The Winter of Candy Canes (A Sweet Seasons Novel) (15 page)

“Candace, this is James, my big brother. James, this is —”

“Let me guess. Cotton Candy?” he asked with a laugh, extending his hand.

Candace shook it. “Actually, right now Candy Cane is more like it,” she said, grinning.

“Josh wrote all about your adventures here at The Zone,” James said.

Candace could feel herself blushing as she continued to grin like an idiot. Seeing the two side by side, it was easy to see the resemblance. They had similar facial features and matching sets of broad shoulders. James's hair was a shade darker, and he was maybe an inch taller than Josh. He also gave off a little more of an aggressive, take-charge vibe as compared to Josh's usually laid-back style.

“I didn't think you were supposed to be here until tomorrow,” Josh said.

“Got in early. Went home, saw Mom and Dad, changed into my civvies, and came to see you,” James said.

Josh hugged him again. “Glad you did.”

“So, I heard Mom and Dad are throwing a welcome-home party the day after Christmas.”

“Yup.” Josh turned to Candace. “You'll come, right?”

“Uh, sure, I guess,” Candace said, surprised.

“Of course she'll come. It wouldn't be a proper party without Candy Cane,” James said with a wink.

“Why do I have a feeling that wherever the two of you are together, it's a party?” Candace asked.

“He brings out the worst in me,” James said.

Josh rolled his eyes. “Oh sure, believe
him
.”

Tamara walked up holding a sequined Santa hat in her hand. “Hey, Candace, I'll make a great Mrs. Claus. Check it out,” she said.

“Cool. Hey, Tamara, I'd like you to meet someone. This is James, Josh's brother.”

Tamara turned to look at James, and her entire body seemed to jerk. Her eyes widened and her lips parted. She pressed the Santa hat over her heart and just stared.

Candace was getting embarrassed until she realized James was just staring too.

“James, this is Candace's friend, Tamara,” Josh said.

Still, the two of them just stared at each other. Josh and Candace exchanged a quick look. Josh cleared his throat, and James offered his hand. “Pleased to meet you, Tamara.”

She shook it. “Likewise, James,” she said.

The moment seemed to stretch on forever.

Josh clamped a hand on James's shoulder. “Okay, well, we've got to get out of here. Need to spend some time with the parents and keep them from planning an unbelievably epicsized party. We'll catch you ladies later.”

“You'll come to my welcome-home party?” he asked Tamara.

“Wouldn't miss it,” she said.

James smiled briefly at Candace before turning and accompanying his brother out of the Holiday Zone. She watched them go, and a little chill danced up her spine. Something had just happened, and it both excited and frightened her.

Suddenly, Tamara gasped as though she had been holding her breath. “Now that is so right,” she whispered.

After work Candace got a ride home with Tamara. All the way there, Tamara was quiet. When they pulled up outside Candace's house, she suddenly asked, “How are we supposed to dress for the party?”

“I have no idea,” Candace said.

“Call Josh and ask him.”

“Okay.”

There was a pause while Tamara looked at her expectantly. “You mean, right now?”

“Yes!”

Candace got out her cell phone and called Josh. “Hey, quick question. What's the dress code for the party?”

“Good question. Can I find out and get back to you?”

Candace glanced over at Tamara. “Um, I kinda need to know now.”

“Is Tamara still freaking out?”

“You could say that.”

“So's James. Here, hold on a second.”

Candace waited, and less than a minute later Josh was back. “I was told semiformal.”

“Semiformal? Great.”

“I'll email you the time and the restaurant and stuff.”

“I'd appreciate it. I gotta go deal with some things.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Later.”

“Bye.”

She hung up. “Semiformal.”

Tamara nodded. “Okay.”

Candace went to open her door, but Tamara grabbed her arm. “What am I going to wear?” she asked.

“A dress?” Candace guessed, smiling.

“This is not funny!” Tamara said, eyes wide. “This is serious. What am I going to wear?”

