Page 76 of Beaches, Bagels & Babes
Candace did not know what to say. Having so little blood family of her own, she had always looked at Demi’s with awe. The idea that she could be considered a part of it was special to her beyond words.
Rather than address any of those more complicated feelings, Candace observed, “Katina really seemed to hit it off with Rio.”
Demi snorted.
“They’re still hitting it off. Katina had to coach mytheiaon pronouns, but she adored Rio as soon as they praised her spanakopita. For some people, food is a love language.”
“Yeah,” Candace agreed wistfully. “I know what you mean.”
Demi’s eye roll might as well have been audible. With a smirk, she added, “Speaking of…Someoneis trying to get your attention.”
Candace got whiplash from how quickly her head snapped to look across the boardwalk. The snicker it drew from Demi only stung a little. Waving at them, Daisy held up their special of the day chalkboard sign. She’d drawn a giant arrow that pointed towards the ground.
“An arrow?” Candace pouted, “I don’t get it.”
Daisy’s waves turned to frantic downward gesturing before her attention was taken by a customer.
“I think she wants you to look around near here,” Demiguessed.
They both set to seek-mode, investigating under the bayou shack’s polished wood countertop and enamel swivel stools made to look like curled up shrimp. Taped to the underside of the stool Candace habitually sat on, they found a tissue-wrapped package. She held it in her trembling hands as her brain forgot what she needed to do next.
“Well?” Demi urged, “Open it! Doesn’t look like flaming dog poo to me.”
Candace cast her unhelpful friend a look. Sucking in a breath, she broke Daisy’s carefully placed tape seal, peeled back the paper layers…
—and gasped.
It was a sea glass flower pendant—a daisy, to be exact. Six dainty, milky white oblong shards for petals, and an amber lump made up the middle core. The pieces were connected with intricately woven copper jewelry wire that also formed the stem and a curling leaf. If Candace wanted, she could attach it to a necklace or keychain. Now, though, she held it cupped in both her hands as if it were gold.
Nonono, this isn’t good!Candace’s inner monologue went haywire as she struggled to come up with a platonic explanation for the gift.
“Wow,” Demi whistled. “Zee always was great with her wirework, but I never thought she could be sweet. Seems like she’s come around.”
“We’re friends. I think, maybe…”
“Friends, huh? So, when are you going to tell her you want more?”
“What?!Are you crazy? I can’t do that.”
Demi took a long, languid sip of her tea. “Can’t, or won’t?”
“Both,” Candace grumbled. Her thumb swept across the amber center’s smooth surface, marveling over it. Softer, she continued, “Things are going so well for Daisy. If I bringthatup,it could ruin everything. I won’t mess up her life again.”
“She might not let you have a choice on that one. Givingyou meaningful flower presents… Asking you to sleep over after late-night planning sessions… the goofy look she’s giving you right now… That woman is dropping some cosmic-sized hints.”
“You’re reading into things. We haven’t even been in the same room together in almost a month.”
“Mm-hm. Yeah, and she wasreallyhoping you would stay longer.”
Candace was feeling hot, and not in a good way. The sweltering, thick air was making it difficult to breathe. She argued, “It was late. Daisy gets worried about me crossing the bridge at night, that’s all.”
Winking, Demi finished, “Because she cares about you. Zee hasn’t ever askedmeto stay over, you know. Whenever I see her, you’re all she talks about. It couldn’t be any more obvious how you two feel about each other. Why deny it?”
Through the crossing boardwalk crowd, Candace and Daisy locked eyes. In her usual Bagel Bombs! tank top and aqua blue athletic shorts, her fresh undercut complementing the longer length of her hair, the woman looked as confident as she had on the first day Candace came back to Wonderwood.
Strong. Self-assured. Sexy.
She was Daisy—no,Candace reminded herself—ZeeDeMarco. And Candace would always be the person who hurt her most.
