Page 72 of Candy

Harley was grinning at the door. “So now that you are his girlfriend, you can be my mom.”

“Well, hold on there, little buckaroo,” Candy said as she tweaked his nose. “Let’s take baby steps here. We got him to admit he likes me and wants me to be his girlfriend. Let’s not push it too far. Being a mom is a big jump.”

“Okay, fine,” he said with a giggle.

I returned to my room as Harley and Candy played a game of I Spy in the kitchen with yellow and green colors.

When I came out a little later, they were sitting at the table and she had him sorting silverware into the plastic tray from her drawer. Her entire tray had been haphazardly emptied onto the table. I hiked a brow.

“Harley is matching shapes,” Candy said in a cheerful voice.

“Wow, that’s cool,” I commented and set my hand on his shoulder. He quickly shifted away from me.

Candy mouthed, “Give it time.”

“So, Harley, I have to go to work.”

He turned to look at me. “Where do I have to sit?”

“What?” I asked, confused at his question.

“Where do I sit to wait for you?”

I still wasn’t quite sure what to think of this, and luckily Candy piped in. “Harley, did your mom have you wait someplace when she left you?”

He nodded. “I had to sit on the mattress in the small room and wait for her. Even if I was hungry or needed to pee, I couldn't come out.”

I locked my jaw to keep from spewing forth horrible words.

“Well, guess what, Harley? You don’t have to do that here. You will never be alone, not really. I might be in a different room, or your dad might be outside, but someone will always be with you.”

“So I don’t have to sit and wait in a room for a long time?”

She shook her head. “Nope! You and I will get cleaned up, and then we will do something fun.”

“Like what?”

“Well, how about we go to a park?”

“A park?” he asked.

“A park sounds like the perfect place,” I added. “Then, after you play at the park, you guys can come to the tavern and have lunch. How does that sound?”

“Can I have a hot dog again?”

I thought about that for a second. “Why don’t we try something different, like chicken tenders.”

He didn’t look so sure, but I told him they were good. Candy walked me out as Harley watched from the front window.

“You sure you are going to be alright with him? Not that you can’t handle him ten times better than me, but he’s not your problem. I hate dropping this in your lap.”

She sidled up to me, a smirk on her face that was just too fucking sexy. “Well, I am your girlfriend now, you know. It’s okay to drop things in my lap.”

I leaned closer, curling my hand around her neck. “The only thing I want in your lap is my face.”

“Oh, promises, promises.”

I kissed her for a few seconds, then glanced at the window to see Harley watching us. I waved to him. “Have fun, and thank you, sweetheart.”

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