Chapter Two

Jackson’s eyebrow rose. “You know perfectly well why I’m here.”

A breath escaped her lips. Of course she knew why he was here. She’d anticipated this moment for years, even rehearsed a speech for just this moment. But where was that speech now? Her mind blanked and the words were lost from her lips.

Jackson Frost was back!

She expected to be surprised, but not with a turbulent flood of emotions. Embarrassment heated her cheeks from the memory of their last encounter. Anger boiled in the pit of her stomach when she remembered his betrayal. Satisfaction caused the corner of her lips to lift to a smug grin over her act of revenge.

Candy knew her vengeance was the reason Jackson stood on the welcome mat in her shop...all six foot five of him. He looked great, but then she’d always found Jackson irresistible. That’s where the problem started. Her obsession with Jackson went beyond a silly crush on her brother’s best friend. Candy had fallen in love with Jackson the moment he arrived on their doorstep, waiting for Colin to fetch his football cleats.

He furrowed his brows, as if irritated by her silence. Her plan had been to come off cool and collected. So much for that strategy. Did he still have to be so crazy attractive, standing there with his thick, dark hair speckled with snowflakes? And those mesmerizing brown eyes, his reserved grin, and dimpled cheeks...Stop it! She was older now. Not the same young, naive girl Jackson once knew. Candy loosened the tight grip she had on her apron and straightened her shoulders.

Jackson crossed his arms and released a heavy sigh. “Little Candice Cane has gone and grown up,” he said, a hint of exasperation in his tone.

“You’ve been gone a long time, Jackson. A lot of things have changed.”

“I see that. Your father expanded the store. Business must be good.”

“My father doesn’t own the store anymore, I do. I acquired the business four years ago.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Really?”

His quick reaction caused her to think he might find it hard to believe she could run a business on her own.

Candy opened her mouth to interject, but Jackson continued. “So, what are your parents up to these days?”

“They’re retired and on vacation. Colin and I bought them a trip to Las Vegas for Christmas. They’ll be back New Year’s Eve.”

“Vegas is nice. I visited a few times. They might not want to return.”

The opportunity to throw a jab at him was just too tantalizing. “Not everyone thinks this town is poison. Many of us actually like living here.”

“To each their own.” Jackson reached inside his lapel and retrieved an envelope. “Now, to the reason I’m here.”

Virginia returned from the kitchen with a tray of peanut brittle.

“Virginia, you remember Jackson Frost?” Candy tipped her head toward their visitor.

Virginia squinted.

“The all-star quarterback from high school and college?” Candy prompted.

“Right, I thought you looked familiar. You’re the guy Candy had the biggest crush on when we were kids.”

Candy rolled her eyes. Of all the things to say, Virginia had to go with that?

“The one and only.” Jackson grinned, winking at Candy.

He had some nerve, assuming he was the only guy she’d ever been interested in. Though she’d never admit his assumption was correct.

Jackson returned his attention to Virginia. “I apologize for being so rude, but I can’t recall ever meeting such a beautiful lady.”

Virginia blushed from ear to ear.

Candy stifled the urge to vomit.

“We didn’t really cross paths. I was one of Candy’s brainy friends, always had my head in a textbook.” She smiled. “Are you home for the holidays?”

“Not exactly.” Jackson held up the envelope. “I have some personal business to discuss with Candice.”

Candy snatched the envelope from his fingers and stuffed it into her apron pocket. “Virginia, why don’t you head home? I’ll take care of the peanut brittle.” She lifted the tray from Virginia’s hands.

“But I haven’t completed the end-of-day report, and the back corner needs to be tidied.”

Candy preferred to keep her history with Jackson private. The quandary she shared with him was her secret, alone, to bear. Thankfully, Steve left early to pick up a few more Christmas books from the library in Wolfridge. Candy just needed to get Virginia to leave before Jackson let the cat out of the bag. “I have a few things in the oven, so I’ll be around for a while,” she said. “I’ll take care of everything.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Now go home to your family.”

Virginia fetched her coat from the closet and slipped her feet into her knee-high winter boots.

Jackson lifted Virginia’s coat from her hand and held it open. She turned and he slid it up her arms and over her shoulders. “It was a pleasure meeting you,” he said.

Virginia spun around, her cheeks flushed. “I hope you’ll consider staying for a couple of days. The town’s Christmas Festival starts tonight, and each night until Christmas Eve there’s an event. Tonight and tomorrow we have carolling, Wednesday a pot-luck at the restaurant, Thursday the parade, and Friday ends with a party at the Town Hall.”