“You could wear the red dress that you wore to Winter Formal.”

“No, I can't! This has to be something special, something perfect. We have to go shopping. Right now.”

“Um, Tam? I'm kinda in an elf costume here,” Candace pointed out.

“So?”

“Tam! I'm not going to the mall like this! I'll have kids mobbing me, and no candy canes to appease them with.”

“Okay, go change. I'll wait.”

Candace was sure Tamara had flipped out, but she decided the best course of action would be to humor her. She ran inside, threw on some different clothes, and was back within five minutes.

Once they reached the mall, it took twenty minutes just to find a parking space. This was the kind of chaos Candace had tried so hard to avoid by shopping early. Once inside they headed straight for the dress shop where they had shopped a couple of weeks earlier. It was relatively uncrowded.

“I need that white dress,” Tamara said. “Help me find it.”

Twenty minutes later they still hadn't found it. “I need it!” Tamara wailed.

“They have other dresses, some of them white even. Why don't you try one of them on?” Candace urged, her friend's despair hurting her.

“Not the same! I knew that dress was right for something, not Winter Formal, but something! I should have bought it then!”

“Can I help you, ladies?” a saleswoman asked.

“I'm looking for a white dress that was here a couple of weeks ago. Floor length, halter neck, slit up the side, white beading.”

“I think we sold that dress.”

“This is what I get for trying to buy dresses off the rack!” Tamara wailed.

Candace was stunned. She had never seen her like this before. Worse, she didn't know how to help her.

Another salesgirl walked out of the dressing room area carrying several dresses. One of them looked familiar. “Tam, is that it?” Candace asked, pointing.

Tamara looked and then ran over and practically pounced on the startled girl. “Give me that white dress!”

Speechless, she surrendered it, and Tamara ran to the register. The first saleswoman moved to ring it up. “Wait! I almost forgot.”

Tamara ran back to one of the racks, yanked free the burgundy dress that had looked good on Candace, and returned to the counter.

“Now go,” she said.

Everyone in the store was visibly rattled. Even Candace wanted to take a step or two backward.

“Wait!” she screeched again.

Everyone in the store — customers and workers alike — froze. “Candace, do you have shoes that will go with this?”

“Yes,” Candace croaked. She had no idea if she did or not, but she was too afraid to say no.

“And jewelry?”

“Yes,” she said with more confidence.

“Okay. Go.”

In all her life, Candace never saw a salesperson move so quickly. Less than sixty seconds later they were on their way back to the car. Once in the car, Tamara slumped back in the seat.

“That was a close one,” she said.

“It sure was,” Candace agreed, still eyeing her suspiciously.

“You have to come to my house and help me pick out jewelry, shoes, everything.”

“Okay.”

Several minutes later she was standing in the middle of Tamara's closet holding a pair of white high-heeled shoes with open toes. “Definitely these.”

Tamara tried on the shoes with the dress and seemed satisfied. “Hair up or down?” was her next question.

“Up. Has to be.”

“And jewelry?”

“That silver snowflake necklace you got last Christmas.”

“You are a genius!” Tamara said, hugging her hard.

When Tamara let go, Candace sat down on the bed. She asked hesitantly, “Do you want to talk about James?”

“Even his name is perfect,” Tamara said.

Candace sensed that it was not the time to have any sort of rational conversation. Instead, she helped pick out the rest of the jewelry, realizing the best she could hope for was a quick escape.

When she finally did make it home, she had an email from Josh. The party for his brother was going to start at seven p.m. at the Stinking Rose, an upscale restaurant named for its primary recipe ingredient: garlic. Josh's family had reserved the entire place for the event.

Candace smirked to herself. Tamara was going to love this. She would be beautiful, dressed to the nines … and reeking of garlic. She decided to wait to tell her about the location. Tamara had been so out of her mind when she had dropped
Candace off, Candace doubted Tamara would understand if she told her now.

