Page 29 of Behind the Scenes

“I’m having so much fun,” Alexis said as she peered into the store windows looking for candy. “I needed this so much. I’m so tired of living like a butterfly under glass.”

She stopped in front of a white building and pointed at the window. “There’s our fudge. I bet I can get some salt water taffy here too. See the boxes stacked up on the counter? I promised Carla I’d bring her some back.”

They walked into the store and stopped dead in the doorway as the intoxicating smell of sugar and chocolate hit them. Alexis rarely indulged in sweet treats because once she had a little, she always wanted more. Today, she didn’t care, though.

“Oh my God! This place smells like heaven!”

A group of tourists turned around and stared, so Lauren leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Let me get the fudge and taffy. We don’t want anyone to recognize you. What kind do you want?”

Alexis craned her neck to look at the choices in the glass candy cases in front of them. “Get a pound of peanut butter fudge and a box of taffy for Carla.”

“Okay. Wait for me over there near the shelves and keep your glasses on.”

Lauren got in line and Alexis stepped back so she was out of the way of other customers. As she waited, she saw a couple come in holding hands. Around her age, they looked so carefree and happy, like they didn’t have a trouble in the world. They talked and laughed about something, and she noticed how comfortable they appeared with one another.

She wanted to be in a relationship like that. One that she could feel comfortable enough to laugh and be herself with a man again. She hadn’t been that way since the early days when she and Jackson began dating.

Tapping her on the shoulder, Lauren pulled her out of her thoughts. “Hey, let’s go. If I stay here much longer, I’m going to gain ten pounds.”

“Okay. Let’s go back to the beach and gorge on peanut butter fudge.”

The candy smelled so good they didn’t even make it back to the beach before they opened up the little white box and each took out a piece of fudge. The sweet aroma of the chocolate and peanut butter combined with the salty scent of the ocean nearby to create the most incredible sensation as Alexis inhaled a deep breath of air.

And then the fudge hit her tongue and she knew she was as close to heaven as she’d ever been.

“Oh, this is so good,” she said as Lauren nodded. “Who knew New Jersey had such great stuff?”

“No more until we get back down there and sit on the sand. I think I’m getting a sugar rush already,” Lauren joked as she took the box of fudge and stuffed it back into the bag.

They hurried down the stairs and ran a little ways to a spot away from people playing Frisbee down closer to the water. Throwing their bags off to the side, they sat down and Lauren handed Alexis her third piece of fudge.

Like before, the moment it hit her tongue, the sweetness made her eyes roll back into her head. “That is so good. God, I could eat this all day.”

“Me too, but we shouldn’t,” Lauren cautioned, putting the box of fudge away once again.

As they reveled in the decadent taste of the peanut butter fudge, a male’s voice said, “Hey ladies! How would you like some company on this fine day?”

Lauren’s hand clamped down on Alexis’s forearm, but Alexis opened her eyes and from behind her sunglasses looked up to see two young guys standing over them. One had blond hair that almost hit his shoulders and a great tan. She quickly let her eyes travel down from his head and liked what she saw. Great body with muscles and a nice face.

The other one had shorter, dark hair and wore sunglasses. Slightly thinner than his friend, he also had a nice tan, even if his body wasn’t as good.

“We’re just enjoying some fudge. What kind of company were you thinking of?” Alexis said with a smile, enjoying the flirtation with the two men.

Lauren looked over at her with horror in her eyes. “Alexis!”

The blond crouched down in front of them and touched her leg. “So your name is Alexis. A gorgeous name for a gorgeous woman.”

Suddenly, fear began to overwhelm her. Her chest began to hurt, like someone was sitting on it, and she couldn’t get enough air into her lungs. The blond was too close, his friend felt like he was looming over them, and Lauren kept squeezing her arm. It all became too much for her.

She pulled her legs up away from the blond and wrapped her arms around her knees. “No, thanks. We’re going to be leaving soon.”

“Yeah, we have to go,” Lauren said nervously.

But neither man seemed to get the hint. The one standing in front of Lauren extended his hand to grab hers. “Come on. Loosen up.”

She yanked her hand away from his hold as Alexis began to rock back and forth, burying her head in her knees to hide. “Just leave us alone.”

A hand touched her chin to lift her head, and Alexis almost screamed. Swinging her hands in front of her to make him go away, she knocked her glasses off her face and her wig began to fall off. She knew instantly by the look of recognition on both men’s faces that they knew exactly who she was.

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