Stopping Traffic (A Back to School Romance) (Love at The Crossroads) (7 page)

“I’m giving you a heads up that our dear sister-in-law convinced me that I should let her plan Brandon’s birthday party. I told her to go for it, so everything is set for next Saturday at Terrence’s Ranch. She assigned you to help supervise.”

His nephews’ parties were legendary. When it came to his sons, Hershel went overboard. His reasoning was that bigger was better to justify inviting what seemed like an entire city to celebrate the boy’s birthdays ever since they were toddlers. It was his way to make up for the absence of their mother. 

“Bro, did you forget
you
scheduled me to work a twenty-hour shift that happens to end that morning?”

“Hey, blame it on Julia who decided to schedule the party for next Saturday since Brandon’s birthday is in the middle of the week.”

If it wasn’t for the fact that he only had two nephews, Royce would skip it. “I’ll be at Terrence’s in time for cleanup.” 

“Brandon wants to invite the whole class—all twenty-one rug rats,” Hershel casually mentioned.

“And your point is?” Royce took his plate of out of the microwave the minute it beeped. Taking it to the table, he took his seat. “Hold on.” Royce silently said grace and then dug into the baked chicken, corn on the cob, and baked beans.

“
Hello
. Did you not stop by the engine house this morning— on your day off, mind you—to inform me that the same crossing guard who collapsed in your arms was one of the speakers? Did you not hug me because I asked you nicely to fill in for me?” He chuckled. “Royce, I’m inviting Brandon’s
entire class
.”

The realization sunk in. Miss Clark might bring her daughter. Royce swallowed his food. “You know, I’d do anything for my favorite nephew. What time do you want me there?”

After Hershel recovered from a hearty laugh, he gave Royce the details.

***

“Lindsay got another invite in the mail yesterday,” Candace mentioned casually as she and Solae lunched at Applebee’s across the street from their workplace.

Sipping on her lemonade, Solae grinned. “Those things are coming like junk mail.”

“Who you tellin’? I guess Lindsay and I will be shopping after work. I’m becoming a social butterfly without trying,” Candace joked.

“You know I love you, but there has to be more to your life than crashing kindergarteners’ birthday parties. What does this make, two weekends in a row?”

“Three. I think half the children in the class are September babies. Thank God Lindsay’s birthday is in the summer.”             

Solae seemed thoughtful as she glanced out the window. “It’s been a while since we’ve had some us time. Why don’t we go to the movies for a few hours?

“I took Lindsay to the matinees last—”

“See… that’s what I’m talking about, girl. Will you cut the string. Okay, let’s go shopping…and you’re forbidden from buying Lindsay another thing.” She pointed a manicured finger at her.

Candace didn’t back down as she tried to make her friend understand. “Now that she’s in school all day and I’m working outside the home, the weekends are all I have with her. She’s all I have.”
All I have of Daniel,
Candace didn’t voice.

“As your friend, sister and Lindsay’s godmother, you either go with me and we do something fun for a change, so that my god baby has room to grow, or I’m crashing this party. I mean it.”

Candace rolled her eyes at Solae’s theatrics. “All right, all right, but I’ll need to stay at least five minutes to chat with the parents and check out the place for safety hazards. The invitation says pony rides and a petting zoo.”

Beaming, Solae lifted her arms in the air as if she had scored a touchdown. “Yes! Well, wouldn’t you say this was a productive lunch? It looks like the negotiations went well.”

Balling up a napkin, Candace aimed it at her and fired. Solae ducked, but not soon enough. They cleared the table and headed back to work, laughing.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Saturday morning, Lindsay couldn’t contain her excitement about riding a baby horse at Brandon Kavanaugh’s party.  Candace dressed her in a denim jumpsuit and cowgirl boots. She even loosely tied a red bandana around Lindsay’s neck and twisted her thick hair into two ponytails. Admiring her handiwork, Candace thought Lindsay could pass as a poster child for a cowgirl.

