Chapter 12
August
After Gregor left to head back to his shop, I returned to my kitchen, desperate to put the unpleasantness of the morning behind me. I was grateful to Aunty Eunice, for taking charge of the handfasting and immediately getting the wheels moving in that direction, because the Summer Solstice wasn’t very far away in the grand scheme of things, and with the fairs, festivals, rodeo and other events that would start taking place soon, we were going to be slammed with more work than we’d know what to do with between the influx of tourists, and extended family visiting relatives.
As always, I had a big calendar on the dry erase board beside the break table in my kitchen, marked with every event scheduled for the month. Each night before I closed, I drew a big X through the day and glanced ahead to see what awaited me. Last night I’d noticed that the village’s first Movie in the Park event was coming up on Saturday, and diligently worked to stock my cases so I wouldn’t have to make candy first thing that morning.
With my wonderfully unflappable cousin Stella keeping the front of the house rolling smoothly, I was free to engage in a little planning and design session, starting with making a phone call to the chamber of commerce, to see about the possibility of having a popup candy shop stand at the events.
“Good morning, Periwinkle Cove Chamber of Commerce, how may I direct your call today?”
a pleasant voice asked once the call was answered.
“Yes, hi, good morning, my name is August Winterbottom and I own The Candy Kaleidoscope on the corner of Chickadee and Main. I was wondering who to speak to about Movies in the Park and the potential of having a popup candy shop at the event?”
“Oh, oh, what a marvelous idea, let me get you to Mr. Maxwell, the chamber president, he’s the one spearheading the event and I just know he’s going to be pleased to speak with you,”
she said. “Hang on one moment, let me transfer you.”
“Thank you.”
There was no wait time whatsoever before Mr. Maxwell’s voice came over the line, as jovial as when I’d met him the day I’d filled out my paperwork to join the chamber.
“Mr. Winterbottom,”
he said, chuckling as he greeted me. “Mrs. Greene just informed me that you were about to make my whole afternoon.”
“Well, I sure hope so,”
I said. “I’m calling about the Movies in the Park event and wondered if I could set up a popup candy shop if you didn’t already have concessions in mind.”
Now his chuckle deepened and I heard what sounded like the creak of a chair as someone leaned back in it.
“Actually, I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but with several of the issues that arose while lining up the movies and projector system, concessions got pushed to the wayside. Aside from Mr. Leroux’s gourmet peanut and popcorn wagon, we don’t even have refreshments lined up, let alone candy. You offering to set up a popup stand really takes the load off my mind. If you’d like to come down, we can fill out the paperwork and get you a map of the park to show you where to set up.”
“That’s perfect, I can be there in just a few minutes,”
I said. “What’s the fee?”
“Twenty-five dollars, but that’s for the entire Movies in the Park series, all eight weeks.”
“Whoa, talk about a good deal.”
“As a chamber, we’re not out here trying to make a bunch of money off our local business, especially not the ones who already support us. What fees we do charge all go back into bringing the next idea or event to life.”
“That’s awesome and the whole Movies in the Park idea is really cool, especially with people looking to get outside now that it’s gotten warmer.”
“My thoughts exactly. This winter was a mild one compared to some of the ones we’ve had in recent years. Folks were still able to be social in ways they don’t always get the chance to be when everything is covered in ice and shut down because the roads are impassable.”
“I hear that, the winters got pretty brutal in my hometown, too.”
“Well, I’ll see you in a little bit, August, and thank you again for reaching out to me,”
he said. “A popup candy shop would never have entered my mind.”
“You’re welcome,”
I said before ending the call.
Now that I’d been given the go-ahead a million and one things started sparking like fireworks in my head.
My popup candy shop was a specially designed trailer with all the colorful bells and whistles to get people’s attention. From the lollipops that formed the awning posts to wheels painted to look like pinwheel candy, there was no mistaking what it was: a huge candy wagon with a specially designed case made of sturdy plexiglass I always polished to a high shine before an event. It sat low enough that kids could see into it, and for this event, I’d finally get to unveil some of the special packaging ideas I’d been working on over the past few months.
It had been an investment, not just in a printer that could handle the flat boxes I wanted to adorn with my logo and the designs I’d been working on to advertise different candies, but in the ink and the boxes, too, which arrived flat, and would have to be assembled and loaded once they’d been printed on.
