Luke wiped down the counter. Today was the big day. Time to see if all of their hard work would pay off. He’d had the pub professionally cleaned and he stood ready to rock his duties. The media reps would be here in a couple of hours and the festivities started in thirty minutes.
He strolled outside to bright colors, a relatively warm day for December in Wyoming, and his fellow business owners bustling around. He spotted Candace standing between The Pub and Kiss From A Rose. She looked cute in her dark blue jeans and light green pullover with a collar flipped up. She must be cold. She had her hair pinned to her neck. He hadn’t seen her with her hair pulled up since she purchased the building next door. The curves of her neck called to a space deep down in his soul. He’d gone from tolerating to liking. The hairs on his neck stood up.
Candace Ellison was sexy. Not just pretty and smart and maddening. Sexy. She pulled at more than his gut as she stood with her hands on her hips and one leg bent. Then she rubbed her lips together, calling his attention to her full pink lips. They shimmered in the morning sun and he imagined the berry taste of their first kiss. He automatically headed in her direction. He wanted to taste more berries.
“We all set?” Oh geez, now he used terms like “we” and meant them. The entire pot of coffee in his pub called his name. It’s going to be a long day. He would need to be on his toes, with Candace and the media.
Misty had cornered him after their interview and he’d apologized for not calling her after their night. Not remembering who he’d kissed was unacceptable. Misty had accepted his apology by asking him out. Not wanting to be an even bigger jerk, he’d agreed to buy her a drink last night. He’d been a gentleman and left their night at one beer. Believing he’d kept their night platonic because he was trying to be a nice person had been easier than admitting it was due to Candace. A notion he now couldn’t get away from.
“I think we are good to go…” Candace captured her bottom lip in her teeth.
The subtle action got to him every time. He wanted to feel her lips on his.
“What isn’t done?”
She searched his eyes. What is she looking for? Whatever she sought, he wanted her to find the answers. He hadn’t forgotten about James – maybe she wanted to see if he was still mad. No, mad wasn’t the right word – he kept his frustration and hurt hidden.
“It’s set up. We have the sleigh rides ready to go, food, coffee, and hot chocolate. The pictures of Casper are displayed in the bookstore for people to see, and Kaye is ready to do free yoga sessions every thirty minutes. The hair salon is offering henna tattoos and an old-fashioned shave for the men. You have the beer, obviously, and the live band is setting up under the tent. And I am giving away free bouquets.”
“You’re not doing anything fun. I thought we were all supposed to have stations.”
“That is my station. Sophie is in there. This way I can float and talk to people. Tell them what our cause is all about.” She looked at him and crossed her arms. “Don’t you like flowers?”
“I like flowers just fine. Thought you were getting off easy is all.”
“Easy? You think this will be easy?” She grunted. “By the time the sun sets today, all I’m going to want is a hot bath and my soft bed. And silence. I like people, but this is going to put me on overload.”
Bath. Naked. He’d have to get through the day with that picture in mind as he figured out what to do about acknowledging Candace and her sexiness.
“Settle down.” He moved his hands to set on her shoulders. “Everything looks great and everyone knows what to do. I’m sure you’ll get all the silence you’ll need later.” He returned his hands to his pockets but kept the same close proximity.
“Ah, shoot. I promised Sophie I’d Christmas carol with her tomorrow night. Just acknowledge me with a nod from this point forward.”
“Done. Although, I agreed to caroling tomorrow night, too. So, after that, nod. Check.” He walked away from her quizzical look – he had no answer as to why Sophie had asked and he’d said yes.
The pub was in order. Drinks, mostly beer or soda, were being served and the block was starting to fill. He’d been a little nervous no one would show up and the event would be a total flop, but if this was any indication of how the day would go, then his nerves were unfounded. Soon David would help him fire up the grill outside and they’d serve hamburgers and hot dogs. On warm winter days, Wyomingites took advantage of the outdoors.