She fired off an IM to Josh when she noticed he was online.

It was the day before Christmas Eve. The park was only open until four p.m. when it shut down to get ready for the referee Christmas Party. Candace went home to change clothes and pick up her parents. The Christmas Party was an event where families were welcomed.

When they arrived back at the park, someone handed each of them a goody bag filled with Zone Christmas gifts
and memorabilia. They made their way to the auditorium in the Holiday Zone where the evening's festivities would begin.

Candace and her parents found seats close to the stage and settled in. In the row in front of them were Roger and Gib. Candace said hello to them and introduced both her parents. Fifteen minutes later Freddie McFly put on a special show full of inside jokes about life at The Zone, which had everyone laughing so hard they were practically crying.

When the show was over, John Hanson took to the stage. The gingerbread house was wheeled onto the stage next to him, and everyone roared in approval.

“It's my privilege tonight to welcome you to the annual Christmas party,” he said. “There are a lot of activities and special treats planned tonight. First, however, there are some people who need to be recognized. We have narrowed down the field in the scholarship competition.”

Candace leaned forward slightly. She had only recently discovered that Josh had entered her in that competition. She had doodled a ride concept she called Balloon Races, and he had entered it. The winner got to have their ride built and a full scholarship to Florida Coast University.

“The five finalists for the Game Master scholarship competition have been selected. They are Martin Lamb, Barbara Reynolds, Rick Paulson, Scott Charleston, and Candace Thompson!”

A deafening roar went up from the crowd, and both her parents hugged her at the same time.

A finalist! She could scarcely believe it. Yet it had to be true. She had heard her name, and referees around her were smiling and waving at her. Both Gib and Roger grabbed her hands and shook them enthusiastically.

“Congratulations to all of you. We'll conduct interviews in a few weeks.”

Interviews? Candace wasn't sure she liked the sound of that.

“And now, the moment you've been waiting for, the winner of the Golden Candy Cane!”

Sue walked out onto the stage holding the golden candy cane aloft, and Candace began clapping with everyone else. John handed Sue a large envelope that looked completely stuffed.

“As the winner of the golden candy cane, you get gift certificates for several grocery stores, restaurants, movie chains, and theme parks. And you also get a five-thousand-dollar Visa gift card. Of course,” he said with a smile, “and finally, you get the life-size gingerbread house!”

Everyone in the auditorium jumped to their feet and shouted in approval. Tears streamed freely down Candace's cheeks, and she didn't care.

John handed the microphone over to Sue.

“I don't know how to say thank you for all of this. It's overwhelming. The Zone has already given me so much: a good job, dear friends, and now this. It's too much. And I owe it all to Becca. This is really her golden candy cane and not mine,” Sue said. “So, Becca, as far as I'm concerned this gingerbread house is all yours.”

There was an inhuman shriek that Candace figured had to be coming from Becca. The next thing she knew she saw Becca bounce onto the stage and then launch herself at the gingerbread house. She landed on the roof where she begin gnawing on one of the shingles.

Gib sighed. “We're going to need a bigger net.”

Candace just stared in fascinated horror. The roof of the house was not designed to support the weight of a person. With a groan it gave way, and Becca fell through into the house. A moment later they heard insane giggling coming from inside.

“On the other hand, maybe it would be best to leave her in there for a while,” Gib noted grimly.

“That's my girlfriend!” Roger said proudly.

Around them, people laughed and then applauded.

On stage, John Hanson doubled over with laughter. Finally he took the microphone that Sue handed back to him. “I think the only thing I can add to that is ‘Merry Christmas.’”

And from inside the gingerbread house Becca shouted, “God bless us, every one.”

They stayed at the park until almost midnight, eating junk food and riding the rides. Candace managed to introduce her parents to everyone she knew at The Zone. By far the coolest thing, though, was that they all got to ride the Glider coaster backward.

