“You need iron,” Lorelei informed him one day when she was towing him around the mall. So into the health store they went, where they stocked up not only on iron but also on protein powder and pills guaranteed to give him adrenal support.
After a week of taking all that, plus an expensive multivitamin she’d recommended, he did feel better. It also helped that she caught a cold and was stuck at home sick for a couple of days, and he got a chance to recharge.
“I’m sorry we can’t be at the gym together,” she’d croaked.
“Me, too,” he’d said. He never told her that he’d skipped the gym.
Other than running him ragged, Lorelei was good for him. She inspired him. Yeah, they were pretty good together...when he didn’t need a break.
Wanting a break from your girlfriend. Was that normal?
Uncle Mark was home now, a big bear of a guy who wore jeans to work and covered his bald spot with a Mariners baseball cap.
“The women got you setting the table again?” he asked Colin with a grin.
“Don’t you be giving him a hard time,” scolded Aunt Beth from her post at the stove, “or I’ll tell him about those chocolate-cherry cupcakes you baked last month.”
Uncle Mark made a face and went to the fridge. “I’m starving. When’s dinner?”
“As soon as Dylan gets here. And if you’re going to drink all the lemonade, you’d better make some more.”
“I’m already on it,” Mark said, and took a can of frozen lemonade from the freezer.
By the time Dad wandered in, dinner was ready and everyone sat down at the table, taking the same places they had for years when they were together. Well, almost. There was no Gramps and now there was no Gram. Uncle Mark said grace and Aunt Beth, Mia and Colin echoed, “Amen” when he was done. Dad didn’t say anything. He and God hadn’t been on speaking terms in years. The only time Gram ever got him to church was Christmas Eve.
After some of his own disappointments, Colin understood how his dad felt. He’d said as much to his grandma once; she’d merely shaken her head and said, “God gives the same free will to everyone. Your father can’t blame Him when people misspend it and end up hurting others.”
Probably not. People did a good job of screwing up their lives without any help from God. Colin was a perfect example of that.
He took a chicken leg, even though he suddenly didn’t have much of an appetite.
“Have some potato salad,” Aunt Beth urged, passing him the bowl.
Nobody made potato salad like Aunt Beth. Colin took some and wished he felt more like eating.
Dinner was far from comfortable. There was Uncle Mark, who kept the conversation limping along with his running commentary on dinner. “Great chicken, Bethie.” “Hey, guys, these beans are straight from the garden.” And Dad, eating in silence. And Mia, not contributing much to the conversation, just picking at her food.
Uncle Mark was saying, “I’m ready for some of that peach upside-down cake,” when Colin’s cell phone rang.
“Don’t tell me, let me guess,” murmured Mia.
Yes, it was Lorelei again.
“If that’s the same person who’s been texting you all day, tell her you’re busy,” Aunt Beth said.
Colin ignored her and ducked away from the table. “Hey, what’s up?” he answered as he made his way through the living room.
“Surprise! I’m here.”
“Here.” Here? As in...here? In Icicle Falls?
“I know you said I didn’t have to come, Col, but I think you need me.”
Like he needed a nail driven into his eye. “Where are you right now?”
“Colin, we’re dishing up dessert,” called Aunt Beth.
And meanwhile, Lorelei was dishing up a mess. He slipped out onto the front porch, half expecting to see her Kia sitting at the curb. Of course it wasn’t. She didn’t have Aunt Beth’s address. And she wasn’t tracking him, for crying out loud. Except that was what it felt like.
“I’m in the town square by that cute gazebo. So, where should I come?”
Not here! “Uh.”
“Colin, Aunt Beth says to get back to the kitchen or she’s going to give Uncle Mark your piece of cake.”
He whirled around to see Mia standing at the screen door.
“I’ll be there in a minute.” Sheesh.
“All right,” said Lorelei.
“No, not there.”
“What?”
“I was talking to someone else.”
“That friend?”
Colin’s head hurt. “Let’s get you settled someplace.”
“Where are you staying?”
“With my dad. But you can’t stay there.”
“Gee, thanks.” Okay, that hadn’t come out right.
“No, I don’t mean it like that. It’s in the will.” Well, sort of. This was hard to explain.
“In the will,” she repeated slowly.
Yeah, that sounded nuts. This whole thing was nuts.