This right here was why he was okay staying in Wyoming. Casper was one of the largest cities in the state, but compared to the rest of the country it was small. Hell, the whole population of Wyoming wouldn’t make up half of Denver. But today, with people from the community milling around, he really felt the camaraderie. Yeah, they had gathered people here – bribed them really – to get a message out, but it was still nice folks came and wanted to participate in local events.
Candace had made an event, something he thought would take weeks to plan, come together in a matter of days and it was going flawlessly. Luke hadn’t really helped at all. And he knew the other business owners did as they were told, too. They didn’t push back, which he was thankful for; they all needed her plan to work. Still, since the city council hearing, he knew his neighbors were all a little put off by Candace’s speech and banter with Jeffrey Dean. If this party didn’t work and they didn’t get the votes, they would forever blame her. The attack mode she’d been in the night of the council meeting was one he didn’t agree with himself. She had more experience with politics and business than he did, but he still couldn’t shake a feeling that her words would end up hurting seven businesses. As he started to operate the barbeque station, the reporter from Channel Five approached. Today Misty’s blonde hair flowed behind her as she walked. The shade of her blue suit accentuated her high cheekbones and arched eyebrows. The cameraman followed behind.
“Good morning, Misty,” he said, thankful she showed up to do the interview after he’d cut their date short. Misty’s appearance had been an uncomfortable question mark in his mind.
She extended her hand and he shook it. Professional. Good. Her hands were hard, bony, and cold. “We’d like to talk with you on camera.” She positioned herself with the music stage and bouncy castle behind her. “Burt will grab some B-roll, too. Is there anyone else you’d like to have in the interview?”
“Nope. It’ll be just me again. I’m the official spokesperson.”
Burt set up a stand for his camera and twisted cords in place. Misty kept her semi-professional streak intact by finding reasons to put her hands on him only twice as she asked him questions about what people could expect when they arrived, how long it would last, and what he wanted to say about their cause. His answers remained the same as when he went on the morning show. She jotted notes in a small black notepad that matched her gloves.
“Want to grab another drink tonight? My place?”
He swallowed and search for the right words. The woman doesn’t give up. I’ll give her credit for that.
“I’m sorry, Misty. I can’t.”
He looked over her shoulder and spotted Candace painting a little girl’s cheek in front of Kaye’s yoga studio. Candace nodded at the happy youngster and her new artwork. Suddenly, he was calm and content. He forced himself to pay attention to the pretty woman in front of him.
“I…” What are the right words? “I’m sort of seeing someone else.” Liar. He thought he might want to date someone else who was a specific woman.
“Okay.”
She shrugged and he tried not to be hurt that she dismissed him so easily. Then she stepped closer and whispered into his ear, “Call me when sort of doesn’t work out.” She pivoted and walked toward Burt, who had parts and pieces of equipment scattered in a circle around him.
I’ll never understand women. Then a harrowing thought struck him – he didn’t want to understand all women. Only one.
Candace was drawing a butterfly in glittery crayon on a little girl’s face when she saw the reporter step up and kiss Luke on the cheek. Startled, she drew an unwanted line on the child’s cheek. Shoot. She used her thumb to smug the mishap away.
A twinge of jealousy that she was getting way too used to feeling surfaced before she could gather her wits and shoo the green away. You’re being silly. They’d shared one itty-bitty kiss and it hadn’t meant anything – to either of them. She didn’t care who Luke dated. He was a big boy. He could do whatever he wanted, and so could she. I need to call James for that dinner. Her stomach calmed down. Get a grip on your life, girl.
“You should go over there,” Mable prodded, waving toward the interview cameras. “Make sure the right message is getting told.”
“He knows what to say.” Candace didn’t make eye contact with Mable. Even though she controlled her facial expressions, her eyes might betray her.
“Are you sure? You’ve done such a good job of organizing all of this. I’d hate to see it go down the drain because he can’t form a sentence around that tart.”
“Mable!” Candace giggled before she could stop herself.
