All About The Treats Read online

  “What does the counselor say?”

  “Same old shit. I think I might need to seek professional help for him. The Army recommended it four years ago, but I thought with Jace only being four, he would be okay. I guess I thought I could be enough parent to fill the role of mom and dad. It turns out, David left some pretty big shoes to fill.”

  She offered a small smile. “You are an awesome mother. He’s just having a hard time.”

  “He’s been having a hard time for almost two years now. When is the hard time over?”

  “Twenty-four, twenty-five,” she offered.

  I groaned. “I cannot watch him suffer for another fifteen years.”

  “Maybe he just needs someone to talk to—not a professional and not you.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Are you suggesting you talk to him?”

  “No, god no. I’m a hot mess. And he knows me. I’m thinking like one of those big brother situations.”

  “Is this a veiled attempt to set me up with another one of your ‘really great guys’?” I asked, making air quotes.

  She giggled. “No. You’ve run through all the guys I know. Hell, I think you’ve rejected every man in San Francisco.”

  “I’m not interested in dating. I don’t have the time. I work all the time. I work too much. Maybe that’s the problem. I need to spend more time with Jace.”

  “You work just enough,” she assured me. “Halloweenfest is your brainchild. You’ve created something amazing for the entire world to enjoy. Halloweenfest has gone from a local celebration to a worldwide event. You’re like Father Christmas, but Mother Halloween.”

  I smiled, proud of my achievements. “Thank you. I love what I do, and it has provided a nice living for me and Jace. After David was killed, I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to keep a roof over our heads. I always knew there was a possibility he could get hurt or killed over there, but when I saw that Army chaplain at the front door that day, the reality was so much more overwhelming than I could have prepared for.”

  “Because you’re a fighter,” she replied.

  “He’s going to be okay,” I said firmly. “I will make sure he is okay. No matter what it takes, I’m going to make damn sure my baby gets through this.”

  “I know you will. He’s a good kid. He’s shy now, but if he keeps hanging out with you, your bubbly personality is bound to wear off on him eventually.”

  I grinned. “I hope so. I love him just the way he is, but sometimes, I wish he would come out of his shell a little.”

  “Give him time.”

  I took another drink from the cup. “All right, now that we’ve got that out of the way, help me come up with something for this year’s celebration.”

  “Well, I do have an idea. I’m not sure what you can do with it, but I’m sure we can put our heads together and figure something out.”

  “What’s this idea?” I asked.

  “The biggest candy manufacturer in the United States has its headquarters in San Francisco,” she said. “You can work with them to create something cool.”

  I nodded. “I like that. I’m not sure what that collaboration would look like, but it is definitely a start.”

  “They are always introducing new candy flavors and stuff. You could create something together and have it unveiled at the festival. There would be lots of marketing and lead up to it. People love their stuff, and they love your festivals. It’s a win-win for both.”

  “I knew there was a reason I liked you,” I said with a grin.

  “You like me because I’m super fun and super chill. I’m the yin to your yang. You are this vibrant woman who never met a stranger, and I’m the relaxed, easygoing friend. It’s why we complement each other.”

  “You’re a little bit hippy, I’m a little bit rock n’ roll,” I said.

  “Tattoos don’t make you a rock chick,” she said dryly.

  I winked. “But mine do.”

  “I have to go,” she said, getting to her feet. She dug in her massive purse, pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it to me. “That’s the name of the company. Give them a call.”

  “I will. Thank you for the coffee and for coming by. And for shooting down my good idea.”

  She giggled, her long dark hair flowing behind her as she walked. “It was a shitty idea, and you know it.”

  “Maybe, but it would have been different,” I shouted as she closed the door behind her.

  I grabbed the number and quickly did a Google search for the company name. I had certainly enjoyed the candy they produced. I especially loved the jalapeno and berry cookies they made. I loved sweet and spicy. I liked to think I was a little sweet and spicy.

  I picked up the phone and called the number on the paper. It went straight to voicemail, which I found odd. I left a perky message with my name and phone number and hung up. I clicked on the website, flipping through the mission statement and looking at pictures of some of their most popular confections.

  I exited their website and clicked on the open window with my own website. I strived to keep the website and the festival exciting and interesting. We were always looking to make it a little better. It had grown to the point that our festival was bigger than some of the most popular annual concerts.

  I was proud of the hard work I had put into the festival. After my husband died overseas while on his second deployment, I threw myself into the work, needing the distraction. I had hoped I could get Jace to embrace it as well. So far, that hadn’t happened.

  I sighed, looking at the framed picture of my little boy. He looked like me. His blond hair and blue eyes were all me, but his personality was my exact opposite. He was subdued, introverted, and said very little. I could talk to a wall and be happy. I had a bubbly personality. I had been born chatting, my mom used to say, and hadn’t stopped yet.

  “Oh Jace, my sweet, sweet boy, how am I going to help you?” I asked, picking up the picture and running my finger over his perfect little face.

  He’d always been quiet, but after David’s death, he had shut down and withdrawn even more. He had talked with a counselor provided by the Army back then, but then we moved off base and headed for the west coast.

