Salt Water Taffie (Boardwalk Brides Book 1)

  “Oh?” Taffie gave him a what-does-it matter look.

  “The movie. We’ll never make it.”

  She laughed. “Want to hear something funny? I forgot all about the movie. To be honest, I was having such a good time talking that it slipped right out of my head.”

  “Yeah, me, too.” They paused to gaze into each other’s eyes for a moment, neither saying a word.

  “I have an idea.” Her eyes lit up as she spoke, making them prettier than ever. “Let’s just watch the sunset out on the boardwalk.”

  “And maybe play a few games at the midway?” he suggested.

  “Skee-ball?” Taffie’s excitement seemed to grow.

  “Sure. Why not.” He rose from his seat and walked to her side of the table, then pulled out her chair.

  “Thank you, kind sir.” Taffie rose with a flourish, then gave a little curtsy, her cheeks turning pink.

  “Wow.” He grinned. “That was very. . .dramatic.”

  “Good grief.” She slapped herself on the forehead. “I have no idea what’s wrong with me tonight. It’s got to be that movie. Or Casey. Something’s had an effect on me.”

  “I don’t mind a bit.” Ryan bowed at the waist, hoping to look as dashing as the prince in the movie. “But we must make haste.” He placed his hand on the small of her back and gently led her out of the restaurant, enjoying their closeness. Once outside, the glare from the setting sun nearly blinded him.

  Taffie gazed upwards and mumbled something he didn’t quite understand. When he asked her to repeat it, she looked at him, embarrassed. “Oh, I was just saying tangerine. That’s what Tangie always said when we were kids. Whenever the sunset was more orange than red, she’d call it tangerine. When it was more red than orange, she called it raspberry.”

  “So, it’s a tangerine sky.” He gazed up again. He glanced at his watch and gasped as he realized how much time had passed. “We’d better get a move on if I’m going to beat you at skee-ball.”

  “Beat me, eh?” Her posture changed immediately. “I’ll have you know I’m the Carini family champ. No one can even come close. So, I’d watch my words if I were you.”

  “Ah. Now I see what I’m up against.” He paused to stare into her eyes. He saw what he was up against, all right. But it had nothing whatsoever to do with skee-ball. His heart was slipping away in pieces, like the snippets of taffy paper floating around the room the other night. He didn’t want to snatch them back. No, he was having far too much fun watching things progress.

  Working their way through the crowd, they finally arrived at the arcade. With a groan, Ryan looked through the mob of people at the skee-ball machines. He hadn’t expected so many kids. “Do you mind waiting?” He looked at Taffie, who simply smiled.

  “Of course not. It’s going to be worth the wait when I win the prize.”

  “Win the prize?”

  She pointed up at the large collection of stuffed animals hanging on a rack overhead. “I want that one.”

  He followed her pointed finger to the fluffy white dog in the third row. “Wow. That looks just like Snickers.”

  “No way.”

  “Yes way. So, if you want a challenge, you’re on. I’m going to win that. . .and give it to my mom.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “I would.” He did his best not to laugh.

  “In that case, the challenge is on.”

  Like the Red Sea parting, the crowd in front of them dissipated and Ryan stepped forward to a skee-ball machine. Taffie took the one next to him. He dropped coins in the slots on both machines, and the battle began.

  Approximately thirty minutes and thirty dollars later—after much whooping and hollering from both Taffie and the ever-growing crowd around them—Ryan had to admit defeat. The white pup, which he could’ve purchased at the store for less than ten dollars, was now snuggled in Taffie’s arms. The look of sheer contentment on her face made his defeat less painful.

  As they turned back toward the boardwalk, Taffie leaned in and whispered, “Thanks for letting me win. I think the crowd actually thought you were trying.”

  “I─I was!”

  “Okay. Whatever. But thanks, either way. I love my puppy.” After a moment’s pause, she added, “I think I’m going to name him Vanilla.”

  “Vanilla? A little boring, don’t you think?”

  She turned to give him a pensive look. “But vanilla is your favorite, right?”

