Candy Store

Callie stood up too and grabbed a towel. “Why did you leave the restaurant like that?”

Tobey answered her question with a question. “Why did you lie to me?”

Callie sat heavily on the rim off the tub. “I’ve never lied to you.”

“Bullshit,” Tobey said, his eyes flashing dangerously. “I saw the way you were fawning all over my brother.” His voice grew high pitched as he imitated her. “Your job sounds really exciting and important.” Tobey snarled then resumed his parody. “Wow, I didn’t know accountants made so much money.”

Callie gasped in outrage. “How dare you make me sound like, like…like such a money-grubbing bitch.”

Tobey grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to stand face to face with him.

“Isn’t that what you are? Haven’t you just been playing at being the nice little candy maker, pretending you wanted me to live my dreams, when all along you just wanted money. And power. Just like Gina.”

Callie’s fighting stance fell away. “Gina? Who’s Gina?” Tobey let go of her shoulders, trying not to wince at the red marks his fingers had left on her smooth skin. “My ex.”

Callie’s voice was soft. “You’ve never mentioned any ex before.” His voice low, Tobey said, “She left me at the altar. On the day of our wedding.” Callie took a step closer to Tobey and put her hand on his arm asking, “Why?” Tobey pushed her comfort away and stepped out of the tub with a harsh laugh.

“You should understand her motives perfectly. After all, who would want to be married to the Candy King?”

Callie licked her lips and swallowed once before saying, softly, “I would, Tobey.” Tobey turned back to her, anguish etched in the lines of his face. “No, Callie, you don’t. You want me to be just like Jed, just like she did. Just like everyone does.” Carefully stepping out of the tub, Callie came toe to toe with Tobey. “Your brother is jealous of you, Tobey. I was stroking his ego in the hopes that he would shut up so that I could get to know your parents better. I thought you knew me better than that,” she said, her voice shaky. “I thought you knew how much I love you for being you.”

The tears were rolling down her cheeks and she wiped at them angrily. Everything in her was telling her to run away, to leave Tobey, to give up on them. But Callie knew it was the coward’s way out. She had vowed to fight for their love and now she was being put to the ultimate test.

Tobey didn’t say anything, he just clenched his eyes shut, so Callie forced herself to keep talking, hoping that she could keep him from leaving again, hoping that something she said would break down the walls of hurt he had built up so long ago.

“I’m not the only one who’s proud of you, Tobey. Your parents are incredibly proud of you. Alice loves you like a son and it’s been killing her to watch you try and shut down something so beautiful that you created from love.” Tobey’s eyes opened with surprise. “How do you know these things?” Callie reached out a hand to his chin and was so glad when he didn’t push her away. “They all love you, Tobey. Just like I do. Even a blind man could see it.” Suddenly, Tobey wrapped his arms around Callie, dragging her breasts against his chest. “What about a stupid man?” he said, his voice husky yet hopeful.

Tears fell down her cheeks. “Even a stupid man,” she said as their mouths found each other. “Especially if he’s the most amazing, intelligent, loving man I’ve ever met.

Now take me to that bed you always talk so much about and love me.”

Chapter Eight

February 14th. Valentine’s Day.

Callie opened up her shop and tried not to feel sorry for herself. After all, now that everything was out in the open between her and Tobey, she had everything she’d ever dreamed of and more.

She had true love.

She had a man she could talk to about anything, a partner that she could depend on and who could depend on her.

The only thing she didn’t have was a date for Valentine’s Day.

Again.

Now that Tobey was committed to keeping Sweet Returns up and thriving as a candy consulting business, he had been setting meetings with all of the potential clients that he had put off for the past several months. It just so happened that he had to fly out for an overnight trip to Chicago on Valentine’s Day.

He had been incredibly apologetic and of course Callie had been understanding even though she wanted to beg him to rearrange his schedule. It was all for the best, she told herself. Valentine’s was one of her busiest days of the year and each year, by the time she flipped her sign from open to closed, she could barely do more than drag herself off to bed.

Settling into another “Holiday of Love” at her store, Callie did brisk sales all day.

With a smile on her face, she sold out of the expensive gift baskets that Tobey had helped her put together and in any spare time she had she filled last-minute orders for chocolate and candy that came in over the Internet.

By 5 p.m. it was completely dark outside and Callie was exhausted. The big rush was through—most people were at home sharing a romantic evening in front of the fire together by now. Callie had been hoping that Tobey would call and wish her a happy Valentine’s Day from Chicago, but every time she picked up her phone it was another customer making an order for a box of truffles or a gift basket.

She was on the phone with a long-distance customer when a delivery truck parked outside her store and a man walked in with a vase of roses. And then another. And then another.

Callie quickly wrapped up her call. “Excuse me,” she said to the delivery man. “I think you’re delivering these roses to the wrong place.” The man looked at his clipboard. “This is Callie’s Candies, isn’t it?” Callie nodded, her heart beginning to blossom with joy.

By the time the man drove away, Callie’s Candies was filled with vases of roses of every color—on the floor, on the counter, on every shelf. Callie headed for the phone to call Tobey’s cell phone to thank him for being the most wonderful boyfriend in the world, but before she could wind through the vases of flowers, four men in tuxedos walked through the door carrying musical instruments.

Hardly able to believe what was happening, the string quartet began to serenade her with her favorite symphony. Tears pooled in her eyes and she had to lean against her display counter to stay steady.