Read Online Salt Water Taffie (Boardwalk Brides Book 1) by Janice Thompson - Free Book Online
Authors: Janice Thompson
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brewing at once as Ryan headed back to the boardwalk area—one in his heart and mind, the other in the Atlantic. He needed to get back to the candy shop before high winds blew out the electricity in the area.
As Ryan made his way toward the car, his cell phone rang. He recognized Mallory’s number right away. Her words sounded rushed, almost frantic. “Ryan, I hate to ask this, but I’m tied up in a meeting at work and need someone to pick up Casey from school.”
He glanced at his watch and did his best not to groan out loud. Not today, of all days. “What about Vic?”
“He’s on a deadline with a new client. They’re paying him double to get their site up and running quick. He could go, but with our current situation, well. . .”
He knew she would’ve finished the sentence with “we really need the money now that we’re living apart,” so he saved her the pain. “Say no more. I’m only five minutes from the school right now. Will you call the office and let them know I’ll be picking her up instead of you?”
“Already done.”
“I’ll have to take her with me to my next repair job, but I’ll bring her home after.”
“No problem. And thank you. I’m so grateful.”
As the skies continued to darken overhead, he pulled into the parking lot of the elementary school. Rows of cars made maneuvering the parking lot next to impossible. I’ll just have to wait it out.
About ten minutes later, after inching his way forward, Ryan finally located Casey. She waved and bounded toward his work van “Uncle Ryan! I’m so glad you came and got me. Can we get ice cream before you take me home?”
“Actually, I’m headed to the candy shop on the boardwalk,” he explained. “And they’ve got the best ice cream in town. Want to spend the afternoon with your old uncle Ryan, watching him fix a broken taffy machine?”
“Will that girl be there?” Casey’s eyes sparkled as she posed the question.
“She’ll be there. But you’ve got to promise not to play matchmaker. Or suddenly burst into a love song or anything crazy like that. You don’t want to embarrass me, do you?”
“Why not?” She giggled. “I like embarrassing you.”
“Obviously. But not today. Today. . .” He looked up at the gray skies. “Today, I just need to get my work done and get out of there before the storm hits. So, you can have some ice cream and visit with Taffie and her mom. I’m sure they’ll treat you like the princess that you are.”
“I’d like that.” Casey flashed a wide smile, revealing an incoming tooth.
The traffic headed toward the boardwalk was lighter than usual. More folks seemed to be moving away from the shore than toward it. Hmm. Might be a bad sign. Maybe they know something I don’t.
Regardless of the weather, he had to make it to the shop before it closed for the day. Had to get the part installed. The Carinis had done without their primary machine too long, already.
After parking the van, he walked around to open Casey’s door. “Stick with me, kid.” He took Casey by the hand and, despite the winds that now blew every which-a-way, took off running. They arrived, breathless and red cheeked, at Carini’s Confections just as Mr. Carini put the Closed sign on the door.
“Not again.” Ryan groaned. “I thought for sure I’d get here before you closed up shop.”
“Oh, we’re going to stick around and watch you work your magic,” Mr. Carini explained. “But with the storm headed inland, it just made sense to go ahead and put up the sign. We haven’t had a customer in nearly an hour. Folks are shying away, and I don’t blame them.”
“I see.” Ryan entered the store on Mr. Carini’s heels.
“Taffie!” Casey hollered out in her usual joyous way. “You’re here.”
“I’m here.” Taffie’s face lit in a smile. “And so are you. This is a special surprise.”
“Uncle Ryan picked me up from school today.”
“Do you mind that she’s here?” he asked. “I
As Ryan made his way toward the car, his cell phone rang. He recognized Mallory’s number right away. Her words sounded rushed, almost frantic. “Ryan, I hate to ask this, but I’m tied up in a meeting at work and need someone to pick up Casey from school.”
He glanced at his watch and did his best not to groan out loud. Not today, of all days. “What about Vic?”
“He’s on a deadline with a new client. They’re paying him double to get their site up and running quick. He could go, but with our current situation, well. . .”
He knew she would’ve finished the sentence with “we really need the money now that we’re living apart,” so he saved her the pain. “Say no more. I’m only five minutes from the school right now. Will you call the office and let them know I’ll be picking her up instead of you?”
“Already done.”
“I’ll have to take her with me to my next repair job, but I’ll bring her home after.”
“No problem. And thank you. I’m so grateful.”
As the skies continued to darken overhead, he pulled into the parking lot of the elementary school. Rows of cars made maneuvering the parking lot next to impossible. I’ll just have to wait it out.
About ten minutes later, after inching his way forward, Ryan finally located Casey. She waved and bounded toward his work van “Uncle Ryan! I’m so glad you came and got me. Can we get ice cream before you take me home?”
“Actually, I’m headed to the candy shop on the boardwalk,” he explained. “And they’ve got the best ice cream in town. Want to spend the afternoon with your old uncle Ryan, watching him fix a broken taffy machine?”
“Will that girl be there?” Casey’s eyes sparkled as she posed the question.
“She’ll be there. But you’ve got to promise not to play matchmaker. Or suddenly burst into a love song or anything crazy like that. You don’t want to embarrass me, do you?”
“Why not?” She giggled. “I like embarrassing you.”
“Obviously. But not today. Today. . .” He looked up at the gray skies. “Today, I just need to get my work done and get out of there before the storm hits. So, you can have some ice cream and visit with Taffie and her mom. I’m sure they’ll treat you like the princess that you are.”
“I’d like that.” Casey flashed a wide smile, revealing an incoming tooth.
The traffic headed toward the boardwalk was lighter than usual. More folks seemed to be moving away from the shore than toward it. Hmm. Might be a bad sign. Maybe they know something I don’t.
Regardless of the weather, he had to make it to the shop before it closed for the day. Had to get the part installed. The Carinis had done without their primary machine too long, already.
After parking the van, he walked around to open Casey’s door. “Stick with me, kid.” He took Casey by the hand and, despite the winds that now blew every which-a-way, took off running. They arrived, breathless and red cheeked, at Carini’s Confections just as Mr. Carini put the Closed sign on the door.
“Not again.” Ryan groaned. “I thought for sure I’d get here before you closed up shop.”
“Oh, we’re going to stick around and watch you work your magic,” Mr. Carini explained. “But with the storm headed inland, it just made sense to go ahead and put up the sign. We haven’t had a customer in nearly an hour. Folks are shying away, and I don’t blame them.”
“I see.” Ryan entered the store on Mr. Carini’s heels.
“Taffie!” Casey hollered out in her usual joyous way. “You’re here.”
“I’m here.” Taffie’s face lit in a smile. “And so are you. This is a special surprise.”
“Uncle Ryan picked me up from school today.”
“Do you mind that she’s here?” he asked. “I
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