by Amie Denman
“Yes. On one condition. You tell me what’s going to happen at the Tuesday-morning meeting.”
“Aren’t you planning to come?”
“Maybe. But I’m getting my new freezer delivered.”
Jack looked confused. “Can’t it be delivered later in the day?”
Gus shook her head slowly. “They’ll call me Monday night with a four-hour window for Tuesday. I have to plan my day around it.”
“Those jerks. Their windows are always such a tease.”
Jack took her arm and headed for the midway, where the Sea Devil squatted menacingly. “To answer your question, I think you’ll like what I have to say at the meeting.”
“Why do you think so?”
“Because I’m taking the excellent advice offered to me by someone very special.”
“And that is?”
“Be honest. Try some open communication. I’m going to lay out details for the lease vendors, offer a compromise on this year’s contracts and be up-front about next year’s. I just hope they’ll be in a forgiving mood.”
“I think they will,” Gus said. “How about the bankers?”
Jack considered his answer. “I don’t know about forgiving, but I think they’re at least fair. We’ve got a chance to prove ourselves, and that’s all we can ask for right now.”
They walked under the steel structure of the new ride. “We’re here.” Jack sorted through a key ring, opened a narrow gate and led Gus right onto the platform for the ride. “Here’s a little secret. This ride isn’t nearly as wild as our advertising has suggested. It’s just a half step up from the Silver Streak, despite all the hype.”
“I had a dream about that,” she said.
“What?”
“A dream. You and me, riding the Silver Streak endlessly, laughing and laughing.”
“Was this before or after our ride on the Star Spiral?”
Gus thought for a second. “Before.”
“So you’ve been thinking about me for a while,” he said, grinning. “I’m pretty hard to resist.”
Gus slugged him on the upper arm. “Get over yourself, Jack.”
The ride hostess stepped over. “Ready, Mr. Hamilton?”
“If my guest is.”
Gus nodded. “Ready.”
They climbed into the seats and pulled down their shoulder harnesses.
“Best ride up here in the front. I promise,” Jack said, speaking right into her ear so she could hear him over the ride operator on the loudspeaker, who was giving directions and counting down to launch. “If you hate it, I’ll drive you straight home and hold your hair while you puke. I’ll even tuck you into bed.”
Gus didn’t have time to answer. The rapid-launch system flew them into the clutches of an evil sea monster that spun them around the track, up and down hills, slowed them down, and relaunched them into a series of tight curves and loops. She started screaming on the first hill and never stopped.
It was the most exhilarating two and a half minutes she’d ever had on a ride. Not counting the Star Spiral. They jerked to a stop outside the station and Jack twisted his body to see her in the dim evening light.
“Gus, you okay? Can’t tell from your screaming if you loved it or hated it.”
She took a deep breath and waited for her spinning head to come to a stop. “Loved it.”
They waited for the shoulder harnesses to release. Jack sprang up, taking Gus’s hand and helping her onto the platform.
He kissed her in front of everyone waiting to get on the ride. Loud applause and whistling cheered them on until the station operator got on the loudspeaker. “Happens all the time, folks. Nothing more romantic than surviving a terrifying sea monster. Now, Mr. Hamilton, if you’d move along...”
Jack grinned and waved to the ride operators and the people on the platform. He held Gus’s arm as they descended the steps.
“Thanks for trusting me and taking a chance.”
“I’d do it again.”
They walked out the beach entrance, hand in hand. The sunset was over, and lights were on all over Starlight Point. Jack leaned against the rail and drew Gus into his arms, not leaving a sliver of space between them.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“Why? I liked the ride. And the kiss was pretty good, too.”
“Not that. I’m sorry I didn’t open up sooner, tell you what shape the Point is in. I thought I could make it better if I just kept it to myself. I was wrong.”
“Totally wrong. But understandable. And you’re doing the right thing now.”
“Thank you. I can’t thank you enough. You saved us by opening the stands and calling in the vendors. I knew you’d throw me a life ring if I needed it.”
“Yes,” she said, smiling.
Their kiss was long and slow as the lake breeze washed over them. He pulled back, rubbing the pads of his fingers gently down her cheeks. “There’s something I need to share with you. Maybe the timing’s not right, but I can’t wait. I’m ready now.”
Gus felt the same rush of emotion she’d encountered on the roller coaster. Whatever he was about to tell her, she knew she was going to like it.
“Say it, Jack. I’ll even ride the Sea Devil again if you want.”
“Come to the hotel.”
“Okay.” Her heart raced. “But you have to give me some clue.”