“I’m just saying. She’s a looker and we don’t want him getting tongue tied.”
Tongue tied? Is she that pretty?
“All right, Mable. If you insist.”
Candace finished the butterfly with silver highlights, then hurried over to where the blonde and her cameraman were now set up. They had positioned Luke so the shot would look out over the bustling street of people. Good choice. She kept her pace casual and wrapped her arms around herself as she sidled up to Luke.
“Hi.” She outstretched her hand to the reporter. Be professional. Your family is sort of her employer she reminded herself over and over. “I’m Candace. Nice to meet you.”
“Misty. Pleasure, I’m sure.” Misty shook her hand and returned to her cameraman, barely giving Candace the time of day.
Huh. Ain’t that somethin’. Candace turned her attention back to Luke. He looked a little nervous, standing there all cute. His hands were in his pockets and his feet shoulder width apart.
“How ya feeling?”
“I got it. You didn’t need to check up on me.”
“I’m not checking up on you. I just had a break and saw them setting up and thought I’d pop over,” she lied. “That’s all.”
“I don’t know why you can’t just call in favors since you own the thing.”
“I don’t own it,” Candace hushed her voice. Geez, all she needed was the wrong person to overhear this conversation.
“You own what?” Misty’s attention focused solely on Candace.
Too late.
“Noth—” Candace started to say before Luke cut her off.
“This is Candace Ellison.”
Misty raised her eyebrows in shock and morphed her surprise face into a welcoming one. Phony.
“Ms. Ellison. Hello.” Misty gave Candace a proper welcoming – finally.
She hated when people were nice just because of her last name. There was something almost offensive about the change in attitude. She wasn’t good enough for the high and mighty reporter before.
The reporter’s glance flickered over to Luke. Of course it did. He was damn good looking. What wasn’t to like?
“Are you involved in all this?” Misty asked as she waved her gloved hand in a circle pointing behind her to the street and people milling around.
Candace nodded.
“Oh.”
The cameraman put the camera on his shoulder and Candace watched for a green light. She wouldn’t be joining Luke in the interview.
“You should’ve told the station about this sooner. We could’ve pushed the story more.”
“Your coverage has been good and we appreciate it. Informing the public helps immensely.”
“It’s what we strive to accomplish.”
Didn’t she just say she would have covered the story more if she’d known I was involved? The kiss-ass across from her couldn’t keep her eyes off Luke.
Before she thought about it, Candace looped her arm in Luke’s and smiled. His hands were still in his pockets and he didn’t move. She clasped her fingers together and leaned in on one leg closer to him. He smelled like sugar and spice and everything nice. Damn, she could just lick him up for dessert. Candace kept her eyes focused on Misty and saw the minute grimace cross her face before she composed herself.
“Are you sure you want us to cover this event?” Misty asked. “We will be unbiased.”
“We understand. Thank you for coming, Misty. The community needs to know what is happening.” Candace loosened herself from Luke, squeezed his arm once before letting go, and stepped to the side.
Luke handled himself perfectly when the camera started rolling. All was well – until Misty decided to include Candace in the interview. Not good.
“Ms. Ellison.” Misty and the cameraman swung their attention to her.
She uncrossed her arms and stood up straight.
Candace tried for a smile. She nervously bit into the side of her cheek. She had no idea what the reporter would ask. Luke had covered the important bits. There was nothing left to say.
Something flickered in Misty’s eyes – determination or malice, Candace wasn’t sure which. Neither choice was appealing with a camera facing Candace, and Misty in control.
“How do you feel about the city council attacking your loved ones?” The reporter’s cuteness had fled and all that remained looked vicious.
“Excuse me?” Candace could feel her face scrunch up, but she couldn’t stop her unbecoming look before the camera.
“Your boyfriend’s business, The Pub, and the surrounding businesses being targeted by the city council? That must upset you.”
Could she take back her arm tangle? Touché, Misty.
