anyone else who has a baby.”
“I’ll call them tonight, and if they can come, then I’ll text you and let you know what time to be here on Sunday.”
“Sounds like a plan. I can bring some steaks for us meat eaters to toss on the grill, if that’s okay.”
“Dana and Eric are both meat eaters, so I was going to provide something for the carnivores, but if you want to do it, I don’t mind. I’ll make plenty of salads and side dishes.” She paused to think about what was in store for her. “If this barbecue happens, it’ll be my last hurrah.” Her final party at the house. “As soon as it’s over, I’ll have to start packing and putting things in storage. That thirty-day escrow is going to smack me upside the head if I’m not ready for it.”
“And that baby is going to knock me upside mine if I’m not ready for her.” He stood up, ending the visit. “Hopefully I’ll see all of you on Sunday.”
Candy came to her feet, as well. “I hope so, too.” She wanted to say goodbye to her house in a festive way, but she also wanted to make things easier for Tanner, giving him and Ivy a chance to flourish here.
On the day of the barbecue, Tanner went to the market and picked up three porterhouse steaks. While he was at the store, he considered a hostess gift for Candy.
Maybe an assortment of candy in honor of his old nicknames for her? No, that wouldn’t do. She was too much of a healthy eater now. Besides, he didn’t want to make this about the past.
A bottle of wine? He shook his head. She might not even be serving alcohol at this get-together.
A bouquet of flowers? That didn’t seem right, either. She could pick flowers from her yard and put them in a vase if she wanted to. How about a potted plant, instead? Once again, he nixed it. A plant would be in the way while she was in transition from the move.
Finally it hit him: seeds. She could plant them when she was resettled and ready to start a new garden. Flowers, fruits, herbs, whatever he could find.
Pleased with the idea, he paid for the steaks, then checked his phone and located a nursery. Luckily, it was only a few blocks away.
He drove there, parked his truck and went into the main building, where he found an impressive display of seed packets. He selected them at random, hoping to get a nice variety.
He looked around and noticed a gift bag, already equipped with a bow, so he grabbed that, as well. Once he paid for everything, he put the seeds in the bag, ready to see Candy.
On his way to her house, he wondered if they were becoming friends, if this was the start of something new and fresh. And if it was, how would it affect the heat between them? Would their attraction get in the way? Or would they be able to rein it in?
By the time he turned onto her street and parked his truck, he was as confused as ever, unsure of what to expect when he was around her. But he wasn’t going to let it bog down his brain. Part of the reason she’d arranged the barbecue was to help him get comfortable in an environment where a baby was involved, and he was determined to do that.
He didn’t see Eric’s, car so he assumed that he and Dana weren’t here yet. There were quite a few other vehicles parked on the street, though. This was the type of neighborhood with lots of activity, especially on weekends.
After exiting his truck, he gathered his purchases, climbed the porch steps and noticed that the front door was open. Was that an invitation to enter without ringing the bell?
Splitting the difference, he knocked on the door frame, then poked his head in and called out, “It’s Tanner.”
No one replied. But maybe Candy was in the backyard, setting things up.
He stepped inside and Yogi came around the corner and flashed her big brown eyes. An untrained dog would have run out the door and down the street. This one obviously knew her boundaries.
“Hey, girl,” he said. “Where’s your mistress?”
She turned and looked in the direction of the kitchen.
Impressed, Tanner patted her head. It was like talking to Lassie. “Thanks. I’ll go on in there and give her the steaks I brought.” Yogi sniffed the market bag, and Tanner smiled. “I’ll give you some of mine after it’s cooked, if you’re allowed table scraps.”
On his way to the kitchen, he put the gift bag on the dining room table. He would give it to Candy in a little while, rather than hand it to her right away.
Upon entering the kitchen, he saw her at the counter, shucking corn. The butcher-block island was filled with food she’d already fixed: a relish platter, potato salad, diced fruit, cheese and crackers, chips, dips.
She was facing the window with her back to him. She was also listening to a music device that was clipped to her clothes and plugged into her ears.
She danced while she worked. A soft sway of her hips. The song must have been light and easy. He could have watched her all day. She was wearing a fitted top, khaki shorts and sandals. The bareness of her legs left him wanting more.