Page 23 of Candygrams

“Oh, hi.” A blonde comes out of the back and looks me up and down. I don’t think she’s looking at me like the nurse I fired or some of the other women in town. No, she’s just trying to assess if she’s safe with me. “I’m Lolly. Can I help you?”

I must pass the test. I try to move slowly and steadily over to her, so I don’t scare her or make her think she was wrong to let me stay.

“Lolly?” That is an unusual name.

She laughs, “Actually, it’s Lilly but everyone calls me Lolly. Must be the whole candy-making thing.”

“Well, Lilly,” I can’t bring myself to call her Lolly, “I was looking for something sweet.”

Her eyes widen and she takes a step back like I was afraid she would before. I go on so she understands I’m not after her.

“She’s about five foot nothing, red hair, big green eyes… curvy.”

“You mean Bonny?” Surprise is written all over her face.

“Yep, I mean Bonny. She told me about this place and I was wondering if she was working today.”

“Bonbon told you about our store?” More surprise clouds her eyes, I nod. “She’s not usually so… vocal with someone new. I mean… I know you’re new. Not that it is a bad thing to be new. It’s just surprising is all.”

I give her a tilt of my lips as a thank you for giving me a little bit of information on… Bonbon. They call her Bonbon. My fucking mouth starts watering just thinking about her.

“She works a little later in the day.” She steps forward a little bit and looks behind her like she is telling me a secret. “She should be ready to take a break around five.”

I give her a smile and she giggles at the thought of setting her friend up with me, “That’s when I get off so it works out great. I guess I’ll see you later, Lilly.”

I take off a little early just so I can be at the shop exactly at five. As soon as I come in Lilly gives me a big smile. The other woman standing in the front stops what she is doing to look me over. She pushes her curly dark hair out of her face.

“He’s looking for Bonbon. He came in earlier and asked for her.”

“Oh, I think… let me take a look real quick.” She rushes to the back leaving me with Lilly. We talk a little about what she’s doing and how they want the store to look when they are done. The other girl comes back pretty quickly and gives me a frown. “She’s already gone. She had to watch her sister this afternoon.”

Damn!

“I guess… I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“Wait…,” Lilly runs to grab a piece of paper from behind the counter. She brings it back over to where I have taken a seat at one of the tables. She looks down at what she is holding and over to the other girl. “This is her schedule for the next week. We open in just a few weeks so…she’ll definitely have to be here at that point but until then…”

She hands over the paper. I offer her my warmest smile as I take it from her.

“Bonny is… the sweetest one of us.” I give my full attention to the girl I haven’t met formally just yet. “She’s always helping her mom take care of her little sister. She loves that little girl. But it’s also kept Bon from… experiencing a lot of things other girls her age have already done.”

I narrow my eyes and lean forward. She has my full attention. I feel like she is trying to tell me something important that I want desperately to comprehend.

“I’m only saying this because you seem like you're really interested and if you are, you should know… she’s really, really sweet… innocently so.”

Holy shit! Understanding hits me immediately. This woman is trying to tell me Bonny hasn’t been with anyone… ever. As in, she’s a virgin.

“If you’re just trying to… play around or use her… then don’t. I might be a baker but that just means I am intimately familiar with the oven. I wouldn’t have a problem going all Hansel and Gretal on your ass.”

I give her a rueful grin. I like her. She’s got my girl’s back and I’m more than okay with that.

“And you are?”

She looks over at Lilly. “I’m Candy. And someone you don’t want to turn into an enemy.”

“Candy, Lilly,” I nod to both women, “I imagine this will be the first of many times we meet, ladies. You two have a good evening.”

I make my way to the door before turning back around, “Let me know if I can help in any way.” Surprise hits Candy’s face. “Got to keep my girl in business.”

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