When the bell rang, Lindsay screamed and raced to the door. She hopped from one leg to the other, anxious for Candace to hurry up and open it.

Solae glided inside and
ooh
ed and
ahh
ed over Lindsay’s outfit before squatting and giving her goddaughter a hug and kiss. Standing, Solae greeted Candace in the same manner.

As was the norm, Solae made casual dress into a fashion statement. She wore the warmest shade of blue that made her skin glow. She eyed Candace’s attire at the same time, a denim jumper and flats—plain and simple.

Twisting her mouth, Solae practically circled her. “I guess you’ll pass,” she teased. “We definitely need to work on updating your wardrobe.”

“Thanks,” Candace said dryly. “I love you, too.” She couldn’t help it that her casual clothes were really casual. She didn’t go out and now that she was working outside the home, she was building her business wardrobe.

“Come on, Mommy and Aunt Sollie, I don’t want to miss my turn on the horsy!”

Playfully snatching the car keys out of Candace’s hand, Solae juggled hers. “I’m driving. There’s a strip mall near the birthday party with a café and boutique shops for us to window shop.” She grinned.

Since Solae kept an extra booster seat in her car, Candace didn’t have an objection to riding with her. After she swiped their sweaters off the sofa along with the child’s gift, Candace locked the front door. In the car, Solae programmed the party address in her GPS and pulled away from the driveway.

Lindsay entertained them with details about who was having a birthday party next. “Ryan says he will have clowns and Jasmine is going to have a tea party.”

“You’re going to be broke,” Solae murmured, exchanging glances with Candace.

“Tell me about it.”

After thirty minutes of singing songs and Solae quizzing Lindsay on her numbers and alphabet, they turned off the highway to a gravel road. They couldn’t miss Terrence’s Ranch as they followed the big signs and balloons along the path.

“Remember, in and out,” Solae reminded Candace again, making herself a temporary parking space at the ranch’s entrance. “Introduce yourself, make sure the children will be supervised properly on the horses, and leave…”

Tuning her friend out, Candace unstrapped Lindsay from her booster seat and helped her out the car as Solae continued to give orders. “Five minutes—seven tops—anything beyond a second longer,” Solae lowered her voice, so Lindsay wouldn’t hear, “I have no shame in crashing a child’s party.”

Lindsay soon forgot about both of them as her eyes widened with excitement at the kiddie carnival rides. It was almost as if parents were trying to outdo each other with the grandeur of their parties. From the balloons to the animals, there was no doubt that Brandon’s family had gone all the way out for his birthday celebration.

“Bye, Aunt Sollie.” Lindsay waved and skipped ahead of Candace, who held the child’s present in her arms.

Solae honked and Candace twirled around. “I mean it, Candy,” using a childhood nickname that only surfaced when she was serious.

“I know.” Annoyed with her friend’s pestering, Candace gritted her teeth and hurried to catch up with her daughter to get it over with.

They were almost at the front porch when Lindsay made a beeline to a little boy who waved at them furiously. Suddenly, the front door swung open. The firefighter from career day filled the entryway, appearing larger than life. Immediately, she noted he had shaved, which made him look different from when she first saw him. Why did the absence of his five o’clock shadow disappoint her?

Wow.
Candace swallowed. She thought he was handsome in the helmet and jacket, but wearing jeans and a wrinkle-free shirt, he was temptation she hadn’t confronted in years. His bulging muscles were evidence of the strength he possessed to carry someone away from a burning building.

“Hello,” Candace found her voice. Whether it was just hot or her deodorant wasn’t working, but something was the source of her perspiration.

“Hello, Miss Clark, I was hoping you would come, actually praying that you would.” He seemed relieved as he stepped forward. Not only was he built, but he stood majestically over her five-foot-five frame. This was one of those times Candace wished she had worn her three inch heels.

“You remembered my name?” she asked, somewhat flattered.