  Okay, she had him there. But he was finally ready to branch out, ready to try new things.

  “Want to play any other games?” Ryan asked, gesturing around the midway.

  “What? You don’t mind if I whip you in something else? Won’t hurt your pride?”

  “Just because you’re good at skee-ball doesn’t mean you can pitch.” He pointed to a booth with milk cans. “Are you game?”

  She flexed the muscles in her right arm to show off. “Just so you know, lifting those mounds of taffy has given me a great pitching arm. Check this out.” She flexed her muscles and a couple of passersby let out a whistle.

  Ryan sighed. “Ah. Well, never mind then. Don’t think my manly pride can take another defeat like the last one.”

  With a giggle, Taffie turned her attention back to the crowd. “I wish it was like this year-round. The people. The noise. The excitement. But this is the last weekend of summer, and before long, everyone will be gone.” Her expression changed right away and he noticed the somber tone in her voice. “I always get a little sad at this time of year. Can’t seem to help myself.”

  “Why don’t we sit awhile and talk,” Ryan suggested. “Losing twenty-five skee-ball games in a row took all the wind out of my sails. And I happen to know of a great bench, just outside the best candy shop on the boardwalk.”

  “The best candy shop in the world,” she corrected him.

  “Yes. The best in the world.” As they turned toward Carini’s Confections, Ryan looped his arm through Taffie’s, feeling so carefree his feet might just take to dancing. She looked up with a hint of a smile, and for a moment—a brief moment—he expected her to burst into song.

  ***

  With one arm looped through Ryan’s and the other holding the stuffed dog, Taffie walked toward the candy shop. She did everything in her power to still the exaggerated pounding that went on inside her heart. Could Ryan hear it? She sure could. In her ears. Her wrists. Her neck. Everything inside seemed to have sprung to life when he slipped his arm through hers. She tried to balance these feelings against the sadness that had swept over her so suddenly at the mention of the summer drawing to an end. She shouldn’t get this worked up in front of Ryan, not about business problems, anyway.

  And yet, as she gazed up into his eyes—eyes filled with loving compassion—she wondered if, perhaps, the Lord had finally sent someone she could confide in. Someone who might just understand. And possibly help.

  They reached the bench just as the last of the evening crowd disappeared. With the glow of the lamplight overhead ushering them on, they took their seats. Ryan slipped an arm around her shoulder, and Taffie found herself comfortable with the fact. She held the prized puppy on her lap and gazed out at the water. “I love it out here at night,” she said with a sigh. “I used to sit out here as a kid and close my eyes, just listening to the waves.”

  They both sat in silence for a moment, doing just that. Ryan finally broke it with a question. “So, you’ve grown up with the candy shop as part of your daily life?”

  “In the summers, yes. It’s so much a part of me. I don’t know how I could be happy anyplace else.”

  “And yet. . .” He drew her a bit closer, and she found herself at ease, snuggling up against him. “You’re worried about what’s coming next with the business?”

  She fought the temptation to tell him everything at once. “I’m just a little concerned about the off-season. My parents are leaving soon, but they want me to come up with a plan to bring in customers while they’re gone.”

&nb
sp; “Right. They mentioned that.”

  She sat up straight and looked him in the eye. “They talked to you about this?”

  “Only in passing.”

  She relaxed a bit. “Well, I’ve stretched my brain about as far as I can stretch it, and just can’t seem to come up with a workable plan. Not a realistic one, anyway. And to be honest, every time I think about it for any length of time, I just start feeling sick inside. I’m so worried I’ll take this business they spent their lives building and run it into the ground.”

  “What?” His brow wrinkled. “But I’ve seen you in action. You’re great with the customers and you clearly love the product. What’s the drawback?”