“I… yeah, it is upsetting to clash over such an important topic so close to Christmas. I own the flower shop.” Candace weakly pointed with an upturned finger over Misty’s shoulder toward her building.
“So the city council is voting to tear down your building as well, correct?”
“The entire block. There are seven businesses in total that will be affected when the council could easily pick land that is undeveloped.”
“Do you feel you were justified in threatening an elected city council member?”
Candace’s mind raced and she worked to focus on the turn the interview had just taken. She needed to get out of Misty’s crosshairs. The reporter clearly had more than one of these aggressive questions waiting to be asked. “I did not threaten anyone. The important thing to note is that—”
“What do you have on Mr. Dean?”
“Our downtown is bustling and there is plenty of other land not in use that would make great places for—”
“So, you don’t have any skeletons on Jeffrey Dean?”
She sucked in a curt breath. Why was Misty asking her questions if she wasn’t even going to let her finish? She made herself smile before answering politely and quickly. “That’s merely a figure of speech.”
“Did you provoke this fight?”
“I did not.”
“If you are defeated, will you waste taxpayer money fighting the decision?”
“I hope we win, and we will if the community contacts their city council representative and tells them how upsetting it is to displace seven business owners who have been a part of the Casper community collectively for well over a century.”
Misty turned into the camera, cutting Luke and Candace out of the frame. Candace couldn’t make out what she was saying over the pounding in her own head. What just happened? Her last name, saying she’s dating Luke, the attacks about her blasted city council encounter. Wrong. All wrong for her side of the fight.
“And… we’re clear.” Misty handed her microphone to the balding cameraman.
“You are going to cut that, right? I’m not sure that was the proper way to promote our event. And my name…” Candace’s voice trailed off. She took a deep breath. It’s okay. They can chop the footage.
“No. We were live.”
“Live?” Candace shrieked. Luke was staring at her and for once it didn’t calm her down. “Why did you ask those questions?” She turned her irritated gaze back to Misty, who looked pretty proud of herself.
“So that the public knows exactly who is affected. Didn’t you read the paper today?”
“Paper?”
“There’s a reporter who covers the council meetings. You should pick one up.”
Candace took a step toward the woman. She didn’t know what she was going to do, but it was going to involve some close talking. She felt Luke’s large hand on her waist, pulling her back.
“Honey. It’s okay.” Luke braced her tightly against the side of his body and she tried not to enjoy his touch. “You held your own. There’s nothing to get upset about.”
Candace said nothing. She squinted at the reporter and decided to hold her tongue. The feeling of Luke hugging her to him filled her senses and didn’t leave a lot of room for anger. Warmth started under Luke’s hand and spread throughout her like a tornado. She didn’t want to move. This reporter could pretty much say or do anything now and she wouldn’t leave Luke’s grip.
“This should run on both of the evening spots, too.” The reporter said and didn’t look up as she fiddled with her smartphone.
Excellent. I’ll be skipping all forms of the news for a while.
They stood not moving, and in a flash the team from Channel Five disappeared. You can’t stand here forever, Candace. She blinked a long blink and moved from his side.
“This is a mess,” she said.
“Of your doing.”
She wanted to stomp her foot. This wasn’t her fault. None of it. Okay, maybe a tiny bit. Whatever. How did she always find herself in these spots? She wished she hadn’t become so possessive of Luke when the reporter was eyeing him.
She searched Luke’s eyes. She needed help with this. She needed to know she didn’t just tank everyone’s efforts.
“I won’t say I told you so, but let’s remember this next time you think your bulldozing way is the best way.”
“Okay,” she whispered, still stunned by the last fifteen minutes of her life.
He started to smile and gathered her in his arms and hugged her tightly to his broad chest. “We got our message across today. That’s the main goal here.”
She didn’t want to, but she sank into him. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and took in the sensation of being pressed up against him. The way he encircled her in his strong arms – he felt so good and so right. She could feel his chest rise and fall and swore she could almost hear his heartbeat pick up speed. This is nice. She wasn’t exactly sure why he held her. To comfort her? Did she look like she needed this much comforting? Well, she did. She didn’t want his embrace to end. Not ever.