  Jace had seemed to perk up. Kindergarten had been great for him. He was a friendly kid but selective. He had a couple of friends, but then we moved to a nicer area, and he had to change schools.

  That was when things changed for him. It was like he was being punished for my success. I moved us into a nicer home in a great neighborhood, and the school was one of the best in the city. At least, that was what I thought. As it turned out, the little shits that went to the school were some of the worst.

  Jace was my world. I would move mountains for him. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to help him. I wanted to shake the boys that were bullying him. I wanted to shake my son and tell him to fight back. He wouldn’t. He was a pacifist. He was a gentle soul who hated to rock the boat.

  It was moments like yesterday at the school that I truly missed my husband and felt his absence. I had grieved. I felt like I had accepted his death and moved on. Jace didn’t really know his father all that well. He’d been deployed half of Jace’s life. I wasn’t sure if it was his father he was missing or that male presence in his life.

  It made me almost desperate enough to start looking for a daddy for him—just to fill the role. I had dated a few times, but the men were just not for me, and they were definitely not suitable to be in Jace’s life. I kept waiting, hoping the right man would walk into our lives, but I wasn’t sure it would ever happen.

  That meant I needed to figure out how to help my little guy on my own, even if it meant taking him fishing and other fatherly things. I would touch a worm for my child. Hell, I would eat the damn thing if that was what made him happy.

  Chapter 3

  Theo

  “No! Come on! Seriously!” I slapped the PS4 controller against my thigh.

  It was a lazy Saturday—my favorite kind. I was thirty-five, but
I was still a kid at heart. I loved video games. Not all video games. I hated the shooting ones, but I loved the racing ones or the ones that required a person to think. Playing video games was cathartic for me. It helped me relax after doing a lot of peopling all week.

  I put the controller down and headed for the kitchen in search of something to eat. My housekeeper always kept my fridge and pantry well stocked with all my favorite foods. I pulled out some sliced fruit and my favorite chocolate dipping sauce.

  I heard the doorbell and looked at the monitor mounted on the wall to see who was bothering me on a Saturday morning.

  I smiled when I saw Sawyer making faces at the security camera. I popped a chocolate-covered strawberry in my mouth and headed for the door.

  “What brings you by?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “How in the hell do you stay so thin when you eat chocolate all the damn time?”

  “How do you know I was eating chocolate?”

  He pointed to the corner of his mouth. “You got a little something.”

  “Oh,” I murmured, wiping my mouth. “I was eating breakfast.”

  “Chocolate? Chocolate for breakfast?”

  “I was dipping apples and strawberries in it,” I said, heading back toward the kitchen. “That makes it healthy. Fruit and dairy.”

  “Only in your mind is that normal,” he said.

  I was used to his criticism of my diet. “Normal is overrated. I learned that a long time ago.”

  He followed me into the kitchen where my spread of fruit and chocolate was sitting out. “I’m headed up to San Fran to look at a car. Come with me.”

  “No.”

  “Theo, you should pretend to at least think about it,” he lectured.

  I dipped another strawberry into the chocolate. He was always trying to teach me how to have better social skills. I knew I wasn’t very good at socializing. I knew it and was willing to learn, but I had no plans of ever being a social butterfly. I loved teasing him and being extra difficult, especially on Saturday mornings when I wanted to do nothing but lounge around.

  “I don’t want to think about it. I don’t want to go.”

  “I want you to go,” he said, snatching a slice of the Granny Smith apple. “You are my friend, and I am asking you to do this with me. It’s good to get out of the house.”

  “I’m out of the house five days a week,” I replied easily. “Saturday is my day to relax.”

  “You can relax in my car. I’ll drive.”

  “No thank you,” I said, doing my best to remain polite.

  He chuckled. “Dammit, Theo, yes. You need to go with me. You’re really my only friend, and this is what friends do. I work too damn much to have much of a social life. Consider this part of my benefits package. You have to hang out with me.”

  I sighed. He was too good at laying on heavy guilt trips. “But I don’t want to. I don’t buy cars. I don’t particularly like cars. Just buy it online and have it delivered.”

  “But you will go because you’re a good man. I would do it for you. Besides, I heard about a new taffy shop that opened up there. We’ll check it out.”

  “Taffy shop?” I asked, intrigued.

  He grinned. “Yes.”

  “All right, I’ll go.”

  “Go change,” he ordered.

  I looked down at my clothes. “Why? There aren’t any holes in my sweats.”

  “Theo, go change.”

  “You are worse than a nagging wife. I don’t have to ever get married if you’re around.”

  “You’ll never get married if you don’t leave this house,” he pointed out, snatching one of my strawberries.

  I rolled my eyes. “I meet plenty of women. They go out on a date with me, discover I’m weird or not their idea of a good time, and then it’s over. I don’t think marriage is in the cards for me, and honestly, I don’t think that bothers me.”

  “You can’t be alone for the rest of your days.”

  I winked. “But that’s why I have you. Consider that part of your benefits package.”

