As soon as the clock struck five that afternoon, Candice was clearing her desk and preparing to make a hasty getaway before Aaron had the chance to stall her with more work. Several coworkers walked past her door, waving goodbye and wishing her a good evening, and as Candice picked up the last two folders to store in her filing cabinet, she was almost giddy over leaving work on time and being able to spend some quality time with Sarah before bedtime.

She stood and went to the filing cabinet, but she was in such a hurry, she accidentally bumped a corner of her desk and sent the two folders flying. Papers were strewn in every direction. Bending to pick them up, she bit her bottom lip and fought the urge to curse.

“Here, let me help you with that.”

A shadow fell over her, and when Candice looked up to see who was standing over her, she was surprised to see the new construction manager, David Maxwell. He knelt beside her and helped her gather the papers, and she was overcome with a sudden bout of shyness. He was so close, she could smell the woodsy, masculine scent of his cologne, which wafted past her nose and made her head swoon.

She had to admit he was quite handsome, and his dark brown hair and the five o’clock shadow on his face gave him a rugged appearance that made her weak in the knees. When he looked her way and smiled, his piercing blue eyes seared right through her and caused her whole body to tremble.

Candice shook her head and refocused her attention on the task at hand, but as she reached for the last piece of paper, David did, too. Their hands touched, and she inhaled sharply. When they’d met earlier that morning and shook hands, she’d been so preoccupied with work that she hadn’t really noticed the roughness of his skin, which she assumed was from his many years in construction.

He moved out of the way so she could pick up the paper, and Candice caught herself staring at his hands a lot longer than she probably should have. For a fleeting moment, she imagined his rough hands caressing her skin, and she vehemently shook her head to chase the thoughts away before standing.

“T-thank you,” she stammered.

Candice cringed when her usually strong and steady voice came out sounding timid and squeaky. Stop it, Candice! You’re being ridiculous!

“You’re welcome,” David replied.

His voice was low and deep and incredibly soothing. She didn’t trust herself to speak so she simply nodded before leaning against her desk for support. Her knees felt rubbery, and her heart beat a little faster when she considered how often she’d see him now that they were working together. David gave her a tentative smile before walking to the door, but before he left, he turned to her one last time. “I enjoyed meeting you today, and I look forward to working with you.”

The compliment made her blush. “Thank you, David. I feel the same way.”

She meant it too. For the first time in a very long time, she couldn’t wait to return to work in the morning. When he left the room, she plopped in her desk chair before her shaky legs threatened to give way. It was a strange feeling, this renewed anticipation and excitement, but she tried to contain it. After all, she knew nothing about David, and he could very well have a girlfriend or a wife waiting for him back home.

Candice put the folders in the filing cabinet and gathered her things so she could leave. As she walked outside and headed for her car in the parking lot, she saw David getting in a truck a few spaces down. She tried to act nonchalant when he saw her and waved, and she waved back, but she couldn’t stop the enormous grin that spread across her face as she unlocked her car and slipped inside behind the steering wheel.

“So, are you going to tell me what’s gotten into you today, or do I have to guess?” Whitney asked.

Candice handed her sister the last of the dishes they’d spent the past thirty minutes washing and drying. Whitney was grinning like a Cheshire cat, but Candice looked out the window above the sink and did her best to ignore her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Whitney dried the plate and put it away inside one of the overhead kitchen cabinets. “We could’ve finished this chore a lot sooner if your mind wasn’t preoccupied. You’ve been in la-la land ever since you got home, so tell me what’s going on.”

She knew Whitney wouldn’t relent until she confessed, so Candice took a deep breath and told her the day’s events. “Our new construction manager started today. His name is David Maxwell, and he moved here from Texas.”

Whitney leaned against the counter and eyed her suspiciously. “And? There’s got to be more to the story than that.”

Candice could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, and she looked down at the dishcloth in her hands and folded it to keep from having to look at Whitney. If she gave her sister an inch, she would take a mile, and the last thing she needed was Whitney picking on her for having a crush on someone. “We haven’t had the chance to talk much yet, but he seems nice.”