He smiled broadly. “It involves cake.”
Gus dropped her hands from his shoulders. She willed her eyes to lose their stupid dreamy look.
“I finally made one. Want to show it to you.”
“Oh,” Gus said.
Great. Another cake. Just when she thought she and Jack might crest over the hill, they were getting buckled up to look at a birthday cake.
“It’ll just take a minute,” Jack said. “And then we’ll go ride whatever you want.”
Gus walked alongside Jack as if her legs were made of stone. Fine. She’d take a look at his stupid cake. It had better be good.
* * *
JACK WASN’T SURE if he should laugh or apologize. The disappointed look on Gus’s face told him what he needed to know. He nodded politely at the young man who opened the hotel door. They crossed the shining hardwood floor of the lobby and swung through the bakery door. Evie was behind the counter.
“There you are!” she said. “Time for my break. Good luck, Jack. I hope Gus likes your cake.” She snapped the sign to Closed and shut the door behind her, leaving Jack and Gus alone in the bakeshop.
“They’re in the fridge in back,” he said.
“I imagined. I do know my way around here.”
“Sit down. I’ll bring them out.”
“Them?”
“I needed more than one.”
Jack raced to the fridge and was back in a second with a cupcake in his broad hand. He hoped she wouldn’t notice his hands shaking.
“It’s a cupcake. And it says I,” Gus said. “That’s not a cake.”
“Bear with me. I’m going for a different vision here.”
Gus raised an eyebrow and Jack set the cupcake in front of her on the table. “I’ll get the next one.”
A slow smile started across Gus’s face, but he didn’t stay to see it finish. He dashed for the fridge and ran back, his heart racing.
This cupcake said love in red letters. “I had to really work to fit that on,” he said, setting it next to the first cupcake.
“Nice job,” Gus said. Her tone was light, but a deep flush spread across her cheeks. “What do you love, Jack? Roller coasters? Sunshine? Cookies?”
“Be right back.”
When Gus saw the next cupcake, she stared at it for a minute, lined up with the first two.
Jack waited, afraid to breath
e, until Gus raised her eyes to his face and he saw the tears sparkling in them.
“Thanks for spelling out you instead of just using the letter u,” she said, her voice shaking.
“You’re worth it.”
“I love you, too.” She stood and opened her arms. “You had me at love,” she said and sniffed. “It’s not easy writing big words on cupcakes.”
“Nothing worthwhile is easy,” he said, pulling her close. “I love you. I’ve been falling in love with you since we met.”
He kissed her, exploring her lips as if he had all the time in the world.
“There’s a lot of summer left,” he said, touching his forehead to hers. “I want to spend all of it with you.”
Gus giggled, running her fingers through his hair and ruffling it. “My aunt says Starlight Point is a lover’s paradise. Are you thinking about a summer romance?”
“I’m thinking about a lot more than that. If you’re willing.”
She kissed him, her hand on the back of his neck. “A summer romance is a good start, but I’d like to stick around and see where this ride is going.”
“Deal.”
The shop door swung quietly open. Evie peeked in. “Okay to come in now?” She crossed the floor and hugged Gus and her brother at the same time. “I knew you two were perfect for each other.”
“Because he has a sweet tooth and I’m a baker?”
“That’s right. Can’t think of any other reason,” Evie said.
“Wait a minute,” Gus said, turning to Jack and grimacing. “Does this mean you’re going to expect free cookies all the time? If so, we need to talk about my contract.”
Jack glanced at his sister. “My partners and I did discuss contracts before June left for New York. Evie told us you and the other vendors made up.”
Gus nodded. “Thank goodness. They’ve become like family to me.”
“Could we persuade you to be our new liaison in charge of vendor relations?” Jack continued. “You’ve got a real talent for bringing people together.”
“It’s the frosting. No one can resist.”
Jack ran a finger down her cheek and toyed with a piece of her hair. “It’s a lot more than that. Will you take the job?”
“I don’t know,” she teased. “I’ll think about it. Right now, I’m getting in line for a ride.”
“Now?”
“Think there’s a long line for the Star Spiral? We’ve got some unfinished business there.”
Jack grinned at her. “Not if I can help it. Right behind you.”
He followed Gus from the bakery then ran back five seconds later to grab two cupcakes. “In case we get hungry,” he said, winking at Evie and rushing off after Augusta, the starlight kissing the lake as they raced down the beach.
* * * * *
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STARLIGHT POINT STORIES,
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ISBN-13: 9781488008917
Under the Boardwalk
Copyright © 2016 by Amie Denman
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