“I know you think this was catastrophic, but it wasn’t. I mean, we could’ve done without your city council nest-kicking, but optimistically I’m going to assume that only makes people pay attention to the story. We may have a decent shot at winning.”
She nestled slightly more into his chest. If he was lying, she didn’t want to see his face. She needed to believe his words.
“You have done your best. I know. So do they.” He nodded his head toward the other side of the street, then kissed her forehead gently. “It’s not your fault about the convention center project site choice and the rest of them will get over it, too.”
Why was she being so weak right now? And why was Luke being so nice? He should be furious. She needed to buck up. This was no time to fall apart and this wasn’t the person to cry in front of. She could be weak at home when no one else was around – that’s when she usually broke down, where she felt most comfortable. Still, here in Luke’s arms, in the middle of a crowded street, she felt a calming peace. How odd.
“I don’t think it’s going to be good enough.”
“It will be.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“Let’s see how it plays out before claiming defeat.”
She clenched her eyes tighter. She hated being upset in front of him. No, she wasn’t blubbering like a fool, but she didn’t need to be. He could tell she’d been deeply affected by the council situation, and maybe even him. She stayed in his arms for a few more breaths before backing up. The ends of her lips curved up when she saw his concerned expression, and then she headed to her flower shop. She needed to be alone before braving more people to tell them of their predicament.
On her way to her pity party of one she spotted Pamela from the historical society. She’d contacted Pamela about having the area declared an historical site when she first heard weeks ago the city council was seriously considering her city block. Pamela had dashed that hope. The buildings were younger than the historical society’s qualifications and nothing of “major and memorable significance” had happened in their city block or to any of their buildings.
“Candace, dear, nice to see you. This is a lovely event you’re hosting.” The seventy-something woman wore a black tracksuit and sported a perfectly curled short hairdo.
“Thank you, Pamela. It wasn’t just me, though. All of us came together to do our part.”
“I’m so sorry you have to go through this. I wish there was something I could do.”
“Me, too.” She didn’t care that the sun would set early. This would be the longest day of her life. Noon hadn’t come yet and already she felt like she was going on hour twelve.
“I checked again, to make absolutely sure there was nothing we could do about the classification.”
“And?” Her brows shot up in hope.
“There isn’t. I thought those underground tunnels that ran throughout downtown Casper might extend this far, but they don’t. It seems they are contained to the couple of square blocks in the main downtown.”
“Oh.” Hope followed by a letdown. Awesome. “Why were those tunnels built again?”
“The red light district, dear. Money and sex. Then there was Prohibition – we also liked our booze. Those are the mischievous things of our past we have to deal with, aren’t they?”
Candace sighed “I suppose so.”
“In any event, all of the tunnels have been mapped and recorded. They end a block up.”
“Thanks for checking. Enjoy the rest of your day. Make sure you stop at each business. They each have something different.”
Candace turned to rush into her shop and digest the grim information and bumped into someone.
“Excuse me,” she said.
“Candace.” Her brother’s familiar voice caused her to smile.
“Hey, Blake.” She hugged her brother and his wife. “Halle. Thanks for coming down.”
“Looks like you have quite a crowd,” Halle said, interlocking her fingers with Blake’s.
Be positive. You’re still in the game. “I have high hopes for today.” She glanced around at the street that was filling up quickly. “I think we put together a fun day. Let’s hope it pays off.”
“It will,” he said. “I’m sure you’ve thought of everything. Think Jeffrey Dean will show up?”
Candace let out a mocking laugh. “I doubt it. If he were going to show up, it would’ve been when the cameras were around and they just left. Halle, you look wonderful.”
“Thanks. We need to go out to lunch again. I haven’t seen you in a while. How’s Kiss From A Rose?”
“Oh, I love it. It’s still one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
“Good. Owning a business can be rough,” she said as she swiped her blonde hair behind one ear.
