Page 82 of Sweet on You
My smile faded as I noticed again the dark circles beneath Kandi’s eyes. And a small bruise was forming where the weight bumped her arm during curls. A little bump like that making a bruise? She might be low on iron. Or anemic. Or maybe she just caught the little bug her niece had. Whatever it was, I didn’t want to continue working her too hard if something was wrong.
“Have you been to the doctor lately, Kandi?”
Her brows formed a ‘v’ in the center of her forehead. “No… why?”
I swallowed, needing to tread lightly. “Because I’ve been working you pretty hard these last few weeks and any time there’s a big change in diet and exercise, I always recommend a checkup. Just to confirm everything we’re doing is right for your body chemistry.”
She set the granola bar onto the table, concern tightening her expression. “I hate doctors,” she said, quietly.
Boy, did I understand that. I hated them, too. I didn’t know of many people who loved going to the doctor. “I know… it’s better than the dentist though, right?”
“Well, that’s true.” She shrugged. “I’m a girl named Kandi who sells candy for a living. I’m a dentists’ worst nightmare.”
I threw my head back, laughing at that. “Is Dr. Stevens your general practitioner?” I waited until she nodded. It was an easy guess. We really only have one family practice doctor here in town. “He’s my doctor, too. Why don’t I call and schedule us each a checkup? It’s been over a year since my last annual and I can be there with you to...”
“…hold my hand?” she offered, interrupting.
“I was going to say to help… but yes, to hold your hand as well, if you need it.”
“You’re my trainer, not my babysitter,” Kandi said, grabbing a berry and twirling it in her fingers.
“I’m also your friend.” I reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. “Let me be there for you.”
We sat in silence for a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime before she nodded and whispered, “Okay.”
I didn’t waste any time and texted Callie to set up appointments for both Kandi and I with Dr. Stevens. Then, I sat my phone down, smiling at Kandi. “Callie is on it for us.”
The door to my gym opened and Maddie came running in with my brother closely behind her. He was in his usual dirty jeans and work boots, and his white t-shirt was sweaty and clinging to his torso. “Aunt Ronnie!” Maddie ran at me and flung her little body into mine for a tight hug.
I laughed, squeezing my niece back.
Kandi’s face went from pale to pink and flushed as Cam slowly crossed my gym towards us. “How is your whole family so dang good looking?” she whispered, then immediately smoothed her hair and swiped her fingers below her eyes.
Maddie scrunched her nose. “You think my dad is good-looking?”
“Uhhh…” Panic drained the blush from Kandi’s face and I laughed, shifting Maddie into the empty chair beside me. “Everyone thinks your dad is good-looking, Maddie.”
My niece’s face shifted from confusion to disgust. “Gross.”
“I know, right?” I said, giggling. Cam had paused at reception to chat with Callie, and when I noticed Kandi’s face… pure and utter panic… I cleared my throat, making sure I stopped laughing. “You know he’s engaged, right?”
She rolled her eyes and pushed the food in front of her farther away—a small thing, but I noticed it all the same. How many times had I done that same thing? Stopped myself from eating as though that could or would impress a guy? I clenched my jaw, deciding to bite my tongue for now. “Of course I know he’s engaged,” she said. “But maybe if he talks to Noah, he’ll mention he saw me… mention how much weight I’ve lost and how good I look…”
Ah. It wasn’t Cam she was after. It was Noah… I should have guessed that. My youngest brother was famous and on a tween vampire show that was all the rage right now. Every single girl in Maple Grove no doubt had dreams of some romcom fairy tale ending where he would come back into town for Cam and Lydia’s wedding, see them, and instantly fall in love. Should I tell her that Noah and Cam hardly ever talk? Of all our siblings, they got along the least.
“Don’t you have a boyfriend?” I asked.
She rolled her eyes with a careful glance at Maddie. “Ben and I are on a break.”
“Again?” Those two were on and off again more than I’d ever seen. Though, I can’t say I blamed her. Ben was the biggest jerk I’d ever met.
She nodded, then sat up straighter in her chair just as Cam got to our table. “Hey,” he said, looking at me and then, noticing Kandi for the first time gave her a small smile and nod. “Kandi, good to see you.”
“Hi, Cam!” she beamed at him, and Maddie and I exchanged glances. I was never that girl. Kandi and Kyra had their flirting game perfected. Even sweaty and slightly pale, Kandi seemed more put together than I was on my best day. Her head tiltedjust so,her thousand-watt smile, with her white, straight teeth, perfectly practiced. Even her ponytail… though we’d just finished a sixty-minute workout, was sleek and glossy.
Cam snapped his fingers, pointing at Kandi. “Oh, shoot. Lydia and I have been meaning to come chat with you about some special candy for the wedding. Do you make personalized chocolates or anything?”
Kandi nodded and stood up. “I can absolutely do that. Have Lydia give me a call sometime and we can chat about what you both want. I can do little candies decorated with something meaningful. Or some couples have wedding logos… I can paint that onto white chocolate.” The shift in her persona was fascinating. Before Cam walked in, she was my cool girlfriend. Then she went into primping/panicked mode. Then flirty girl. And now? Now she was all business. “Ronnie has my number, you or Lydia can call me, and we’ll set up a meeting.”
