“Hey, that money is what gave the garage a boost to hire another technician, which is the only reason we have a vacation.”
“Ahh, yes,” he said. “And now it’s our engagement vacation.”
This was where they were supposed to be, together. He wrapped his hands around her hips and pulled her closer against him.
Selena reached for the button of his pants. “Now it’s time to start this engagement vacation properly.”
*Epilogue*
Talk of the Town
By Miss B., Oregon Coastside Patch staff writer
This week’s Talk of the Town column is a delicious slice of the holidays from Delilah’s Cove. Rumor has it that the sleepy town has been inundated with visitors this December, hoping to get a taste of the holiday magic that put our stretch of the coast on the map.
An anonymous fruitcake that makes people fall in love? Dear reader, this delectable story was too tempting to pass up. I had to get to the bottom of the mystery. After hearing reports that Tuff’s Diner had added a fruitcake to the menu, I headed for this potential hotspot for gossip on the subject. Armed with my notebook and dressed inconspicuously, I parked myself at the Tuff’s Diner counter and innocently ordered a cup of coffee and the fruitcake. The waitress raised her eyebrow and looked at her watch.
“It’s 11:13 a.m., and you’re the third order of fruitcake today,” she said. “You better hope this batch isn’t magical. The last guy who ordered it was at least eighty years old.”
When I asked if Tuff’s Diner had seen a boom in business since the USA Times article had run in December, she gestured to the bustling restaurant.
“We hired three new servers this December,” she said, “but Tuff still isn’t happy about the witch rumors.”
As I stared at my slice of fruitcake, debating whether or not to taste it, the following Talk of the Town was overheard:
“What happens if I order the whole cake?”
“You can’t order that. You’re already married.”
“I can’t believe I’m paying to eat fruitcake.”
“How soon do we know if this slice is the real deal?”
The place was bubbling with speculation.
Half-baked publicity stunt or magic? As for Tuff’s Diner’s version, I’m skeptical. Dear reader, in the spirit of investigation, I tasted my slice of fruitcake. Eighty years old is a little beyond the limits of my dating pool, so what better test of the magic than to try? No swoony octogenarians to report as of this printing.
My question still remains: Who is making the magical fruitcake that continues to put Delilah’s Cove on the map? After two hours at Tuff’s Diner, I still didn’t have anything close to an answer. Now that the holiday season is over, we’ll have to wait another year for the next round of anonymous deliveries.