“Tell you what, go to Gerhardt’s Gasthaus and check in. It’s three blocks off the main street on Pine. I’ll come see you as soon as I can.” And the way his aunt was nagging him, that was going to be sooner rather than later.
“Okay.” Lorelei sounded a lot less happy than when she’d first called. “Then let’s meet up for dinner.”
Crap. “Sorry, I just ate. I didn’t know you were coming.”
She sighed. “Okay, I guess I’ll get something to eat. By myself.”
Even though he wasn’t responsible for the fact that she was having to eat alone, he still felt as though he was. Lorelei didn’t cook, but the one dish she sure could serve up was guilt.
“I’ll see you in a little while,” he promised.
“If you want to go hang out with your girlfriend, I can take over,” Mia said as he ended the call.
Yeah, no ulterior motive there. She’d probably be happy to cut him out of his grandmother’s will, just like she’d been happy to cut him out of her life. “I don’t think so,” he said. “We’re in this together.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Colin, this friend of yours is becoming a nuisance,” Aunt Beth said as he and Mia came back to the kitchen table. “You know the conditions of the will.”
“I do, don’t worry,” he said.
His aunt didn’t say anything else, but she was frowning as she set a slice of cake in front of him.
Cake with a topping of peaches, melted brown sugar and butter, all smothered in whipped cream—it landed on his taste buds like some kind of magic potion, transporting him to happier times when Sunday supper always ended in some fabulous dessert. After dessert it was cards or, in the summer, croquet or badminton on the lawn or sitting on the front porch with Mia and his dog while the grown-ups visited with passing neighbors. When he hit adulthood, he’d envisioned himself with a family, enjoying apple crisp or peach upside-down cake, sitting on his own front porch or playing games with his kids. So far, he had no family and no front porch, only an apartment with a balcony and a barbecue. What the heck was he doing with his life?
“So,” Aunt Beth said, “are you two ready for your next clue?”
It was about time. Colin nodded and shoved away his empty plate. “Bring it on.”
Aunt Beth produced a pink envelope from her kitchen junk drawer and laid it on the table. Colin and Mia both reached for it. Remembering her earlier comment, he pulled away his hand and let her open it.
She didn’t read it out loud so he prompted, “What does it say?”
“‘Go to your favorite haunt and ask for a...’” Her brows knit.
“A what?”
She passed the stationery over. “It’s a word scramble.”
“I should’ve kno
wn she’d slip one in,” he grumbled. Sure enough. Ask for a Nitesuj Grerub. “Okay, you’re the smart one,” he said to Mia. “What’s this supposed to be?”
She shook her head.
“Great.”
“Guess you two will have to put your heads together,” Aunt Beth said with a smirk.
“Or bang them on the table,” Colin muttered. “Come on, let’s go out on the porch.”
* * *
“I hope you’re enjoying this,” Dylan said to Beth as the two disappeared.
“Immensely.” She grinned and took another bite of her dessert.
“I don’t know,” Mark said. “It’s all pretty...”
“Unorthodox,” supplied Dylan. “Sending these two on a scavenger hunt isn’t going to make them fall in love and live happily ever after.”
Beth pointed her spoon at him. “That’s where you’re wrong. You’ve been wrong about those two ever since that incident in the orchard. In fact, if it wasn’t for you, they’d probably be married by now and have a couple of kids.”
“Oh, fine. I’m the destroyer of happiness,” Dylan said sourly, pushing aside his plate.
“I’ll admit they played their own parts in that, but you scripted your share of the mess. You’re a cynic when it comes to relationships. And you know why?”
“Please don’t tell me.”
“Well, I’m going to. It’s because you’re a wounded romantic. What you need is...”
“Oh, no. No advice from my sister,” he said, holding up a hand.
“It’s not too late,” she told him. “You could get your own happily-ever-after.”
“I’m perfectly happy, thank you,” he said. “And don’t worry about me. You’ve got your hands full bossing Mark around.”
“I’ll share the wealth,” Mark offered.
“That’s okay,” said Dylan. He kissed his sister on the cheek and left.
“He’s hopeless.” Beth finished the last bite of her cake.
“Sorry,” Mark said. “I’m with Dylan on this one.”
“That’s because you’re a man, and what do you know about love?”