  “I’m not business minded and I’m not great with the whole being-in-charge thing.” Taffie groaned. “My sister Candy is better suited for all of that, but she’s busy with flight school out in Arizona. Not that I’m complaining. She was meant to be a pilot. I wouldn’t take that from her for anything. And Tangie. . .well, you met Tangie. I love her, but she’s no help at the shop. She’s always flitting off to be in this show or that show. And if she’s not on the stage, she’s in school. So that leaves me. Just me. And it’s not that I don’t want to help. I do. But sometimes I just feel like I was told I had to run the whole show. I’ll have to hire someone else to help me, of course. That’s a given. But who? And when? I don’t have a clue how I’m going to do this.”

  “Can you just tell your parents?”

  She shook her head. “You don’t understand. They already have the RV. They’re leaving in a month. This has been a dream of theirs for as long as I can remember.” She shook her head. “Anyway, enough about all of that. I don’t want to talk business tonight.” She gazed into his eyes—eyes filled with compassion—and smiled. “If it’s all the same to you, I just want to talk about other things.”

  “Fine with me.”

  Determined to change the direction of the conversation, Taffie finally came up with a question. “So, have you lived in Atlantic City all your life?”

  “Born and raised.”

  “Crazy, that we’ve been this close and never met.”

  “Oh, I’m sure we saw each other as kids. Remember, I told you my parents used to bring us to the beach all of the time. We were in Carini’s dozens of times over the years.”

  “Just weird that you can grow up in the same town with someone and never meet at all.”

  “Well, look at this place.” He gestured to the many buildings surrounding them. “Seems like every week a new building goes up. And the tourists are coming.”

  “Not always for the best reasons.” She squinted against the lamplight and focused on one of the larger casinos.

  “All the more reason God has planted you and your family right here.” His brow wrinkled. “Hearing your mom talk about your candy shop as a ministry really put things in perspective for me. It’s true, what she said. People are drawn into your shop because of the sweets, but what you guys give them—through your words, your actions, the overhead music, and the scripture above the door is the love of God.”

  “Well, I guess, when you put it like that. . .” Taffie shook her head. “It just worries me sometimes. I want to have children one day, and I’m not sure this is the best possible environment.”

  “Oh, I know. But there are a thousand things to love about Atlantic City, especially the boardwalk area. History was made here. This is the world’s first-ever boardwalk, you know.”

  “I know, I know.” She laughed. “Now you sound like you could work for the chamber of commerce or something. And the excitement in your voice reminds me of Pop when he tells that goofy taffy story.”

  “Maybe I should work for the chamber of commerce.” His eyes lit up. “I sure don’t mind getting excited about the things I love. I enjoy marketing. Love promotion. Love getting people excited about people, places, and things.”

  “Well, you’re good at it.” She gave him a pensive look. “So, go ahead. Sell me on Atlantic City. Tell me how you’re going to draw people here, even during the slow season. I could use the encouragement.”

  “Really?” He leaned forward and looked into her eyes.

  “Yep.” Taffie leaned back against the bench and waited for the show to begin.

  FOURTEEN

  Ryan rubbed his hands together, excited by the possibility of sharing his thoughts about his hometown. “There are so many great things about this city; I hardly know where to begin.” He paused a moment to get his bearings, then used his most professional voice. “What about this? All four miles of Atlantic City’s beaches are free to the public. You don’t get that just everywhere. Some places you have to pay to be on the beach. And here, the sand is snowy white.”

  She shrugged. “Not sure snowy white is completely accurate, but it’s close. What else?”

  “The very first Miss America was crowned in Atlantic City in the 1920s.” He snapped to attention, remembering something else. “Oh! And the game of Monopoly was created using the names of the streets in Atlantic City. Not everyone knows that.”

  “True, true.” She didn’t look terribly impressed. “But you still haven’t sold me. Why would I want to come to Atlantic City? I can play Monopoly at home in Timbuktu and the Miss America pageant is no longer held here.”

  “Well. . .” He stared out at the coastline, deep in thought. “Because there’s something in the air here.” He rose from the bench, contentment washing over him as he spoke. “The smell of salt water gets in your veins. Rejuvenates you. Reminds you of why you’re alive. And when you’re on the boardwalk, it’s like stepping back in time. You’re reminded of the simplicity of summer holidays of the past. And when you venture into Carini’s Confections”─he gestured up at the sign above the store─“you cross the threshold into the days of yesteryear.”