She had agreed to help out by working her old cotton candy cart for an hour. Only she was distributing candy canes and hot chocolate. Most people took a turn doing something for an hour, so that the rides could be open. Her parents went on some rides and then came back to get her when her hour was over. Fortunately it was the best hour she had ever spent running the cart.

Candace was sad when they finally headed home, but she crawled into bed and fell asleep quickly.

The next day was by far the best. It was Christmas Eve. Candace had enough presents left over to hand out one to every kid who stopped by her. Not a single one of them was rude, either. Her shift seemed to fly by. It was with a touch of sadness that she handed the candy cane basket over to Lisa for the last time. She turned to go.

“Candace?”

“Yes?” she asked.

Lisa had a strange look on her face, like she couldn't decide what she wanted to say. They locked eyes for a long minute before Lisa looked away. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas to you too, Lisa,” Candace said.

She went to the Locker Room where she grabbed her clothes and other things. She changed in the restroom and then headed for the costume department.

She walked into the costume building where she handed her elf costume to Janet.

“Don't look so sad,” Janet said, “you'll be back.”

Candace smiled at her. “I really liked being an elf.”

“It suited you,” Janet said, smiling back.

Candace left and walked back to the Holiday Zone. She walked up to her mother's booth and found that she was already closing up shop.

Candace couldn't help but feel sad as she helped her mom pack up the stuff from her booth. It had been cool to see her occasionally. It had also been cool to be a part of Christmas at The Zone. She found she was going to miss it, even if she didn't want to see a candy cane for a long, long time.

“You know, I'm actually going to miss this place,” her mom said.

“It grows on you,” Candace said with a smile.

“Yeah. We should come back in a couple of days and ride some rides.”

“Careful, Mom, you're starting to talk like a Zoner.”

“I guess I am at that,” she laughed. “And why not? This is a great place. I didn't realize how great until this past month.”

In a strange way, neither had Candace. Stranger still, it was the first time she was leaving the park without a strong feeling that she'd be back. She had figured she'd get another summer job at the park, but summer seemed a long ways away.

Sue came by with the dolly to help them move everything back to the van.

“Didn't we just do this?” Candace joked.

Sue smiled. “Feels like it. And yet, I still can't believe tomorrow's Christmas.”

“Neither can I.”

“Would you and Gus and Mary want to come to our house for Christmas tomorrow?” Candace's mom asked.

“No, but thank you. The prize package I got last night included some gasoline cards. We're going to leave after I get off work tonight and drive to Arizona to spend it with a great-aunt we have there.”

“That sounds like fun. Drive safe.”

“We will.”

Soon the van was packed up, and Candace and her mom headed home.

“We're barely going to have enough time to change before your father's family gets here,” her mom noted.

“Maybe we can put them to work unloading the van.”

“Good one! I like it.”

When they got home they each unloaded half a dozen boxes from the van before heading upstairs to change. Candace had just finished when the doorbell rang. She hurried downstairs to find Tamara in front of the Christmas tree, present in hand.

“Hey, Tam!”

“We hadn't said when we were exchanging, so I thought we could do it now. I can't stay long; family's coming over tonight for me too.”

Candace dove under the tree and came back up with Tamara's present.

They both sat down on the couch and swapped. Candace loved shopping for Tamara. There was nothing her friend needed, and nothing she wanted that she wouldn't get. That left Candace free to buy her crazy, strange, wonderful things as whim moved her.

“You first,” Candace urged.

Tamara opened her present and started shrieking in delight as she pulled a tiara out of the box. It was silver and covered with tiny snowflakes.

Candace hugged her. “You'll always be the Christmas queen to me.”

Tamara wiped away tears. “This will go great with the white dress.”

“I know, and I bought this weeks ago!”

“Well done. Your turn.”

Candace unwrapped a medium-size box and lifted the lid. “Oh my gosh!”

“I know how much you love
A Christmas Carol
, so I bought you every version that's on DVD, including that one with Bill Murray,
Scrooged.”