“Don’t we know it.”
“I see Luke. I’m going to go say hi.” Blake kissed Halle and nodded to Candace before he made his way over to the grill.
“Is Luke the one flipping the hamburgers?” Halle asked.
“Yep.”
“Cute.”
The weather held in the brisk fifties and a beautiful blue sky shown above them, so red cheeks weren’t uncommon in the crowd. But Candace felt hers heat and looked away.
“Oh come on,” Halle said. “He’s adorable and I can tell you like him. Spill.”
“I don’t know. It’s… complicated.”
“It always is.” Halle shook her head and Candace noticed Halle touched her stomach again.
Could she be— “Is there something you’d like to tell me?”
“You can’t tell anyone,” Halle whispered. “I’m still in my first trimester and we wanted to wait.”
“Congratulations.” Candace nearly jumped up and down but stopped herself from drawing attention. Instead, she hugged Halle tightly. “I’m so happy for you two.”
“I wanted to tell you, but you know how Blake gets about his privacy. I’m glad you guessed.” Halle smiled from ear to ear.
“We’ll have to go shopping, and I want to help when you decide the theme of the nursery. Have you been on Pinterest? Your head is going to explode.”
“I’m pretty sure I was on there for six hours yesterday,” Halle said, shaking her head. “I’m not sure how I ever cooked, decorated, or fixed my hair without it.”
The two laughed and shared examples of funny memes and pictures they’d found before Halle left to join her husband at the grill and Candace finally made her way inside the flower shop. She sat down on the bar stool, took out her phone, and flipped it around in her hands a couple of times before making the decision to call Frank.
“’Ello.”
“Hey, Frank. Any good news? I sure could use some.”
“Still working on the problem. Don’t worry. I’ll solve it.”
“I just saw Pamela from the historical society; she said the tunnels are a no-go on my block.”
“I’ll check for myself.”
Candace smiled into the phone. She trusted Frank. He’d leave no stone unturned and would investigate everything with his own two eyes.
“Thank you.”
“You’ve been hanging around this Luke fella quite a bit.”
His statement should surprise her, but it didn’t. Frank knew all. She nodded into the phone, unsure where he was going with bringing up Luke.
“I’m checking him out, too.”
“There’s no need—”
“There’s always a need. That’s what keeps me valuable.”
His teasing tone enabled her to let out a deep breath. “You’ll always be valuable to me, Frank. But seriously, don’t waste your time on Luke.”
Luke had nothing to hide.
Candace suited up in her warmest sweater, which she pulled on over a tank top and a long-sleeved thermal shirt. She didn’t mess around with nighttime cold. If she had to sing, she required warmth. Her gloves – the ones with holes at the top of the fingers, then a mitten top that dangled – were the last item she loaded in her bag, which already contained a knitted red hat, scarf, and half-sheets of paper.
She met the group Sophie had wrangled at The Pub, resisting the urge to go in and check on her shop. The flowers would be there in the morning, she reminded herself; tonight she could use a break from planning events, thinking about Luke, and stressing about the final vote.
“Are we ready to get this party started?” she asked Sophie, who stood with her band mates.
She resisted the urge to look around for Luke. They were getting along, they’d kissed, the reporter situation was a little weird, but he’d comforted her in a sweet way. Where did that leave them? Where did it leave her? Needing a good night’s sleep. She’d gone to bed early only to toss and turn, wondering if she’d done everything for the event she could’ve. Then a great idea popped into her head and she’d forgone sleeping to make fliers. Sometime in the near future she was going to sleep for a week.
“Just about ready,” Sophie answered. “We’re waiting on two more.”
Nearly twenty participants for caroling had already arrived. Candace reached into her bag and scooped out a pile of fliers that clearly labeled the issue before the city council, why it was a bad idea, and how to get in touch with council members to voice their opinion. There was no way Jeffrey Dean wasn’t doing everything in his power to sway the vote, and she had to do the same or she wouldn’t be able to live with herself. If she was going to win, she needed public support.
