Candice couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun. As she pedaled beside David and Sarah that afternoon in one of the rental boats, she laughed out loud when he lost a game of I Spy to Sarah—again.

“I told you she’s good,” Candice reminded him before giving Sarah a wink and a high-five.

David groaned. “How many times does that make now? Ten? Twelve?”

He playfully nudged Sarah’s side, which sent her into a fit of giggles that warmed Candice’s heart and made her smile. After spending the whole day at the Antelope Island State Park, Candice was physically exhausted, but her spirits hadn’t dampened in the least bit. She felt truly happy for the first time in months, and it seemed like ages since she’d heard Sarah laugh so much.

“It’s so peaceful here,” David said.

Candice sighed contentedly as she looked out over the lake toward the sun, which was getting ready to make its descent in the west. There were hardly any ripples in the water, and it was all very tranquil and serene. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

“Yes, it is,” she agreed. “I wish we could stay out here a little longer.”

Sarah yawned and laid her head on Candice’s shoulder. “I do too.”

She caught David’s smile, and her heart beat a little faster. He’d been the perfect gentleman all day, and he’d given into every whim of Sarah’s, from riding bikes along the trails to asking several of the people riding horseback if they would mind Sarah petting their horses. He stood right beside her, showing her how to pet them gently while keeping a close eye on the animals so they wouldn’t get spooked or try to hurt her in any way. He’d even carried her on his shoulders when she complained about her feet hurting after they’d hiked the second or third trail.

“I guess we should probably head back,” he whispered. “It looks like someone is getting ready to crash.”

He pointed to Sarah, who was rubbing her tired eyes and fighting a losing battle between staying awake and going to sleep. Candice wrapped a hand around her waist and held her as close as their life jackets would allow. “I think you’re right.”

She and David turned the boat around and started pedaling back to the dock. Her legs ached from all the walking, biking, and pedaling she’d done throughout the day, but it was a good feeling and a welcome reminder of how much fun they’d had together. Watching David and Sarah interact so naturally made her heart swell, and she’d lost count of the number of times they’d made each other laugh.

Sarah fell asleep on Candice’s shoulder before they made it back to the dock, and as the park attendant helped them tie off the boat, she managed to wake her up long enough to disembark and take off her life jacket. She was so drowsy, she could barely stand, and Candice’s heart melted when David picked her up and carried her to the truck. Once she was safe and secure in her booster seat, she leaned her head against it and was sound asleep again within a matter of seconds.

When she and David were buckled in, Candice relaxed against the seat cushion and closed her eyes while he drove them away from the park and headed for home. Her muscles ached, and she could’ve easily fallen asleep, too, but she didn’t want to be rude, so she forced herself to stay awake. David helped with that when he reached over the middle console and held her hand, making her heart pound and sending a rush of heat coursing through her body.

“I’ve enjoyed my day with you,” he murmured softly so he wouldn’t wake up Sarah.

She smiled and lightly squeezed his fingers. “I’ve enjoyed it too. Thank you for being so patient with her. I know how tiring it can be trying to keep up with her endless supply of energy and trying to answer all of her questions.”

David grinned. “It didn’t bother me at all. She’s an amazing kid, Candice. I can see why you’re so proud of her.”

His admiration brought tears to her eyes, and she changed the subject to keep them at bay. “You haven’t told me about your family yet. Didn’t you say you have some nieces and nephews?”

His big smile was like a ray of sunshine. “I did. My older brother, Chris, and his wife, Brittany, have three daughters, and my younger sister, Brenda, and her husband, Tom, have two boys. I’m the fun uncle who buys them stuff their parents won’t let them have and spoils them rotten.”

It was easy to tell by the tone of his voice and the way his face lit up how much he adored them. “What about your parents?” she asked. “Do they live in Texas?”

He nodded. “They do. My mom teaches third grade, and my dad is a high school principal. Next month they’ll celebrate their thirty-sixth wedding anniversary.”

As her thoughts drifted to her own family, she couldn’t help but feel a little envious of his home life.

“And what about your family?” he asked. “Have they lived in Lehi their whole lives too?”

Candice swallowed past the lump in her throat before trusting herself to talk. “My older brother, Terry, lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, Wendy, and their two-year-old son, Nicholas. I have an older sister in Lehi named Whitney, who is married to Daniel. They can’t have children, so it’s just the two of them, and she keeps Sarah for me while I work. Last but not least, is my younger brother, Sam, who lives in Lehi with my mom and attends Utah Valley University. My mom’s a librarian, and my dad passed away three years ago after a long battle with lung cancer.”

She could tell by the way his hand tensed that her response caught him by surprise. She didn’t look at him because she feared she would see pity in his eyes, the same pity she noticed whenever they talked about Barry, and she didn’t want anyone feeling sorry for her, especially David.

“I’m so sorry, Candice. I had no idea.”

She quickly changed the subject. “Do you think you’ll ever move back home to Texas or work construction out of state again?”