  He was laughing as I walked away, climbing the stairs to my master suite. I dressed in my usual jeans and a T-shirt before heading back downstairs and grabbing a jacket from the coatrack. We got into his car, which I felt was perfectly fine and couldn’t quite understand why he needed a new car.

  “Thank you,” he said once he was on the highway.

  “You weren’t going to let me stay home,” I mumbled.

  “I want you to see this taffy shop. It’s a huge success, and it has only been in business for a short time.”

  “My factory is successful.”

  “But it could be so much more,” he answered. “The owner of the taffy shop is really popular in the community. He’s always doing remotes and interacting with the community.”

  “Remotes?” I asked.

  “He sets up booths at various fairs and festivals to get his business more exposure. He sponsors Little League teams, donates to the local schools, and is always getting his face out there.”

  “Good for him.”

  He chuckled. “You need to do the same. You need to start interacting with the community. Let them see you. Let them get to know the man behind the confections. They’ll be more inclined to support your company.”

  I grimaced. “I don’t like people. I mean, I don’t hate people, but I don’t like being around people.”

  “I know, but we can limit your exposure. You walk in and make an appearance, shake a few hands, and kiss a few babies.

  I cringed. “No! I’m not kissing babies!”

  “Not actually kissing babies. It’s a phrase. I’m your spokesperson, but we could get a lot of mileage at simple events. Think of it as putting on a mask and doing a play.”

  “I’m not an actor.”

  “You don’t have to act. You show up, and you talk about your candy. We all know you like to talk about the candy and your new ideas. Let them see your passion for what you do. People will like you. You are naturally likable. You just tend to hide behind the walls of your office.”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “I’m not great with people.”

  “Will you please think about it? I really think it will be good for the company.”

  “I’ll think about it,” I said, staring out the window.

  I stared in the windows of the cars we passed. I wondered where the people were going. I wondered if they liked candy, and if so, what kind. I liked road trips. I liked them better when I didn’t have to drive. I liked hanging out with Sawyer too. He made me feel grounded and normal.

  I knew people thought I was an eccentric and a little off. I probably was. Sawyer didn’t treat me like that. He treated me like a friend. Like I was a real man and not the crazy guy who spent a lot of time dabbling in sugar and chocolate.

  It took about an hour. Sawyer drove to the taffy shop first, likely in an attempt to get me a treat before the car dealership. He was very much appeasing me like a parent would appease a child. Bribery at its finest. I certainly didn’t mind.

  “It’s small,” I commented when we walked into the shop.

  “It doesn’t have to be big to be successful, and look at the use of space that makes it look fun and inviting.” He pointed to the hundreds of clear canisters that lined the walls. Each one was filled with wrapped taffy in a variety of colors.

  “It looks like a rainbow, very creative,” I said.

  We browsed the selection, filling our bags with a variety of flavors. I was interested in trying some of the more unique flavors. A good businessman knew his competition, my father used to tell me. The taffy shop wasn’t necessarily my direct competition, but if they were as popular as Sawyer described, it was a good idea to know what I was up against.

  I opened one of the candies as we walked back to the car, and I popped it in my mouth. I took my time, identifying the flavors and feeling the texture on my tongue.

  “Well?” Sawyer asked.

  I shrugged a shoul
der. “It’s good. It’s soft. Not too hard, but it’s missing that something special.”

  He chuckled. “You mean it isn’t yours.”

  I grinned. “Exactly.” I stopped walking when a colorful, vibrant flyer taped to the window of the taffy shop caught my eye. “What’s this?”

  “Come see us at Halloweenfest,” Sawyer read aloud. “I suppose it’s another one of their remote visits.”

  “What’s Halloweenfest?”

  “I don’t know. We’ll have to check it out when we get back. If they are accepting vendors, it might be a good place to get our feet wet in the business.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “We’ll have to hire someone. I don’t want to sit at a table or booth or whatever it is.”

  He laughed, unlocking the doors of his car. “You have to go. You’re the face of the company!”

  I got into the passenger seat and unwrapped another taffy. “Oh, this one is good,” I said, closing my eyes and letting the burst of banana flavor erupt on my tongue. “I like this one. Banana. I’m going to incorporate banana into the chocolate fry bars.”

  Sawyer made a choking sound. “You’re so weird.”

  I turned to look at him. “I know, and that’s why I’m so awesome.”

  “You got that right. Are you ready? You cannot embarrass me.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m not going to pick my nose or act like an idiot. I can be in public.”

  He gave me a look that said he wasn’t quite so sure of that. “This dealership is one of the high-end ones.”

  I shrugged. “You mean all the salesmen are going to be kissing your ass?”

  He grinned. “If they want to sell me the car, they will.”

  He drove to the dealership while I munched on taffy. He parked the car in an area reserved for visitors to the car dealership. I opened the door, stepped out, and immediately saw we were being set upon by an eager salesman.

  “Gentlemen, how are you doing on this beautiful fall day?” the man greeted in an overly cheery voice.

  I looked over the top of the car and gave Sawyer a look. “Nope. I’m not dealing with this shit. I’ll wait in the car with the taffy.”