“What is this?”
Luke startled her and her heart reacted by skipping a beat. She felt his presence behind her so she spun to face him.
“Fliers for our cause,” she said.
“Really.” He took one from her hand.
Their fingers didn’t meet and the disappointment curled her fingers back by her side.
“Caroling is an opportunity I didn’t want to miss,” she said.
“Did you write a song to go along with them? You know, change the words to ‘Jingle Bells’?” A grin followed his words.
Luke looked hard and chiseled and so kissable. Her hands ached to press against his chest and her toes wanted to stretch up to help her lips meet his. Instead, she snatched the flier from his hands.
“I did not. However, that’s a marvelous idea, and I’ll think about it as we walk to the first house.”
“Oh geez.”
He rolled his eyes in such as exaggerated way she laughed. “Is everything a business opportunity for you? Can’t you ever just have fun?” he asked.
“There’ll be time for partying later.”
“How often do you say that?”
“I really don’t see what the problem is.”
“You. First James. Now caroling. All business. Don’t you have another side?”
Luke studied her and she felt every flicker of want that flashed in his eyes. From spat to need, that was their dance. “This is smart,” he finally said. “Good job.” He tucked the flier into his coat as the rest of their merry crew arrived.
She felt her future resting on her shoulders. She was going to have to decide if she wanted to date Luke. Half of her was all in favor, and from the looks of it Luke might be game, too. The other half, however – the part that hated getting hurt – wasn’t so sure if letting him be a bigger part of her life would be a smart decision. Luke was the one she’d jump headfirst and go all in with. If he didn’t reciprocate, then she’d have to sneak in and out of work for the rest of her life, all while cradling a broken heart. She loved big sunglasses and heavy coats, but not enough to hide behind them forever.
“Let’s head south, the houses start two blocks up,” Sophie announced, and someone started passing around candles sticking through the middle of paper cups.
The large crowd started the trail to an older district of houses nearby, the type with grand porches and beautiful architecture, each one conveying their own personality.
“Shall we?” Luke asked.
He offered his elbow and she laced their arms, grateful she had gloves on if her hand was going to be exposed all night. She slipped her other hand into her coat pocket and followed his lead. Jokes about skipping as if they were on the yellow brick road flitted through her mind, but the timing didn’t feel right. Making fun of his gesture would diminish its sweetness, and she didn’t want to set a bad precedent. She wanted to be encouraging so he’d do it again. And again and again.
Women think so differently than men. Here she was contemplating their future and how to give him positive feedback on her likes and dislikes, and he was probably thinking about having a buddy on their all-female-except-for-him shindig, or staying warm.
Men were more practical.
Luke strode beside Candace and couldn’t think of another place he’d rather be. His world had turned upside down and he was settling into it nicely. After Candace had surprised him with her possessive antics in front of the reporter, he’d found himself pleased with a side of confusion that had all settled into happiness. So, he was going to test the waters every now and then to see how she reacted and where he stood. Step one: a simple gentlemanly gesture. Check. Only now, he wanted more. That last thought was surprising, considering a couple of weeks ago he didn’t like her one bit. But, if he was being fair, he didn’t really know her. Not like he did now. Now, he’d witnessed firsthand the smart determination and passion that drove her. Her sexy walk and the all-grown-up way she looked at him didn’t hurt either. He would remember their dance, how she felt in his arms, until the day he died. He still wasn’t sure what had come over him in the darkness of the night, but he was sure as hell glad he’d followed his instincts and not overthought his actions.
The group rounded the corner to their first home.
“Let’s sing ‘O Holy Night’, then ‘Jingle Bells’ as we head to the next house,” Sophie shouted so everyone could hear, then counted them down.
“O holy night, the stars are brightly shining…” Surprisingly, they didn’t sound half bad for choosing a difficult group song.
