“Kurt didn’t recommend me for the competition,” Candace admitted.
“Ouch,” Becca said, wincing.
“And Lisa did. Isn’t that weird?”
“Definitely freaky.”
“My birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks,” Candace said, changing the subject.
“Happy early birthday,” Becca said.
“I’m thinking of having a slumber party a week from Friday, and I wanted to know if you would come.”
“I’ll be there!” Becca said.
“Cool.”
“How many people are coming?”
“I’m not sure yet. You’re the first one I’ve officially invited.”
“Let me guess. You figured that it would be a party even if I was the only other person there?” Becca teased.
Candace laughed. “No sugar for you.”
“You’re cruel.”
Kind
was more like it. Becca had some sort of weird allergy that made her completely crazy hyper when she had sugar. Every few months she managed to get hold of some and cause complete chaos.
“How did yer interview go?” a deep voice suddenly asked.
Candace jumped off the counter and hugged a surprised Gib. He patted her back awkwardly.
“Thank you for nominating me,” she said.
“It was no problem. Glad to do it.”
“Tell the truth. Was it so you’d never have to worry about me slipping Becca some sugar?” Candace asked with a smile. Over the summer, Gib had explained Becca’s sugar allergy to Candace and forbade her to give the other girl cotton candy.
Gib smiled. “I figger you and I are already clear on that matter. Nah. I nominated you because you show initiative and courage and have a way of shaking things up.”
Candace gave him another hug and then pulled away laughing. “Well, thank you. I really appreciate it.”
“Kurt didn’t nominate her,” Becca said.
“Knave!” Gib said, his face darkening.
Before Candace could respond, players came through the door. She gave Becca and Gib a little wave and headed out. Once in the clear, she headed for the Splash Zone, hoping to catch Josh. She saw him in his tank top and shorts in front of the Kowabunga ride.
“You’ve gotta be cold,” she said as she walked up.
“It’s worth it to freeze now so I don’t have to sweat through the summer,” he said with his customary grin. “So, how’d it go?”
“I don’t know,” she confessed as she gave him a hug. “But thank you for nominating me. Thank you for entering me,” she said, laughing a little.
“Told you the Balloon Races was cool,” he said.
She stepped back with a laugh. “Remind me to listen to you more.”
“That’s an easy one.”
“So, do you think I have a shot?” she asked.
He grew serious for a moment. “I hope so, but I don’t know. I entered you and I nominated you. That was really all I could do. It’s out of my hands.”
“I know. I’m just nervous.”
She was about to tell him who had nominated her when she remembered she had other news. “I did get a part-time job out of it,” she said.
His eyes widened. “Seriously? Part-time, not seasonal?”
She nodded. “I’m going to be working at the Candy Counter.”
“That’s great! Congratulations. I’m going to miss seeing you on the carts, though.”
She shrugged. “We can still hang on breaks.”
“Absolutely. Well, that is, after Talent Show. My team and I are practicing a lot.”
Candace blinked at him. “Talent Show? What Talent Show?”
Josh laughed. “Same old Candace.”
Another referee walked up. He looked familiar to her, but Candace couldn’t place him.
“Looks like I’m on break,” Josh said. “Candace, have you met Mark yet?”
“We double-dated a few months back,” Mark said, smiling at her.
Then Candace remembered who he was. Her best friend Tamara had gone out with him once on a pity date. He had seemed like a really nice guy, just not Tam’s type.
“How have you been?” Candace asked.
“Good. Really good. Actually I should thank you.”
“Why?” she asked.
“You and your boyfriend made working here sound like so much fun. That’s why I applied to work here too.”
“And you’ve been enjoying it?” she asked.
“Check.”
Mark took over Josh’s position, and then Candace walked away with Josh.
“I’m glad he’s having fun,” she said.
“Yeah, Checkmark’s going to be okay.”
“Checkmark?” she asked.
“Yup. That’s what people have nicknamed him. If you ask him anything, he says ‘check’ instead of ‘yes’ or ‘got it.’ ”
“Hence Checkmark.”
“Check,” Josh said with a grin.
“Okay, so what’s this about a talent show?” Candace asked him. As usual she seemed to be one step behind as far as the information went.
“It’s a big deal every year about a week after Easter. There’s a party and talent competition for all the refs.”
“What, like singing and dancing?”
Josh rolled his eyes. “Only if you’re, like, amazing at one of those. Mostly groups try to come up with new stuff. The winners last year did a whole Chinese acrobat show. Of course, it helped that three of them were exchange students, brothers who were actually acrobats.”
“Great, no pressure,” Candace said. “When do sign-ups start?”
He laughed. “You mean, when do they finish, as in, this week.”
