The Winter of Candy Canes (A Sweet Seasons Novel) (16 page)

“I'm sad that Christmas is over,” Candace finally admitted. There was so much more that she wanted to say, but somehow that was all she could find the words for.

“You know, Easter's not that far away,” Josh said.

“In your world, all the holidays live next door to each other, don't they?” Candace asked.

“Wouldn't have it any other way. So, seriously. You gonna work at The Zone over spring break?”

“I'll still be recovering from Christmas break,” Candace said. She had meant it as a joke, but it didn't seem funny once she said it.

“Come on, it'll be fun. The chocolate eggs, the Easter pageant … can't miss it.”

“Not even you can talk me into it this time, Josh.”

“But I'll bet someone can.”

“I doubt it. Besides, I think I've now passed out every food item with candy in the title. That's it, I'm done.”

“Come on. I can think of other candy things. What about candy buttons?”

“Nope, I checked. We don't sell candy buttons at The Zone,” she said, a little thrill of victory running through her.

“Candy cigarettes?”

“What? They don't even make those anymore,” Candace said, jolted out of her melancholy. “And even if they do, The Zone wouldn't sell them.”

Josh leaned close. “Okay, you win that one. But I know for a fact we sell candy apples.”

Candace groaned. “I completely forgot about the apples!”

Josh smiled and leaned back. “That's okay, they didn't forget about you.”

“Great, it's going to be me, spring break, and the candy apples. What more could a girl want?”

He gave her a strange look and said softly, “That remains to be seen.”

Read an excerpt of
The Spring of Candy Apples
,
Book 4 in Sweet Sessions.

Candace couldn't believe how nervous she felt as she headed for The Zone and her first shift at the Candy Counter. In some ways it was just as bad as getting her first job there. Unlike the other jobs she'd had at The Zone, this one didn't come with a built-in expiration date. She was there until she quit.
Or at least until they fire me
, she thought ruefully.

She arrived at the park and made her way toward the store. She had just reached it when she spotted Josh, jogging toward her with a camera in hand.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

He grinned. “Just wanted to get a picture of Candy's first day at the Candy Counter.”

She didn't want to, but she couldn't help smiling back at him. “Fine, but just one picture.”

“Okay, now stand under the sign,” he instructed.

She positioned herself under the
Candy
in the sign and struck a pose.

“Beautiful,” he said as he took the picture.

He moved to show it to her on the screen. She laughed when she saw herself.

“Oh yeah, this is going to make a great addition to The Zone Yearbook,” he said.

“What?” she asked, the laughter dying on her lips.

“The yearbook. Comes out at the end of May each year.”

“You're kidding,” she said.

“Nope.”

“I've never heard of a Zone yearbook!”

“Candy, there are lots of things here you've never heard of. Still, you're going to be pretty popular in the book this year.”

“Give me the camera.”

“So you can delete the picture? I don't think so. Besides, isn't it time for your shift?” he asked.

“Fiend.”

“That's friend,” he corrected.

She rolled her eyes and stepped into the store.

“Surprise!”

Candace jumped backward as dozens of people shouted in unison. Behind her, Josh put a hand on her shoulder and shoved her forward.

Bewildered, she took in the scene. Balloons floated from every hand, and huge banner said Happy Birthday & Welcome Aboard! Everywhere she looked she saw familiar faces of friends and coworkers.

“What's going on?” she asked.

“Well, someone let slip that your birthday is coming up,” said Martha. “And then you became a regular non-seasonal employee, and it just seemed like a good excuse to celebrate.”

“You guys! Wow, thank you!” she said, humbled and overwhelmed.

“So, I take it you didn't see the sign on the door that said Closed for Private Party?” Becca asked.

“Nope, she was too busy trying to get me to delete her picture,” Josh said proudly.

She turned on him and pounded him in the chest with a fist. “You big faker. I knew there wasn't a yearbook!”

“Oh no, there's a yearbook,” Pete, the crazy train engineer, spoke up. “I'm guessing you're going to be all over it this year.”

“Great,” Candace said with a shake of her head. “Okay, so who actually works here?” she asked.

Several hands shot up around the room, and soon Candace's newest coworkers were making their way forward to introduce
themselves. Names and faces blurred by for a minute, and Candace realized that she was never going to remember them. Oh well, there'd be plenty of time to get to know everyone later, she decided.

Once the introductions were finished, Becca wheeled out a cake. On top of it her nickname, Candy, was spelled out in a variety of different candies. She smiled, blew out the candles, and received the first piece. It was strawberry cake and amazingly good.

Candace gradually made her way around the store, trying to thank everyone. She finally bumped into Roger.

“Happy almost birthday,” he said.

“Thanks. How are you doing?”

“Pretty good. It looks like I'm going to get a sports scholarship to college.”

“Roger, that's amazing!” It really was. When she first had met Roger he had been the klutziest guy in the park. Their team had won the summer Scavenger Hunt though, and it had given Roger the confidence he needed.

“So, Roger, I hear there's a talent show coming up. How about getting the team back together?” she asked.

He squirmed slightly. “I'm sorry, Candace. That would be fun, but I'm trying to get a job at the Muffin Mansion. If I get it, I'll be on their team.”

“Becca told me they almost never have openings.”

“One of the ladies, Sally Lunn, is retiring.”

“Wow, really?”

“Yeah. She's seventy. So that means there's going to be an opening, and I want to be the one to get it.”

“So you can spend more time with Becca?”

He nodded.

“Good for you! I hope they pick you.”

“Me too,” he said.

Muffin Mansion referees did all the park activities together. It was a very close-knit group. They were fiercely competitive and completely loyal to each other.

“Hey, stranger,” Sue said.

“Hey!” Candace said, giving Sue a quick hug.

“I've been meaning to hunt you down. I'm having a slumber party for my birthday next Friday night. Do you think there's any way you could come?”

It was a long shot, given Sue's brother and sister, but it never hurt to ask.

“I'll see what I can do. A couple of parents owe me some sleepover favors.”

“That would so rock!”

“So has anyone told you about the talent show yet?” Sue asked.

“Just found out about it,” Candace admitted. “Have you got a team yet?”

“Yeah, Pete, Traci, Corinne from food services, and I signed up last week.”

“Oh,” Candace said, unable to hide her dismay.

Sue smiled. “We put down your name too, just in case.”

“You guys are the best,” Candace said, hugging her again.

“Pete had a sneaking suspicion you'd be back. I knew you'd be the last one to hear about the talent show.”

“Well, you were both right,” Candace said. “What's our talent?”

Carter House Girls Series
from Melody Carlson