Page 1 of Candy


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CHAPTER ONE

CANDY

“Hi, Dad.” I brushed a kiss over his weathered cheek as I breezed by the kitchen table where he was reading a newspaper. He was one of the few people I knew who still read a physical copy and didn’t get his daily reports from the internet. “How are you?”

I pulled open the fridge and put away a few groceries I had purchased for him. My father had been a widower for over a year and a half. For the most part, he had done very well adjusting. He could cook, clean up, and do laundry, but grocery shopping was not an activity that he enjoyed, and he had no problem asking one of us to swing by the store for things as he needed them. I think he also asked us to do it so he’d see us more often.

It was always a quart of milk here, a jar of peanut butter there, and if you think about it, can you grab me a bag of those chocolates I enjoy after dinner? That’s what I was delivering, along with other things like fresh broccoli, a rotisserie chicken, and mashed potatoes that he could pop into the microwave tonight.

“I’m doing well, but I didn’t expect you so early. I thought you said you’d be here this afternoon.” He glanced at his watch as he spoke next. “Unless I lost track of time again.”

I spun around. “Wait! You lose track of time? How long has that been happening?”

He gave me an annoyed look. “All my life. It’s normal to get busy doing something and lose track of time.”

I set the bag on the counter and studied my father. Since Evan told us that we needed to spend more time with our father because he was lonely, we had all been better about ensuring we checked in with him. Even my oldest sister, Cara, who lived in Texas, did video chats with him at least twice a week so he could see his grandson.

I was glad that I was from a big family. I couldn’t imagine having to keep an eye on my father on my own with my crazy work schedule. “Oh, that is true, I guess, and I am early. A few minutes after we spoke, I got a notification for a local last-minute inspection. Did you know the tavern was up for sale?”

“What? No, I did not. I hope they don’t sell it to some city slicker who wants to change everything.”

“I have to agree with you. The tavern might be old and weary-looking, but it has charm.”

“That it does,” my father agreed. “By the way, how did your date go Friday night?”

I pursed my lips and frowned. “Who told you I had a date on Friday?”

“Evan did.”

“Yeah, well, Evan needs to stay out of my business.”

“He was just watching out for his sister.”

“I’m a year older than Evan. I should be watching out for him.” I growled slightly, then balled up the plastic bag and shoved it into the recycling container under the sink.

“It doesn’t matter who is older. You all watch out for each other. Evan said you looked bored.”

I winced. “He thought I looked bored?” My father nodded, and I sighed. “Iwasbored. I was bored out of my skull. Tammy set us up,” I lied, “and the guy only wanted to talk about video games. He’s thirty-five years old, and the only thing he likes to do when he’s not working is play games. I don’t get that.”

“What did he do for a living?”

I frowned as my head cocked to the side. What did the guy do? “I don’t even remember, Dad. That’s how memorable that part of our conversation was. Honestly, I couldn’t wait for dinner to be over.”

I sat in the chair next to him and crossed my arms on the table. “Everyone I know is finding someone to fall in love with, and I can’t even find one decent guy to date, much less build a relationship. Aren’t there any men out there who can hold an intelligent conversation with a woman?”

My father chuckled and patted my arm. “You will find one. Give it time, Candy.”

“Dad, I’m almost thirty-three. I don’t have much time left. I want to get married, have kids, train a dog, and go on vacations. Is that too much to ask?”

“No, it’s not too much to ask. You know you can go on vacation and own a dog alone, right?”

I sighed. “I know, but it’s not the same.”

“Maybe you aren’t looking in the right spot?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, where are you meeting these men?”

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