I’d need to see where Gracie was at with her classes and if she had any free time to spare this week to get them set up. I’d need to decided how many of each variety to print, too, once I determined which candies to include. People loved pourable candy at the theater, something they could share. We’d avoid things with the potential to stick together, as well as large pieces that wouldn’t pour easily while taking up too much space in the box.
Ohh, I could play with the mini molds, too, and the stamper, to put my own little symbol on the outside of the candy shells containing my lava bursts and lemonade drops. Those I’d definitely want to include.
Tapping notes into my notebook app might not have been the wisest way to walk down a street, but I didn’t want to forget a single idea on the way to the chamber office. There was so much to do, and I was super excited to get started and the best part was, there was a whole section in my recipe book that I’d already devoted to movie candy themes, with the recipes perfected and a list of all the ingredients I’d need to pull them off. From flavor profiles to sugar-free options, I was not only confident that I’d be able to pull this off, but I knew I’d be able to provide a positive customer experience once people got a look at all of the options I had for them.
Ohh, and coupons, too, we’d print them on the backs of each box and offer a 15% discount on the next purchase the customer made at the shop. It might cut down on the temptation to litter, too, if they saw a need to hold on to the packaging. I typed that note, too, and just because I was me and wanted to ramp up my marketing prowess even more, I made a note to add a mystery flavor in every pack and offer customers an additional 5% off if they were able to name it correctly. People loved discounts and my shop was still new enough that people came in for the first time on a daily basis, some lamenting that it had taken them so long, once they’d gotten a look at what was in my cases.
The bump, when it came, should have been expected, considering I was lost in my own little world, but it jarred me just the same and I bobbled my phone, barely catching it before it hit the ground.
“Oh, oh my goodness, I’m sorry about that,”
a woman said, holding a familiar elementary school student by one hand and several bags in the other.
“No, not your fault at all,”
I told her. “It’s all on me, I should have been paying attention to where I was going.”
The little girl pointed at me and giggled. “You’re The Candyman!”
“Sarah, it’s not nice to point,”
her mother said, gently lowering her finger back to her side. “Say you’re sorry.”
“I’m sorry, but you are The Candyman, right?”
“I am The Candyman,”
I told her. “And I remember you from your second grade class trip when you came in to watch us make marshmallows.”
“Marshy-mellows are my favorites!”
“Yes, I remember you calling them that. Which flavor did you like best?”
“The lime ones.”
“Those were kinda cool, weren’t they?”
“Yup, and sour.”
He chuckled at that and nodded. “And sour.”
“Ohh, you’re Mr. Winterbottom,”
the woman said. “Hi, I’m Shelly Winters and this is Stacy, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. She’s done nothing but talk about the candy shop since she came in.”
“Did she tell you that she inspired a brand-new idea that I’m just beginning to test out?
“My bubbles?”
Stacy asked, eyes lighting up with excitement. “Are you really making them?”
“I am, and they are almost ready. I plan to unveil them at Movies in the Park on Saturday, so if you happen to be there, you should stop by the candy wagon and pick out a few, on the house, for being the one to inspire them.”
“Really?”
she asked, before glancing between me and her mother. “Can we go to Movies in the Park on Saturday?”
“I was already planning to take you,”
her mother said. “Now we have an extra special reason to go.”
“Yay!”
“Thank you,”
her mother said as Stacy broke into a happy little dance punctuated with giggles.
“Anytime,”
I replied, before stepping out of their way. This time, I paused against the side of the building to make my notes, including a reminder to bring the lollipop tray so they’d all stand up easily in the display case. Lollipops were always a great hit with the kids, and being able to sit and suck on one while they watched the movie might keep some of them occupied, which parents always appreciated.
Oh yeah, I was seriously patting myself on the back for all of my good ideas when I stepped into the chamber office and smiled at the older lady behind the desk.
“Hi, I’m August Winterbottom, I’m here to see Mr. Maxwell?”
“Oh yes, you can go right on in, he’s expecting you, and tickled pink about your idea for a popup candy shop, so much so that he’s already contacted the paper to make sure they add you and Mr. Leroux’s Gourmet Popcorn and Peanut wagon to the advertisement so people will know they don’t have to stock up on their own snacks.”
Excitement surged through me at the thought of this unexpected bit of advertisement.
“Oh, that’s great,”
I said. “I’m glad I reached out in time.”