The lyrics were automatic, which gave his mind time to focus on Candace’s closeness. She’d leaned closer to him as they stopped, probably in an attempt to shield herself from the breeze. He’d never been so thankful for the wind that plagued Casper on a regular basis.
Before leaving each house, Candace or another person in front would hand the listeners a flier and wish them well. Luke admired Candace’s moxie in using tonight to rally for their businesses.
“What?” she asked.
He arched an eyebrow.
She jostled his arm. “Something’s on your mind. Let’s have it.”
“I don’t think you ever have fun.” Luke said. “You’re just so focused. I don’t think you’re living life to the fullest. I’m wondering if you’re always this way.”
“I had fun at breakfast.”
“Yeah, that was nice. However, now we’re out caroling and you’re giving people fliers on the city council.”
“I’m an opportunist.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.”
She was brilliant and a little intimidating, but he’d seen the soft side of her, which just made the package that was Candace Ellison much more enticing. Everything he thought about her before had been true, only he realized now she was exactly what he wanted. He had to come up with a plan for the next step to get closer to Candace, and fast.
Candace gave in to the affection between her and Luke while they caroled. Snuggling next to him had many advantages, not the least of which was having him touch her. Damn gloves and coats and shirts. Why couldn’t it be summer?
And this despite the fact that their conversation topic was on the aggressive side. He cared enough to speak up about what was on his mind – a trait she admired. The problem? What bothered him about her was – her. Business, her business, was her world. There was no way she was leaving any opportunity to save it behind. This was her future. The night’s cold bit into her cheeks. Was she fighting so hard because she knew whatever she and Luke had would be over if they lost the vote? She wasn’t sure her motives could be that easily defined. Bottom line: She hated losing. Any battle. Period. What she needed to figure out was how to have Luke like, or perhaps accept, that side of her.
“Having fun?” She turned her head to look up at him as the group huddled at the last house on their excursion.
“Yes.” He kissed her forehead, then pulled her into him.
She breathed in his scent and wrapped her arms around him. The cold bit at her limbs, but Luke’s touch turned her chills red hot. She nestled her head on his chest, wishing it were his bare chest, and sighed. Her feelings for Luke had definitely spun a one-eighty. But was her newfound attraction to him formed because they were on the same side of the stress, or was it real? Why can’t anything in my life be simple?
“Nice job, everyone,” Sophie’s voice rang out, and Candace pulled her head up. “Let’s head back.”
Candace felt Luke’s gloved hand lace with hers. A satisfied smile appeared before she could stop it. Not that she’d want to; the action was nice.
“What are your plans for Christmas?” she asked him.
“The pub is closed, but my family convenes there. And anyone else who gets invited along the way. We usually end up with quite a crowd.”
She heard the smile more than witnessed it, as both of their faces were tucked into either coats or scarves.
“My mom and aunt usually cook up a feast. Lilia and Lena will be in town. It’s a good time. What are your plans?”
“My family has a big celebration, too. It’s just not about family.” Her dry laugh was a reflex when talking about her family events. “There’s a party on Christmas Eve, but it’s all about politics. Then we also have a Christmas dinner. It’s usually quiet because Christmas Eve was eventful in a bad way.”
“Sounds rough.”
“Last year my dad and brother got into it pretty bad.”
“About what?”
“Blake’s future, mostly. But he’d met Halle and finally stood up to the old man.”
“That’s his wife, right? I met her at the community event. She seems nice.”
“Yeah, she’s great. They have a baby on the way. Oh!” She jerked her head toward Luke. “Don’t say anything.”
He nodded.
“Blake as a dad is going to be hilarious.”
She was so happy for Blake and Halle – they’d certainly revitalized Candace’s belief in finding the one. Maybe instead of finding she merely needed to recognize.
Nah, that’s going too far. Luke’s great, but committing to him for the rest of my life would be crazy.
She’d often thought a crazy gene ran in her family, but now maybe she had proof. Was she seriously thinking about the possibly of marrying a man she considered an enemy mere weeks ago? Oh geez, she was.