  “Yesteryear?” Taffie giggled. “Is that a word?”

  “It is now.” He shrugged. “But that’s the thing. People want to be reminded of what life was like when they were young. When things were simple. Before they had bills to pay and problems to deal with. That’s what Carini’s is all about. It takes you back to a carefree time.”

  “True, true. . .”

  “And that’s what your candies do, too. Just biting into a piece of that taffy”─he closed his eyes─ “you can almost feel the sun on your face. You can taste the salt water in the air. You’re transported back to your favorite trip to the beach as a youngster, walking hand in hand with your father, picking up sea shells. Listening to the lapping of the waves against the shore. Feeling the presence of God in the vastness of the waters.” He grew silent and an odd sense of wonder came over him.

  For a moment, neither of them said a word. Taffie finally responded with a soft, “Wow.”

  Ryan gazed at her with a smile. “Didn’t mean to go off on a tangent like that, but you get the idea.”

  “I do.” She chuckled. “I also see that your promotional skills are completely underutilized.”

  “Yeah.” He joined her on the bench, then released a sigh. “It’s not that I dislike working with appliances.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Actually, yes I do. That’s my father’s dream. And he’s so good at it. He’s always worked at keeping Antonelli’s Appliance Repair a key player in Atlantic City. I don’t want to be a disappointment, and carrying on the family business has been so important to him, especially with so many competitors springing up.”

  “I understand that part, trust me. Letting down your family is. . .” She shook her head. “Well, there’s a lot at stake. I get it.” Taffie’s gorgeous eyes locked into his.

  “It’s complicated, isn’t it?” He drew near and slipped his arm over her shoulder once again, cradling her. They sat in silence for a moment, staring up at the night sky.

  Ryan listened to the sound of the waves as they lapped the shoreline off in the distance. “Some things are always the same,” he said with a sigh. “The tide, for instance. It goes in and out. No one has to tell
it to behave. The sun rises and sets. My dad is just like that. Reliable. Steady. Unchanging.”

  “My parents, too.”

  “In some ways, I’m jealous of them,” he admitted. “They figured out what they want to do and they’re doing it. Me. . .I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.”

  “Me, too.”

  “We are a fine pair, aren’t we?” He stared into her eyes, and she looked back with tenderness in her gaze.

  “We are,” she whispered.

  In that moment, with the stars beckoning and the waves singing something akin to a love song, Ryan wrapped Taffie in his arms. She gazed at him with anticipation, her fingertips tracing the edges of his cheek. Seconds later, they shared the sweetest kiss imaginable. Ryan’s heart merged with hers the moment their lips met. I was made for this moment. For this woman. He wanted to sing. To dance. To laugh. Instead, as unexpected passersby interrupted their privacy, he startled to attention.

  Taffie began to giggle. Then, with a contented sigh, she rested her head against his shoulder. Ryan planted feathery kisses on the top of her head, then held her in his embrace.

  Until reality hit.

  He’d kissed her. Kissed her.

  What in the world would he tell Casey if. . .or rather, when. . .she asked?

  ***

  Taffie closed her eyes and relaxed in Ryan’s arms. Oh, what a blessed night. It really had been something like a fairy tale. Ryan was Prince Charming, and she. . . Well, what she lacked in princess material, she made up for in joy. Surely God had arranged every second of this fabulous evening. Otherwise, why were her toes tapping? Why did her heart want to erupt in glorious song? So, life really was like one of those goofy romance movies after all. . .when you found the right person.

  Hmm. So much for action-suspense flicks. From now on, it was romance all the way. She lingered, deep in thought. So many things about tonight made sense. Being in Ryan’s arms. The things he’d said about the shop. Even his speech about Atlantic City. The man was a walking billboard. A marketing guru. He’d certainly given her a lot to think about with his enthusiastic dissertation.