Page 50 of Broken Rules
Chapter Fifteen
The next morning, Savannahwoke up to the smell of hot coffee. She found Damien taking the eggs out of the refrigerator.
“Good morning,” he said and pulled her close, kissing her tenderly. “You were supposed to stay in bed so I could surprise you.”
She smiled. “I’m like a vampire smelling fresh blood when anyone presses the brew button on a coffee pot. Nothing can keep me away.”
He chuckled and quickly grabbed a mug. “Let me pour you some before the frenzy for caffeine becomes too great to contain.”
She laughed, accepting the cup. “Speaking of frenzy, do you know what I’m craving.”
“If you mention human blood again, I may become a little suspicious.”
“Fried dough,” she exclaimed.
He gave her a curious look. “How did frenzy bring you to fried dough?”
She smiled. “Hampton Beach, of course. I’m only working the dinner shift tonight. We can walk around all the weird shops and do some people watching and eat fried dough.”
“I’ve heard about Hampton Beach but I’ve never actually been.”
She gave him a skeptical look. “Do you mean to tell me that you lived in southern New Hampshire, but you’ve never been to Hampton. How is that possible?”
“Can you picture nuns walking around a place that can be associated with the term frenzy?”
She smiled at the image. “Now that you mention it, I’ve never seen any nuns on the boardwalk. It’s definitely the less polished side of coastal living. You’ll love it,” she promised.
After they dressed for the day, they left behind the mansions of Rye and ventured further south to Hampton Beach. Noisy, crowded, unconventional, and less affluent, the brief strip of coast was known for its seasonal storefronts, which unapologetically boasted outlandish goods from motorcycle club vests to tie-dyed bandanas to beach towels that could make you look like a mermaid or a cowboy.
Although fine dining could be found, most people flocked to the strip for fried dough, cotton candy, and loaded sausage subs. But Savannah’s favorite storefront was one she had never actually entered before. Flanked by an arcade and a pizza place, was an old time photo and costume shop where clientele dress up in period clothing.
“I’ve always wanted to go in there,” Savannah said, pointing to the painted plywood store front with a sign that readPortraits in Time.
Damien stopped and looked at it for a moment. She could see his gaze quickly take everything in. She imagined he was casing it—making sure he noticed everyone nearby. At length, he offered her his arm. “Shall we?”
Her eyes widened with surprise. Whenever she had pointed out the shop to her other boyfriends, they had just laughed at her whimsy.
Nodding, she allowed him to lead her inside.
A man with thinning sandy blond hair, a blue t-shirt, and khaki shorts greeted them when they entered.
“Welcome,” he said. “I’m Ted. Are you both ready to go back in time?”
Damien simply dipped his head to acknowledge the man as he started to scan the surrounding photos—couples, families, and other groups dressed in everything from cowboy chaps to Victorian gowns to medieval regalia.
“To which time period are we going to travel?” Damien asked her.
“I’m not sure,” she said. “There’s so many to choose from.” She looked at the wall of photos, then stopped in front of an image of two lovely young women who were clearly sisters. They wore fringed flapper dresses and sequined headbands adorned with decorative plumes. It made her think ofThe Great Gatsby. “This one,” she said, showing Damien.
He simply nodded. And motioned for Ted to join them. “We would like to do a photo from this period.”
Ted smiled. “My family has owned this booth for two generations. When I was a kid, this was my favorite time period, because the costumes made me look like my grandfather.”
“It must have been fun growing up here,” Savannah said.
