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“Frosting is going on. What’s up with you?” More than frosting was going on. Much more. She was falling for a terrific guy and didn’t know whether he was falling for her or if he ever would.
“I want to talk to you about Justin.”
Now there was a coincidence. Except Marie wasn’t sounding happy about the prospect. “What about him?”
“A guy named Troy came into my office the other day.”
“I know Troy.” Candy picked up her piping bag again. “I recommended he contact you. I’m glad he went. He can’t get his old girlfriend out of his system.”
“You sent him to me?”
“Yes. Did you find someone for him?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Oh, good! Tell me about her.”
“She’s about your height, your body type, your coloring, your personality, your address, your phone number…”
“You matched him up with me? ” Candy readjusted the phone between her ear and shoulder. “I don’t think that’s going to work.”
“Candy, he was delighted. More than delighted. Euphoric.”
“He…was?” She frowned. He hadn’t seemed anything more than polite to her at Justin’s party. She didn’t get an “interested” vibe at all.
“Justin is his friend, right?”
“Yes, they’re writing the book together.” She started to see what Marie was driving at. “No, no, he seems like a com-plete sweetheart. Not the type to move in on his friend’s love interest.”
“I thought you weren’t Justin’s love interest anymore.”
“Oh, um, well. That changed.” She couldn’t help her smile.
“Radically.”
“Oh.”
Decided lack of enthusiasm.
“It’s fine, really, Marie. In fact, it’s wonderful. He thought—”
Candy sighed. How was she going to explain all this? “He was investigating me. And you.”
She managed to get the rest of the story told. But where she expected Marie to laugh with relief that Justin was shooting straight, her friend was oddly quiet.
“So he was dating you only as a means to a story?”
“Not only, but yes. It explains all his cold/hot behavior, everything.” For some reason she felt a little sick, and it wasn’t from too much frosting on an empty stomach.
“You really like this guy, huh.” It wasn’t a question.
“I do.” Candy had to wipe her eyes with the sleeve of her decorating smock. She couldn’t believe she was getting even this close to a second chance after a relationship as special as what she had had with Chuck. She must have felt this alive and exciting and new with Chuck at the beginning, too.
Though it seemed most of her memories were of feeling quietly content.
“Can you trust him, Candy?”
“Yes.” She answered too quickly, with too much emphasis.
“I mean as much as…”
“As much as you can trust anyone who has been manipulating you.”
Candy sighed. Why did her friends work so hard to burst all her bubbles? First about Chuck, now about Justin. “I think he’s telling the truth this time, Marie. I know he is.”
“Okay. It’s just that after Chuck…”
“What about Chuck?”
“I’m sorry. I’ve already said too much.”
Candy abandoned her cupcakes. “You don’t trust my judgment, is that it?”
“I didn’t say that.” Marie’s voice lacked conviction.
“Not in exact words, no.” She banged the piping bag onto the table. Red gel squirted onto her white work surface where it would need to be wiped immediately or it would leave a stain. Her body was shaking—from anger, from fear, or some combination. Which meant her friend had hit a hot button. What? She didn’t trust Justin? She didn’t trust her own judgment?
“Candy, I am sorry. Truly. I’m butting in once again where I don’t belong. I just don’t want you to be hurt. Please be careful.”
Candy took a deep breath, then another. “I will be.”
She ended the call, furious that her beautiful idyllic mood had to be spoiled by anything as ridiculous as caution and maturity and common sense.
