“Right.” Undeterred, Rachel pressed forward with even more enthusiasm. “They interviewed dozens of couples who found love within months of either the man or woman attending the ball at Ellington.”
“Coincidence.”
“Aren’t you the one who always says, ‘at some point a coincidence stops being a coincidence.’ I know it sounds crazy, but I believe there is something to this.”
“Then why don’t you go?” she shot back.
Rachel grinned. “Because I’m happily married.”
“Good point.” Cece broke out in a smile. She didn’t believe the legend nonsense, but her friend’s enthusiasm and good mood were infectious.
“What do you have to lose? You’ve had a rough spring and summer. Use your vacation time, take a trip, and have some fun. Worst case scenario? You have an amazing vacation staying in a medieval castle and exploring a gorgeous country.”
She couldn’t argue with Rachel’s point, and she allowed herself to consider the idea. “A vacation would be nice. What is the cost?”
Rachel clapped her hands in delight, then opened a new tab on the browser. “I knew you’d come around. These are the different options, depending on the room and package you want.”
“Ouch.” Cece swallowed the bloom of hope when she saw the prices. “I can’t afford that.”
“Maybe not, but you were saving for that a honeymoon, weren’t you?”
“Yes, but a trip to the Grand Canyon was only a fraction of what this cost.”
Rather than a verbal response, Rachel typed on her keyboard. A few minutes later, she turned around with a crooked grin on her face. “You’re booked for the first two weeks in October.”
Cece recovered her chin from the floor. “Wait, what?”
“I made you a reservation,” Rachel answered, as if it weren’t a big deal.
“I just told you I can’t afford it. Not to mention the logistics of getting a passport and then time off work.”
“Don’t worry about the cost. It’s my gift to you.”
Shaking her head, Cece declined the offer. “That’s entirely too generous. I can’t accept that.”
A somber expression shadowed Rachel’s face. “Rich and I are blessed not to have a mortgage after Granny left us her house, and she also left me a small inheritance. Granny always had a romantic nature, and she would want this for you. Let me do this please, for you and for her.”
Sentiment won over pride. She’d only met Rachel’s grandmother several times before the elderly lady passed, but she’d left an impact. Cece always knew how close Rachel had been with her granny. If Cece taking a trip somehow helped Rachel in her grief, Cece would go. “You know I can’t say no to that.”
“Which was my plan.” Rachel’s smile returned. “But I mean it. Granny would be so happy to know her money sent you on a trip to a castle overseas.”
“But October? That’s only a few weeks away. How will I get a passport that fast? And what if I can’t get that time off?” She ran her hands through her glossy brown hair, making the motions of pulling it into a ponytail before letting it fall against her back.
“Pay the fee to have your passport expediated and you’ll have it within a few weeks. As far as your time off, hello, I am the human resources manager. Put in your request and I’ll have it approved by day’s end.”
“Don’t you have all the answers.” Drawing a deep breath, she processed all that had happened in the last five minutes. “Am I really doing this?”
“Yes, you are. I’ll forward you all the information regarding your reservation. Give me a few hours because I have to get back to work, but I’ll book your flight this evening and send you that information also.”
“No, I’ll get my own flight. You were more than generous already. I have no idea what a flight to Finlovia will cost, but I’m sure I can cover that.” Anticipation built as reality set in, and she gave Rachel a grateful hug. “Break time is over but thank you. For the first time in months, I’m excited.”
“You’re welcome. If you do find love, promise me I get to be in the wedding,” Rachel added with a wink.
“You’ll be my matron of honor.” Cece laughed at Rachel’s enthusiasm and confidence in the legend as she walked to her office across the hall. She didn’t believe in legends, but she couldn’t wait to escape this town and the memories of Daniel.
Curious, she googled Ellington Castle when she returned to her desk. She’d stay a few minutes later to make up for the personal time used. Skimming over the architectural details and ownership history, she was sure she’d hear plenty of that while there, she went straight to the page explaining the legends.
The website boasted testimonial after testimonial. Convinced it had to be a marketing scam, she took a deep dive and searched for a few of thecoupleson social media. Everyone she found appeared to be legitimate. From the limited public information on the individuals, Cece had to concede there might be truth to the legend, but how?