Candace had to laugh. “This is so cool. I haven't even seen half of these!”

“I hadn't heard of half of them.”

“Will you watch them with me?”

“Sure, why not? Just not tonight.”

“Deal.”

“There is something else that goes with them, though.”

Candace looked at Tamara, a strange tingling sensation starting on the back of her neck. Usually she could count on Tamara not to overwhelm her completely with gifts on her birthday or Christmas. Every once in a while, though, Tamara did something completely over the top. Candace had a feeling something big was coming.

“I think what you did for Sue was really cool. You know, it was awesome, thoughtful, generous. It got me thinking about what you would really like for Christmas.”

“Which is what?” Candace asked.

“Well, I had a long talk with my parents. Sue doesn't know it yet, but she's about to be offered a full ride at Cal State.”

Candace sat blinking for a moment and then threw her arms around Tamara. “That's the best Christmas present ever!”

“I thought you'd like it,” Tamara said, hugging her back.

Just then, the first group of relatives arrived.

“That's my cue to exit,” Tamara said.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Call me tomorrow.”

Candace couldn't stop grinning like an idiot the rest of the night.

Candace woke to the sound of coffee brewing downstairs, and in five minutes was perched on the couch staring at the presents under the tree. Yawning, her dad entered the room with a cup of coffee in hand. Her mom was right behind him, rubbing her eyes.

“At least it's not five thirty. That was awful when you'd wake us up that early,” her dad said.

“Don't forget the year of four thirty,” her mom chimed in.

“Hey, I remember that year. You made me go back to bed,” Candace protested.

“We were so wise then,” her dad said.

As they opened their presents, she couldn't help but think of Sue and Gus and Mary. She hoped they'd made it to Arizona all right and that they were having a wonderful Christmas.

Josh called to wish her Merry Christmas, and she called Tamara and chatted for a few minutes before leaving a message for Kurt on his cell. As friends and family dropped by in the afternoon, the happy glow of Christmas continued to fill Candace's heart. She couldn't help but start to get a little anxious, though, about what James's welcome-home party the next night was going to entail.

When it came time to get dressed for the party, Candace went to Tamara's house. She had to admit the burgundy dress was really growing on her, and Tamara looked stunning in white. They both did their hair up, and Tamara wore the tiara Candace had given her for Christmas.

“We do look great,” Candace admitted at last.

“At least at the Stinking Rose it won't matter what I eat because we'll all reek of garlic,” Tamara said cheerily. She was much calmer than Candace had anticipated, in light of the shopping hysterics a few days earlier.

They drove to the restaurant and got a good parking space.

Candace was nervous as she and Tamara walked inside. There were nearly a hundred people seated at tables around the room. She could see Josh with his family at a table at the far end. He looked great in his tuxedo. He gave her a little wave, and she waved back.

“So, tell me more about Josh's brother,” Tamara asked as they sat down.

“Well, I know he's almost twenty-three.”

“And I'll be eighteen next week. So, he's within the five-year rule?”

“Yes.” Tamara had a rule. She wouldn't date any guy who was more than five years older (or younger) than her. This was the first time a guy had ever pushed the limit.

“He got his bachelor's degree in like two and a half years.”

“Smart, industrious, a guy who knows what he wants and goes after it,” Tamara commented.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“What else?”

“He then signed up to serve in the army. He went to Iraq, and he was just discharged last week.”

“A patriot who understands duty, honor, country,” Tamara said, a dreamy look on her face.

“Seriously, Tam, don't you think he's a little too old?”

Tamara glared at her. “Less than five years. That might seem like a big difference now, but it won't be in a couple more years. Besides, everyone knows women mature faster than men. And I could definitely use a mature guy who knows what he wants out of life and makes things happen.”

Candace smiled. There was no stopping Tamara when she was like this. She also could teach people a thing or two about going after what you wanted.