“Your name, your face and that cute little daughter of yours.” His boyish smile added to his overpowering masculinity. “I’m Royce Kavanaugh.” Extending his hand, Royce swallowed up hers in a secure, but gentle embrace as his eyes kept hers captive.

“Ah…Candace Clark.”

“Beautiful…named after the Ethiopian queen in the book of Acts,” he said almost in awe.

She had never been compared to a queen and the African connection was even more flattering, considering he linked it to the Bible. She would have blushed, but his adoration turned into a stern expression, definitely meant to intimidate.

“You had me worried about you.”

“Pardon me?” She frowned.

“I’m the firefighter who caught you when you collapsed from the stress of witnessing the little boy who got hit on his bicycle. After we made sure he was okay, I didn’t mind being the one to rescue you.” He winked.

She didn’t want to replay the events of that day at all. Of course, she didn’t remember seeing him. Royce’s handsome looks would stay a lifetime in a woman’s memory bank, but somehow he wasn’t in hers; she had probably been in shock. She looked away, not wanting to relive that day, and her morning prayers with Solae were helping her to conquer those fears. “Thank you.” She left it at that.

“You’re more than welcome,” his voice was husky as he trapped in her a stare.

When she managed to blink, Royce cleared his throat and excused himself, leaving her standing there. He disappeared into the house and returned with a bouquet of flowers and determination in his eyes until he gave them to her; then his stern expression softened.

“For you.”

Whispering her thanks, Candace closed her eyes to sniff the fragrance and caught a whiff of his cologne. Exactly who was the guest of honor at this party—her or Brandon Kavanaugh? She doubted Solae would have set this up. Her friend knew better than to mastermind a blind date. Neither of them cared for surprises like that.

Taking a deep breath, Candace faced him again. “What if I hadn’t come?”

“My sister-in-law would have enjoyed them, but you did. I was so enthralled the first time I saw you as a crossing guard while on our way to a fire…”

A fire truck? She wondered if that was her first day on the assignment. “You aren’t the one who whistled at me, are you?” She lifted a brow.

And he had the nerve to look chastened. “You mean I was the only one who temporarily lost my mind?” Royce raised his hand. “Guilty. You were a distraction then just as you are now. I was relieved when you walked in the door on career day. Not only did you survive the ordeal with Tommy, but I couldn’t take my eyes off you. You didn’t need that safety vest to stop traffic.”

Career Day. How many embarrassments would she suffer in front of this man? “Well, thank you, I’m sure that run in my stocking was also a focal point. If I remember correctly, you smirked when you looked at my legs.” She arched a manicured brow.

Lifting a silky brow, Royce’s nostrils flared. “Trust me, you complemented that run. It did nothing to take away from your appearance. You were captivating to me and the class,” he assured her. “And I noticed the day you fell in my arms, at school and today, you aren’t wearing a ring, I take that as you’re not married, so I hope my compliments are not out of line.”

They were thick.
He’s flirting with me and I’m at a loss for words.
It wasn’t as if men hadn’t flirted with her since Daniel’s death, but with Lindsay by her side or in her arms to act as a buffer, many didn’t pursue it.

But turnabout was fair play. Through the hood of her lashes, she glanced at his ring finger—nothing, but that meant nothing, too. Not every husband felt obligated to wear a ring. Her husband wore his with pride. She needed to change the subject. “Is Brandon your son?”

“No, my nephew. I’m not married nor do I have any children,” he offered the tidbit without her daring to ask.  “My brother is the fire captain and got tied up at the station on career day. I stood in as his replacement. Imagine how I felt seeing the woman I rescued at center stage.”

Suddenly, Candace remembered they were not alone, why she was there and Solae’s threat. She knew her friend would have no problem carrying it out. “Well, thank you again for the flowers, but I have to go. Do you mind if I take a look at the ponies and who is steering them? I know…I’m a control freak; I need to be in control of my daughter’s environment, especially when I’m not around. Just call me a parent freak.”