His fingers tightened around hers, and she could feel his eyes on her, but she kept her gaze on the windshield. His moving home again was something that plagued her since the day they met, and she needed to know where he stood. She couldn’t fathom living somewhere other then Lehi, so she understood the bond between a person and their hometown.

“I’ve never really thought about it, but right now I can’t see myself living in Texas again. And one of the reasons I took the job at MBC is because Aaron assured me I wouldn’t have to travel. I’ve spent most of my adult life doing that, but I’m ready to settle down somewhere permanently. Hopefully, here in Lehi.”

She didn’t miss the implications of his statement, but she couldn’t overlook the doubtful tone in his voice either or the long pause before he answered the question. She turned in her seat to check on Sarah, who was still sleeping soundly, and she felt a pang in her heart when she considered how well she and David got along and how she might feel if he and Candice became close and he suddenly decided to move away.

They chit-chatted about work during the remainder of the drive home, but Candice was too consumed with her own thoughts to give it her full attention. When he finally pulled into her driveway, she honestly couldn’t remember the last ten minutes of their conversation. As soon as he parked the truck, she was unbuckling her seatbelt and gathering her things.

“I’ll carry Sarah inside for you,” he said.

Candice grabbed his arm and stopped him when he went to open his door. “I appreciate it, David, but you don’t have to do that.”

He shook his head. “I don’t mind, Candice, really.”

He went to open his door again and she squeezed his arm even tighter. “David, please don’t.”

He gave her a quizzical look before resting a hand on top of hers. “Are you okay? Did I say or do something wrong?”

She cast a glance at Sarah, who never stirred and was still sleeping peacefully, and she expelled a long, weary sigh. “David, I had a great time with you today, but I don’t know if we can ever be anything more than friends. Sarah’s my world, and I don’t want to do anything that might hurt her. She’s already been through so much.”

He still looked unsure. “I don’t understand. I would never hurt her or you.”

She didn’t want to, but she released his arm and leaned back against the seat and away from his prying eyes. “I know you wouldn’t do it intentionally, David, but I know how much your work means to you too. Can you tell me with absolute certainty that you would never take on a job out of state?”

His gaze flickered between her and Sarah. He looked upset and confused, and he opened his mouth several times to say something, but nothing came out. When he didn’t reply, she nodded solemnly. “I understand, David, but I hope you can understand that I have to put Sarah’s feelings above my own because her happiness and wellbeing matters to me more than anything else. She lost the two most special men in her life, and I can’t risk falling in love with you and then losing you too.”

She opened the passenger door and stepped out before he had the chance to reply, but he got out and quickly walked around to her side of the truck. Candice opened the back door and removed Sarah from her booster seat. She stirred for a moment when Candice lifted her in her arms but immediately went back to sleep as soon as she lay her head on Candice’s shoulder.

While she carried Sarah to the house, David took her booster seat and put it inside her car. He followed her to the house, but he didn’t walk past the front porch steps as Candice unlocked the front door and turned on the living room light. When she turned to him again, her heart sank when she saw the despondent look on his face. “Goodnight, David.”

He nodded but didn’t say anything, and Candice hurriedly stepped in and shut the door before she gave in to the overwhelming desire to throw caution to the wind and run into his arms.

“Can I sleep in your bed tonight, Mommy? Please?”

Sarah could barely keep her eyes open as Candice helped her change into her pajamas. Her heart ached, and she wanted to be alone, but Sarah looked so sweet and pitiful, she couldn’t just tell her no. She held Sarah by the shoulders and led her to her bedroom so she wouldn’t groggily run into any walls, and as soon as they crawled under the sheets, Sarah was cuddling up beside her, elbowing her in the ribs while trying to get comfortable.

“I had fun today. I hope Mr. David takes us to the park again soon. I like him.”

Candice’s eyes filled with tears as Sarah yawned and slowly drifted to sleep. She, however, was wide awake, and she knew sleep wouldn’t come anytime soon as long as the ache in her heart persisted. She thought back to their time on the hiking trail when she’d almost given in and kissed him, and part of her was thankful she didn’t succeed. It was already going to be hard enough seeing him every day at work and kissing him would’ve made that even more difficult. She knew she’d made the right decision by keeping their relationship strictly platonic, but that didn’t ease the longing that seeped into her bones, especially at night.

Candice carefully turned over on her side, trying her best not to wake Sarah. The framed picture of her and Barry on the nightstand beside her bed was a glaring reminder of just how alone she was, and as she picked it up and traced his silhouette with her fingertips, she couldn’t keep the tears from escaping and sliding down her cheeks.

Candice hugged the picture frame to her chest and switched off the lamp. She tried to fight it, but her thoughts returned to the park and holding hands with David while they walked the hiking trails. Her body trembled when she remembered the way it felt being held in his strong embrace the day before in her office when he caught her in his arms. She thought about his smile, his deep, soothing voice and the seductive way he whispered her name.

She wished more than anything that their circumstances were different, but the fact remained he was still practically a stranger, and she had no idea where his path in life might lead him. He could very well decide to put down roots in Lehi, but until she knew for certain, she would have to settle with being his friend and nothing more, no matter how much it broke her heart.