Page 38 of Daddy's Temptation
Didn’t I?
21
Candace
It’s beentwo weeks since I last saw Andre.
Two excruciatingly long weeks. Each day drags on. Sometimes I almost have myself convinced that I made the right decision. This isn’t one of them. Right now, I’m sitting across from Sugar and Oliver going over wedding plans. They are disgustingly happy.
We could be that happy if you didn’t ruin everything, my heart tells me for the millionth time.
“I really like the white on white for the flowers. What do you think, daddy?” Sugar looks up at Oliver with so much love and devotion it hurts to see.
He caresses her cheek and kisses the tip of her nose. “Whatever makes you happy, babygirl. All of this doesn’t matter to me. The only thing I care about is my girl meeting me at the end of the aisle and becoming mine.”
Sugar giggles. “I’m already yours, silly man.”
Oliver’s eyes heat. “Damn straight you are, but I want you to have my name that way everyone else knows it.”
She waves her hand in front of him, showing the big shiny ring on her finger. “I think you got that one covered.”
He pulls her close and kisses her deeply. “I need to go to the office and take care of a few things. You girls behave.”
“Guess we need to cancel the strippers,” I say, rolling my eyes. “What kind of trouble could we get into picking out wedding stuff?”
“Knowing you two?” Oliver asks with a raised brow.
I laugh, remembering the last time we were here unsupervised. We ate our body weight in sugar and danced on the balcony wearing nothing but our undies while singing Hold On at the top of our lungs… Best. Slumber. Party. Ever.
“Fair enough. We will be good.”
Sugar jumps up and hugs him. “Promise!”
He gives her a firm swat to her bottom, making her squeal happily, and then he’s gone, and it’s just the two of us.
“I think you’re right going with white on white for the flowers. You’ve got bold colors everywhere else—”
“Oh screw the flowers, Candace. Tell me what’s going on with you and Andre. I thought for sure after you talked to him things would be okay again. Instead, he’s still a grump who acts like someone kicked his dog, and you’re sitting here with dark circles under your eyes looking miserable.”
My bottom lip trembles. “I thought I was holding it together pretty well.”
Sugar shakes her head. “Girl, you can’t hide anything from me. I’m your bestie! I can read your ass like a book.”
I snort a laugh at that. “Make sure you leave a review when you’re done reading it.”
She tosses one of the throw pillows from the couch at me. “You know what I mean!”
“You sure we can’t just talk about the wedding? That is my job as your new wedding planner…”
Sugar waves her hand, dismissing my plea and giving me a pointed look that tells me I’m not going to distract her from her mission. I let out a burst of air from my lungs and collapse back onto the couch.
“You’re right. I’m miserable,” I confess.
“Girl, if you’re so miserable, why the heck are you being so stubborn? Does Andre make you happy?”
God. The truth is yes, so much yes. When Andre and I were together, not just the times we were playing, but all the other times in between, I was happy. So freakin’ happy. We click together like we were made for each other.
But I’m scared.