Whitney moved closer to her. “And?”

Candice groaned. She’d opened the door, and now there was no backtracking her way out of it. “And he’s … he’s very handsome.”

Whitney slapped her hand on the kitchen counter, startling Candice and making her jump. “Aha! I knew it!” she exclaimed. “Tell me everything.”

She grabbed Candice’s hand and pulled her to the dining room table, and as soon as she sat down, Whitney was moving her chair closer and watching Candice like a hawk eyeing its prey. It was funny in a way, but also kind of nerve-racking.

“Well, he’s tall, and he has dark brown hair and light blue eyes. He has a beard, but it’s thin and not long and scraggly, and I noticed a hint of dimples in his cheeks. I have no idea if he’s married or has a girlfriend, though, so I’m not getting my hopes up.”

Whitney tilted her head. “Why not? It’s been a long time, Candice, and there’s nothing wrong with feeling a little optimistic over meeting a new man who interests you.”

She sighed. “Then why does this excitement make me feel so guilty?”

Whitney draped an arm over Candice’s shoulders and gave her a quick hug. “I know I can’t speak from experience, but I think it’s normal for you to feel that way. And I promise I don’t mean for this to come out sounding cruel, but your life has to go on, Candice. You have so much love to give, and I have no doubt Barry would agree with me.”

Her comment made Candice smile. She had no doubt Barry would agree with Whitney either, but that’s just the way he was—kind, considerate, and always wanting the best for others.

Whitney reached for Candice’s hands. “Listen, even if it turns out he is married or dating someone, I don’t want you to lose this feeling. I haven’t seen you smile, really smile, in months, and I miss seeing you happy. If it doesn’t work out with David, then someone else will come along. I’m sure of it. The most important thing is that you don’t stop looking, because you deserve to find love again more than anyone else I know.”

Candice was a bit overwhelmed by Whitney’s response, and as her eyes filled with tears, she squeezed her sister’s hands and smiled. It felt good being able to talk to her about boys again like they had when they were younger, and she hoped there were many more conversations to come.

“Who is David?”

Sarah’s question caught Candice off guard later that night as she lay beside her in bed and waited patiently for her to go to sleep. Unfortunately, after two cups of juice and two boxes of animal crackers, Sarah was wide awake and very inquisitive, so Candice settled in for a long wait.

“I heard you and Aunt Whitney talking about someone named David while I was watching cartoons. Who is he? Do you like him?”

Candice frowned. She should’ve known little ears were listening and talked to Whitney some other time when they were alone.

“He’s a new employee where I work, and today was his first day.”

Sarah rolled over onto her side so they were face-to-face. “But do you like him?”

Candice sighed. Her curious streak was almost as long as her aunt Whitney’s, and she was just as stubborn, so she knew Sarah wouldn’t let up until she was satisfied Candice was telling her the whole story.

“I don’t know him very well, but he seems like a nice man,” she replied.

Sarah pulled her bed comforter over Candice’s shoulders, and the sweet gesture made her heart swell. “Mommy, it’s okay if you like this boy. I promise I won’t be mad.”

Candice rubbed her cheek and smiled. “Thank you. It makes me happy hearing you say that.”

Sarah wrinkled her nose. “I think boys are gross.”

Candice laughed and kissed her forehead. “I thought boys were gross when I was your age, too, but that will change when you get older. You’ll see.”

Sarah didn’t seem too keen on the idea, and it made Candice’s heart ache when the realization hit her that her baby girl would be dating someday. She silently prayed Sarah would be blessed with another father figure in her life to look up to before that time arrived. No one would ever take Barry’s place, but there were so many things a young girl needed, and one of those was a positive male role model. Knowing that fate rested in her hands made Candice anxious, but it also gave her hope.

“Do you have any idea how much I love you?” Candice asked.

Sarah spread her arms open as wide as they would go. “This much?”

Candice tickled her stomach, which made Sarah double over in a fit of giggles. “Nope. I love you a bunch more than that.”

Sarah smiled. “I know that, Mommy. I love you a bunch too.”