Chapter 22
Kandace
W hen Molly and I walk into the house, we are met with the delicious aroma of garlic and my mother standing at the counter chopping fresh vegetables for a large salad. As Mom turns our way, I rest my hand on Molly’s shoulder. “Honey, go take your bookbag up to your room.”
For a moment, I watch as my daughter heads toward the back stairs. As soon as Molly is too far away to hear, I walk toward my mother—the woman with the smirk and twinkle in her eyes. “Why?” I ask.
“Why, what?”
“He’s leaving tomorrow.”
“That’s what he said. He also said he’d be back.”
I cross my arms over my breasts and lean against the counter. “He’s said that before.”
“Well, it took him a while,” Mom says as she hands me a slice of fresh cucumber, “but you have to admit, he’s back.”
Plopping the cucumber in my mouth, I let my chin drop.
Laying the large knife on the counter, Mom turns to me and reaches for my shoulders. “Kandace Anne, Dax isn’t a bad person.”
“I know that. It’s part of the problem.”
“What are the other parts?”
Lifting my chin, I look into Mom’s eyes. “He’s…a good person. He’s still as handsome as ever, if not more, and he’s been a big help at Quintessential Treasures these last few days. Did you know that he’s buying Ruth’s house?”
“He is?”
I nod. “He’s also still sexy and” —my cheeks heat— “he kisses even better than he did.”
Mom grins. “It sounds like Ruth’s plan of making the two of you spend a few days together is working.”
“If her plan is to get my heart broken again, she’s on target. Why invite him to dinner?”
“He said he asked you out to dinner, and you refused.”
“I didn’t refuse. I don’t want to leave Molly. She’s not your responsibility?—”
Mom grins. “Now you have both. Dax also said he wanted to talk to me and your dad.”
My head starts to ache. “Wow, this will be fun.”
“What’s fun?” Molly asks as she comes from one direction, and the back door opens, and my brother comes in from the other.
I do my best to glare Justin’s way. “Seriously?”
As he takes off his cap, I see that his hair is mussed from work and his jeans and shirt are covered in dust and dirt.
“Seriously what?” he asks. “I live here.”
“We all live here,” Mom says.
I turned to her. “Do you know Justin punched Dax?”
“What?” Molly asks, her eyes big as saucers.
Inhaling, I shake my head, having momentarily forgotten I had little ears listening. “I’m sorry, sweetie. Can you please go find Grandpa?”
“Uncle Justin hit Dax?”
Justin comes forward and laying his hand on Molly’s head, fluffs her hair. The pigtails from this morning are gone. Her hair is now hanging down her back and wavy. “It was a joke,” he says. “We were just playing around.”
I hold back a laugh as my daughter turns on Justin with her little fists against her sides. “Mrs. Pollard says never to hit.”
Justin’s gaze meets mine as he grins. “Mrs. Pollard is right.” He lifts his right hand. “I promise not to do it again.”
Molly nods as if she’s just settled World War III and sets off looking for her grandfather.
“Unless he deserves it,” Justin adds once Molly’s out of earshot.
“Well,” Mom says, “let’s all get ready for dinner. Our guest will be here soon.”
When Justin turns toward the steps without a word, I shake my head. “Justin knew that you invited Dax?”
Mom nods.
“Why not tell me?”
“It was a surprise.”
That’s what Dax said.
With the realization that nothing I can say or do will stop this dinner, I ask, “Do you need help with dinner?”
“Nope. The lasagna is in the oven, bread and oil are ready, and I’m about done with the salad.”
“I can set the table.”
“Already done,” she says.
Looking at the kitchen table, my stomach sinks. “Dining room?” We rarely use the dining room.
“Dining room.”
With a shake of my head, I go to find Molly and Dad.
Molly is sitting with her grandpa watching Jeopardy and trying to guess answers .
Upstairs, I’m changing from my work clothes and eyeing the dresses in my closet. Shaking my head, I decide on jean capris and a casual shirt. This isn’t a date, I tell myself, when my phone rings. Chloe is on the screen.
“Hi,” I answer.
“Two days of togetherness. Give me all the details. Every one of them even if they make me blush.”
“There weren’t any blushing moments.” My lips curl into a grin. “I mean other than one kiss. But it was only one.”
This is another time I have to pull the phone away as my best friend screams. Once she’s done, I say, “He’s leaving tomorrow for Chicago.”
“I’m sorry, Kandi.”
I shrug as I sit and lie back on my bed. “He has a life there. I know that.”
“Yeah, but Mick told me that Dax is buying Ruth’s house. That means he’ll be back.”
“Unless he isn’t.”
“Stop thinking that way,” Chloe says. “He wants to be here for Molly.”
I nod. “And I like that. I guess it would have been nice if he wanted to be here for me.”
“Come on, superwoman, one day at a time.”
“He’s on his way here. Mom invited him to dinner—in the dining room.”
“Oh,” she says with a singsong to her voice. “Dining room.”
Chloe makes me chuckle.
“I want details after he’s gone,” she says.
“For starters, Justin is here.”
“Mick said he punched?—”
“I know,” I interrupt. “Justin promised Molly no more hitting.”
“Glad she’s in charge.”
“Always.”
My phone pings. Pulling it away from my ear, I see I have a text message from Dax. Pushing the icon, I see the message.
“Almost there. Can you assure me that your brother doesn’t have firearms available?”
I snicker. “I need to go. I’ll keep you up to date.”
“Have fun.”
“Oh, so fun.”
I text back to Dax.
“Molly made him promise to be on his best behavior.”
My phone pings.
“Saved by our daughter.”
I stare at the message. Our daughter. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. Once I stand, I peel off the capris and reach for a light blue sundress. When I reach the bottom of the stairs, Molly and Dad turn my direction.
My dad’s eyes light up as he smiles. “You’re beautiful, angel.”
“You look real pretty, Mommy.”
Shrugging, I smile as beyond the windows, I see Dax’s car driving up our lane.