“Mr. Winterbottom, it’s good to see you again,”
Mr. Maxwell said, standing and shaking my hand across his desk.
“It’s just August, please, Mr. Winterbottom is my dad, it always feels way too formal for me.”
“Oh, perfect, then call me Max, please, and yes, I am well aware of how unoriginal my parents were when they came up with my name, I still give them a hard time about it whenever I think about how much crap I put up with in school. Grab a seat, I’ve got the forms and map right here.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re most welcome. Your popup idea inspired me to reach out to Donny Driscoll at Unlimited Flavors, he just launched a line of homemade soda pop last year, and he and his boys are going to put together a soda stand for the event, so you solved my refreshment problem, too. Thank you again.”
“Glad to help.”
“Just need your signature right here, saying you understand when setup time begins and that you’ll be responsible for the cleanup of your space once the event is over.”
I glanced over the very short form, which basically said I was responsible for ensuring that the space was in the same state when I left as when I found it, and that I’d need to bring my own extension cords if I needed to hook up to the power onsite, which I would need to do to run the portable register.
I signed and passed over my twenty-five dollars, and he stamped paid in the corner of the page, gave me my receipt and the map, with my site circled. He’d made it easy for people and put the candy, popcorn and drink stands side by side, so folks could easily move from one to the other while still being able to see the looming movie screen they had drawn in front and center. I didn’t even want to know what a setup like that ran, but man was it going to be fun to see it lit up with movies every Saturday.
“If you look on the second page, you’ll see a list of the movies each week. Each Saturday is a double feature and we tried to pick themes that went together. I don’t know if it makes a difference to what products you bring out, but I thought it might be good to know, just in case.”
I glanced over it quickly, seeing several children’s movies I’d created themes for in the past.
“Oh, this will be very helpful indeed,”
I said before I folded it and tucked it in my pocket.
“You’re all set then,”
he replied. “I look forward to seeing you there and please feel free to reach out anytime you have ideas, we can always use them. I know the season is about to get busy, but if you have the chance to pop in on a chamber meeting sometime, you’d be most welcome.”
“First Monday of the month at seven,”
I said, wanting to be sure I remembered correctly. “I keep meaning to put it on my calendar, let me do that now.”
I had planned to be active in it, and would, now that I was entering it into my phone as a recurring event. I wondered if Gregor attended, too, and if he was even a member with how antisocial he claimed to be. I still hadn’t seen any proof of that yet, at least not with me. He was always eager to spend time together but maybe that was because I was his mate and not just some random person he passed on the street.
Of course, he had grown up here, so I suspected that he knew the longtime residents better than he was willing to admit. Whenever I asked him about someone new I’d met at the shop, he’d listen but never provide me with much of a clue if he knew them or not. Occasionally, his lips would quirk, like he was thinking about smiling, but couldn’t decide if he really wanted to or not and once, his eyebrows had shot up when I’d mentioned a name, then he’d promptly turned and went back to loading the dishwasher. If that wasn’t a sign that he knew them, I didn’t know what was, but when I asked what the look was for, all he’d said was that he’d thought they’d moved away for good.
While I was a very social creature at work, my inner hedgehog got all the peopling it would ever need dealing with the customers who came in and out each day. Having a mate who preferred to spend one-on-one time with me, rather than going out to some bar, club, or loud place where we couldn’t just relax and talk without a million other sounds, was practically perfect for me. It was nice, relaxing in the evening, unwinding and introducing him to shows that didn’t involve everything blowing up. Not that I didn’t appreciate a good disaster movie, I loved them, but not every time I sat down to watch something.
I loved that he hadn’t balked when I’d told him that, and had passed over the remote, instead of trying to pick something else for us to watch. From the watch again list I’d seen when he’d scrolled through the options the first time, I’d already been able to tell it lacked variety. Fortunately, that sweet tooth of his played out in my favor again when I introduced him to Candified: Home for the Holidays. The moment he realized it was a show centered on making a life-sized candy house, he was hooked. Now he was the one who turned on the next episode the moment we parked ourselves on the couch for a bit of relaxation time, while I got the joy of watching my mate’s face light up over something I’d introduced him to. Guess being antisocial did have its perks, if it meant I got to spend the night in my mate’s arms watching something I loved with the person I’d fallen head over heels in love with.