“As fun as that sounds, I’m afraid I’ll have to pass. I’m headed back to the airport the minute I get what I came for.”

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Virginia glanced at Candy. “Well, you two have fun catching up.” She waved and left the shop.

Candy unloaded the peanut brittle into a glass container and then locked the door behind Virginia. Releasing a heavy breath, she walked past Jackson as he shrugged out of his coat and placed it on the counter. She would not admit how handsome he looked in his tailored, grey business suit. “So you’re not staying. Does that mean you’re also not planning to visit your family?” She glanced over her shoulder at him.

“Why ruin their Christmas?” His answer was quick and sharp.

She shook her head and continued into the kitchen. Jackson followed behind.

“What makes you so sure they wouldn’t be happy to see you?” Candy checked the timer on the oven.

“Other than the few telephone calls I’ve had with my mother, I’ve heard nothing from them since I left.”

“How many times have you called them? Reached out to your brother?” Candy turned to catch Jackson frowning.

“It always smelled so good in here,” he said. “Even if I had just finished dinner, I’d walk in here and be hungry all over again.”

“There’s some treats on the cooling rack.” She pointed to a table in the corner. “Help yourself.”

Jackson picked up a chocolate truffle coated with coconut and brought it to his nose. “No way! Mmm, my favourite. You still make these?”

Candy nodded.

“I haven’t had one of these since...” He narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw, staring at the striped stick. “I can’t remember.”

Well, she remembered. Candy squared her shoulders and returned her attention to the oven, pulling out a steaming pan of acorn candy cookies.

“Another thing I can’t for the life of me remember is getting married.”

“Ouch!” As the oven door seared the side of her arm, she dropped the pan and it clanged to the floor, cookies scattered everywhere. Candy picked up a sizzling cookie and then dropped it when it burned her fingertips. “Fudge!”

Jackson rushed to her side, scooped up the ruined cookies with a dish towel and placed them on the counter. Candy opened a drawer to retrieve a small tube, squirting a drop of antiseptic cream on her stinging arm. Of all the times she’d removed goodies from the oven, she always stayed focused on the task. The moment Jackson Frost re-enters her life distraction takes over and in mere minutes she is once again burned.

****

Jackson hoped to get a rise from Candy, but not at the expense of hurting her. Seeing her like this, after all these years, shouldn’t have affected him. Or so he thought. He also couldn’t fathom why his chest pulled tight and his heart ached. His memory was clouded, and he needed answers regardless of the consequences.

Candy glanced up, slowly reaching into her apron for the envelope. She opened it and pulled out the certificate. Jackson stared into her eyes. They held no surprise over what the document contained.

“Imagine my shock when I found that envelope in a box with my football trophies and some old photographs,” he said.

“Sure took you long enough.”

Was that a hint of sarcasm in her tone? “I’m sorry. Had I known this document was hidden inside, I may have gone through the box sooner.” Jackson laughed. “So, am I to assume you didn’t purposely conceal our marriage certificate?”

Candy’s lips trembled. “You were there. That’s your signature on the dotted line. I didn’t hold a gun to your head.”

“I don’t remember!” When she winced, Jackson breathed deep, forcing calmness back into his voice. “The document is dated the last day I was here...the day I fought with my father. I remember meeting some old football buddies at a bar in Wolfridge. You showed up and we left together. That’s where things go blank.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I know I had a lot to drink that night, so I don’t blame you for taking advantage of the situation.”

Candy’s eyebrows shot up into her hairline. She picked up the pan and held it in the air, eyeing the proximity of his head as if she was planning to hit him with it. She slumped and tossed the cookie pan into the large sink. Shaking her head, she swiped the spoiled cookies off the counter and into the trash bin. “You are a piece of work, Jackson Frost. You actually believe I reaped the benefits of your drunken state? Geeky, unpopular Candice Cane couldn’t find a husband any other way?”

“I didn’t say that. You’re putting words in my mouth. I would appreciate it if you could shed some light on how and why we are married.”

“Let me make this perfectly clear. I did not pursue you. You were all over me. You deserved exactly what you got.” Candy grabbed the water tap and violently twisted the knob.

“What did happen that night?” Jackson clenched his fists, anxiety clawing at his chest.

She frowned. “You don’t remember anything?”

“I gave you my keys and we left the bar. That’s as far as my memory goes.”

“So, you don’t recall bragging to your friends? How you were going to take me to bed and make all my fantasies come true? It gets better. Shall I continue?”

“I...” Jackson paused. He wanted to deny he ever said anything so crude about Candy, but he couldn’t. Somewhere, deep in his subconscious, those words haunted him.