Debbie Viguié - The Summer of Rice Candy

The Summer of Rice Candy

Other Books by Debbie Vigui

Sweet Seasons

The Summer of Cotton Candy

The Fall of Candy Corn

The Winter of Candy Canes

The Spring of Candy Apples

The Psalm 23 Mysteries

The Lord is My Shepherd

I Shall Not Want

Lie Down in Green Pastures

Beside Still Waters

Restoreth My Soul

In the Paths of Righteousness

For His Names Sake

Walk Through the Valley

The Shadow of Death

I Will Fear No Evil

Thou Art With Me

Thy Rod and Thy Staff

Comfort

A Table Before Me

In the Presence of Mine Enemies

Anointest My Head With Oil

The Kiss Trilogy

Kiss of Night

Kiss of Death

Kiss of Revenge

The Summer of Rice Candy

By Debbie Vigui

Published by Big Pink Bow

The Summer of Rice Candy

Copyright 2019 by Debbie Vigui

ISBN-13: 978-1-7334281-1-8

Published by Big Pink Bow

www.bigpinkbow.com

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

To all the Zoners out there thanks for playing with me in my parks!

Of all the mistakes she had made in her life, Candace Thompson was absolutely certain that moving to Florida to start work at Zone World the summer before college was the worst. Sitting across the desk from an HR recruiter who could have been the female twin of Lloyd Peterson from The Zone in California, she wondered what the odds were that two such people existed, let alone worked at the same job.

Lola Jones looked at her dourly over the rim of her glasses. Her thick brows slouched over her eyes, nearly casting them in shadow. She seemed to be studying Candace who felt like she was somehow on trial for something.

I see you come with the highest recommendation, Lola said slowly, drawing the words out in a tortured way.

Um, thank you? Candace said, not sure what the proper response should be.

And as the scholarship winner it looks like I dont have the option of not giving you a job, the woman said, managing to speak even more slowly.

For a moment Candaces heart skipped a beat. She had flown all the way out to Florida on the presumption that she would have a job. The realization that the recruiter would apparently prefer not to hire her made her anxious and angry all at the same time. After all, hadnt she proven herself time and again at The Zone? If she could do well at the original park, then surely she could succeed here working at its bigger brother.

Well, hmmmm, Ill have to figure out where to put you. All our seasonal jobs were filled months ago.

Im not looking for seasonal. Im looking for more all-year round, Candace said.

Lola rolled her eyes and Candace was surprised to see that the woman could even pull that off in slow motion.

Not likely at this stage, Lola told her. Well find you something and reassess in September.

Way to make a girl feel insecure, Candace thought to herself.

Lola stared at her computer for a moment. Then she typed something, scowled at the screen, and then typed some more. After a minute she looked up with a frown.

What are you still doing here?

Im waiting for you to find me a job, she said, a bit bewildered.

Get out of here. Ill call you in the next day or two and let you know where youre going to be, Lola said, waving her hand like she was shooing Candace from her office.

Oh, okay, Candace said, hurrying to stand up and almost knocking Lolas coffee cup off the desk in the process. She steadied it and then left.

She walked outside the building and found her boyfriend, Josh, waiting for her.

Whats wrong? he asked.

I apparently didnt make a great impression on the recruiter. She says shell find something for me and let me know what it is, Candace said, feeling a bit discouraged.

Josh frowned. With your record? She should have been excited to welcome you on board.

Candace shrugged. Apparently, even with the recommendations I had, the only reason shes giving me a job at all is because she has to since Im the scholarship winner.

Josh shook his head. Thats just bizarre. You want me to talk to my dad?

No! Candace said quickly. Joshs father was John Hanson, famous quarterback, and the owner of The Zone theme parks.

Thats cool.

Im sorry, I just dont want special treatment because were dating.

No, I totally get it. Theres a reason back in California I didnt let people we worked with know who I was. Unfortunately, I cant get away with that out here, he said.

Thanks for understanding.

No problem. Now what do you want to do? I have today off and it looks like you do, too.

Candace had gotten in early that morning and already dropped her bags in her room. Zone World employed thousands of college students and some of them lived in student dorms on property. From the looks of things, her roommate must have arrived not that long before her and was in the process of unpacking. She was both excited and nervous about meeting her later that evening.

Show me the World.

And by the World, you mean

Zone World, of course, she said with a laugh.

Youve got it.

There was a row of golf carts outside the building and Josh led her over to one. Moments later they were on their way.

The one thing you have to remember thats different here than California is the humidity, Josh told her. It makes the heat unbearable sometimes. Hydrate often, always wear sunscreen, and when having to travel long distances dont be shy about getting a little help.

Got it.

She had already noticed the humidity and hoped that other times of the year wouldnt be as bad.

The resort consists of three parks, four hotels, and the Training Camp, Josh said as he expertly zipped between buildings.

Theyd only been in the golf cart for only a minute and Candace was already lost. She had heard how much larger the resort was here than the one in California, but it was just now starting to sink in.

The Zone, the Splash Zone, and Olympic Village are the three parks, she said.

Yup, instead of having the Splash Zone be part of the park like it is in California its an entirely separate park and its huge, he said.

Thats where youre working, right? she asked.

Yeah, Im a lifeguard for Surfs Up, which is our wave pool.

Which means that once again in the heat of summer you get to wear the cool uniform and not sweat to death.

Plan ahead, I always say, he told her with a grin.

I get that you did that in California, but did you here? she asked.

Josh had come out about a week before her to start his own summer job at Zone World.

I tried, but they make things a bit more difficult for referees coming in from out-of-state. Im not proud, but I had some help making sure I didnt get stuck in a five-pound wool uniform.

They have those? Candace asked, feeling alarm surge through her.

Not since the Incident.

What Incident?

Josh just shook his head.

Okay, no Splash Zone in the main park. Anything else different there? she asked.

Lots more attractions. Also, the Extreme Zone and Game Zone are at the Training Camp.

Candace had some very fond memories of the Game Zone, particularly of winning Happy, a giant, stuffed dog, there the night she accidentally got locked in the park. Because of his size shed left Happy in her bedroom at home. Mr. Huggles was the only stuffed animal shed brought with her.