“Oh, no,” Candace groaned. Her experiences at The Zone had taught her that those who did not sign up early got stuck with teammates they did not pick. That very thing happened to her at the summer Scavenger Hunt. Luckily, though, her team had been awesome. Not only had they won, she had also made some great friends from the experience.
“I’m guessing you’re already on a team,” she said to Josh.
“Sorry,” he said with a shrug. “Us Kowabunga guys kinda stick together. Besides, you said you weren’t going to be working Easter.”
She shrugged. “You know what they say. The more things change . . .”
“The more they stay the same,” Josh finished with a grin.
“It looks like it’s time to get the team back together.”
“Good luck with that.”
“What talent do you Kowabunga guys have?” Candace asked.
“We have many. If you’re referencing the contest, though, we’re keeping that under wraps a little while longer.”
“Come on, I can keep a secret,” she said.
“I know you can,” he said with a sly smile.
The truth was she had been keeping Josh’s secret — a big one — for months. Her best friend, Tamara, had only recently found out what it was, but through no fault of hers.
“You wanna hear a secret?” Candace teased.
“Sure.”
“I think my best friend’s crazy about your brother.”
“Well, that’s a relief, since I know my brother is crazy about your best friend.”
Crazy was an understatement. Tamara and James had met a couple of days before Christmas and had spent so much time together the last eight weeks, it seemed like one long date as opposed to dozens of short ones. Candace had seen more of Josh socially in the last few weeks than she had in the preceding eight months. Somehow the two of them ended up at the movies or the theater or dinner with James and Tamara more often than not. She was seeing more of Josh than she was of Kurt.
She briefly thought about asking Kurt about the talent contest, but he was a mascot, and they usually did things as a group. She was going to have to hunt down some old friends.
“What’s wrong with you?” Tamara asked an hour later as Candace plopped into the chair across from her at Big D’s, their favorite ice-cream parlor.
“I gotta get the team back together,” Candace said.
“Same question, let’s try for a new answer,” Tamara said.
Candace sighed. “Talent Show competition at The Zone after Easter. Not only do I have to get a team, but I’ve got to have a talent.”
“Girl who doesn’t work at the park, say ‘what?’” Tamara asked.
“The beginning?” Candace asked.
“Yes, please. And don’t leave anything out,” Tamara cautioned.
Candace smiled. She and Tamara had been best friends forever. Sometimes it was like they could read each other’s minds. Other times it was like they were communicating in completely different languages. It wasn’t that far of a stretch. They practically came from different planets.
Tamara came from money, lots of it. Fortunately for Candace, all that money hadn’t made Tamara a snob, just overly generous. Tamara was also one of those scary-beautiful people with long dark hair and olive skin. Candace, with her middle class upbringing, average good looks, and red curls came from a totally different background. The only things they shared were school, church, and a lifelong friendship and respect. Their friendship had suffered when Candace first started working, but that was all in the past. She was still sure, though, that Tamara wasn’t going to be pleased that Candace had managed to tie up more weekends and spring break with The Zone.
“The interview went okay. I was nervous, but I didn’t faint or anything like that,” Candace started.
“And?”
“And he offered me a regular part-time job at the Candy Counter.”
“In the Home Stretch?”
“That’s the one.”
“And you said yes?”
Candace nodded.
Tamara leaned back with a sigh. “There goes spring break.”
“What about James?”
“He works too.”
“Bummer.”
“Tell me about it. I was counting on spending days with you while he was at work.”
“Well, maybe I’ll get night shifts,” Candace said.
“We can only hope,” Tamara said with a sigh.
Candace smiled. “VH?” she asked, meaning “Virtual Hug.”
“VH.”
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.
The uniform was similar to the one she had worn over the summer. She wore white shorts, white Keds, and a striped blouse. Instead of pink and white stripes, though, the blouse was striped with multiple colors representing the dominant color of each zone in the park. The Candy Counter was on the Home Stretch, the array of shops and restaurants at the front of the park that visitors had to traverse on their way in and on their way out.
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 pushed her forward.
Bewildered, she took in the scene. There were balloons everywhere, and a 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,” Martha, one of Candace’s supervisors, said. “And then you became a regular nonseasonal employee, and it just seemed like a good excuse to celebrate.”
“You guys! Wow, thank you!” Candace exclaimed.
“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 wasn’t 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, a cake with candles was wheeled out. On top 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 it was amazingly good.
“Who made this?” she asked.
“We did,” Traci, one of her new coworkers, said. “We make special-occasion cakes here.”
“I didn’t know that,” Candace admitted.
“It’s a well-guarded secret,” Martha explained. “If it got out how good the cakes were, they wouldn’t have time to make anything else.”
“I can believe it,” Candace said. She made her way gradually around the store, trying to thank everyone. She finally found 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 had met Roger, he had been the clutziest guy in the park. Their team had won the summer Scavenger Hunt, though, and it gave Roger the confidence he needed.