“What about Santa, though?” Candace teased. “I thought you were planning on being Mrs. Claus.”

Tamara was staring at something over Candace's shoulder. Her jaw was hanging and her eyes were bulging. Suddenly she smacked Candace in the arm.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“Do you see what I see?”

Candace turned and saw what had made Tamara stare. There was James, the man of the hour, the returning hero, and he was dressed in a Santa Claus suit five times too big for him and passing out presents to guests.

“No way,” Candace breathed.

There he was, larger than life. Even if Candace hadn't believed in signs, the sight of him as Santa Claus would have made her sit up and take note.

James looked up and saw them both staring at him. He walked straight over. Candace could hear Tamara making strangling sounds in her throat.

He smiled briefly at Candace before taking Tamara's hand. “You look like the very spirit of Christmas,” he said. “You have brightened this evening by your presence. Thank you for being here. I have to go greet people, but please, I want to speak with you later tonight.”

Tamara nodded.

He smiled, kissed the back of her hand, and walked away.

“What just happened?” Tamara asked breathlessly.

“I think an authority figure just proclaimed you Christmas queen,” Candace said with a grin.

“Mrs. James … what is Josh's last name?” Tamara asked suddenly.

Candace sucked in her breath. “I think Josh's dad is about to make a toast.”

Tamara turned to look and then gasped. “No way!”

“I'd like to thank everyone for coming out tonight to help us celebrate James's safe return. We're just so happy he's home and very, very proud of him. So, James, here's to you.” He lifted his glass.

Around the room, people also lifted their glasses and many said, “Here, here!”

Candace drank and then put her glass down on the table, afraid to look Tamara in the eye.

“You didn't tell me Josh's parents were famous!” Tamara said.

“It wasn't my secret to tell,” Candace said quietly.

Waiters appeared with trays of food, which they set down at each table. Dinner consisted of soup, salad, appetizer, entrée, and dessert, all garlic-laced — except for the dessert. The food was delicious, and, for the most part, the garlic flavor blended subtly into the background.

Tamara was uncharacteristically quiet while she ate. Candace noticed though that after every other bite Tamara turned to try and get a glimpse of James.

As soon as dinner was over, James came back over and sat down next to Tamara. Moments later the two were deep in discussion. Candace got up and walked outside to get some fresh air.

Josh must have had the same thought because that was where she found him. She had to admit that he looked really good in a tuxedo. It was a change from the type of clothes that she normally saw him in. Although she saw him as a more
relaxed kind of guy, the tux really did suit him and he wore it like he was used to it.

“James and Tamara were busy talking, so I figured it would be a good time to make myself scarce,” Candace said.

“I take it Tamara now knows my secret,” Josh said.

“Yeah. She won't tell anyone, though.”

“That's cool.”

“It's a great party,” Candace said.

“Yeah.”

“Speaking of, my parents have decided to have a game night New Year's Eve to break in their new board game.”

“That sounds like fun.”

“I hope so, because they're really insistent that I invite you.”

Josh smiled. “Whose team do I have to play on?”

“Dad tried to call dibs, but I told him he was out of luck. You and I are a package deal as far as game night is concerned.”

“I like that. Sounds cool. I'd love to come.”

“You sure it will be okay with your family?”

“Yeah. James has declared that what he wants to do is catch up on a bunch of the movies he hasn't seen.”

“That sounds like fun. I know you like movies, and I know how much you've missed him.”

“Yeah, but now that he's home, he and I can go to the movies anytime. How many opportunities will I get to help your family break in a new game? Sorry, gotta say it. The choice seems like a no-brainer.”

“I thought that was my line,” Candace said.

“I'm not above stealing good lines.”

They were quiet for a minute as they took in the beauty of the night. It was always so easy to be with Josh. They could talk for hours or just be quiet, and it was okay either way. She thought about Tamara and James back in the restaurant and wondered how things were going. She had never seen Tamara so smitten before.