He grinned. “I picked you, didn’t I?”
She smiled at that and kissed him. “Yes, you did, you lucky boy.” She’d barely finished speaking when they heard the sound of a car starting. “Looks like they figured out their clue.”
* * *
“Since when is there such a thing as a Justine Burger?” Colin said as he and Mia drove down Center Street.
“Since your grandma and Aunt Beth designed this hunt,” Mia replied.
“Let’s hope the servers at Herman’s were told about it,” he said as they pulled into the parking lot.
The only thing that had changed about Herman’s Hamburgers was the model and year of the cars parked outside. They walked past the same life-size wooden figure of a woman in a German dirndl holding a platter with a hamburger. The little sign hanging from her neck still said Willkommen in Herman’s. The place was packed with young families crowded into booths for a Friday-night treat, devouring burgers and shakes and, same as when Colin and Mia were young, teens hanging out and flirting. It smelled like fried onions, and even though Colin had just had dinner, his mouth watered.
“This place never changes,” Mia observed as they got in line behind a half dozen teenagers. “Even the menu’s still the same.”
“Except for the garlic fries,” he said, pointing at a high school boy walking by with a huge serving of them.
“An excellent addition.” Mia sighed. “I wish I had room for a chocolate-dipped cone.”
How many of those had they ordered over the years? Enough to stock a hundred ice cream trucks, probably.
“Colin.”
The voice behind him cracked like a whip and made him jump. He turned to see a petite redhead wearing shorts and a top that showed off a perfectly toned body. Her lips, a little thin to begin with, were now an angry, red line. And the green eyes were narrowed to slits.
“Lorelei,” he stammered. “What are you doing here?” She didn’t eat beef. Why had she picked tonight to start?
“What do you think I’m doing here?” she snapped. “I was trying to find someplace to eat and saw your car pull in.”
“Uh, good choice for dinner. They’ve got great burgers.” Oh, boy, was that the best he could do? Under the circumstances, yeah.
Lorelei looked as if she’d rather bite his head off than eat a burger. “Are you taking a break from your...whatever?”
“Treasure hunt,” Mia said. “Hi. I’m Mia.”
Lorelei looked at Mia as if she might just bite her head off, too. “I’m Lorelei, Colin’s girlfriend. I came up here to help him.”
“That was nice of you,” Mia said sweetly.
Colin was beginning to sweat. They needed to turn up the AC in here. “Lorelei, I’m sorry, but I can’t bring in outside help. It’s a stipulation in the will.”
Lorelei glanced suspiciously at Mia.
“We’re inheriting something together,” Colin explained as the line moved up.
“Together.” Lorelei repeated the word like a student learning a foreign language. “And you’re looking for it at a burger place.” She sounded beyond skeptical.
Not surprising. This was really weird. “One of our clues is here.”
A carefully penciled eyebrow shot up. “Written in French fries?”
And Gram had thought this would be fun? Now it was their turn to order. “We want a Justine burger,” he told the skinny kid taking orders.
The kid scratched his nose, inadvertently drawing attention to a zit growing near one nostril. “A what?”
“A Justine burger,” Colin repeated.
The kid gaped in confusion then called to the girl at the drive-up window. “Hey, Carly, have we got a Justine burger?”
“A what?” she called back.
“A Justine burger.”
“Nope.”
“Nope,” the kid echoed. “Sorry.”
“Maybe we got the clue wrong,” Colin said to Mia.
Mia shook her head vehemently. “No way. Is your manager here?”
“Yeah, I’ll get him.” The kid took off.
“You’re looking for a burger?” Lorelei sounded incredulous.
“It has our next clue,” Colin explained.
“You expect me to believe that?” she said in disgust.
“Yeah, I do. Why would I lie?”
Again, Lorelei checked out Mia. “I don’t know. You tell me.”
Oh, boy.
Now the night manager, who didn’t seem much older than the kid taking orders, appeared. “Hey, you guys wanting the Justine burger?”
“Yes,” said both Colin and Mia.
“I think Evan knows about that.”
Of course. It made sense that Gram would have talked to the current owner of Herman’s. “Thanks,” Colin said. “Where is he?”
“He’s not here. But he’ll be in tomorrow when we open at eleven.”
“Looks like that’s it for tonight, then,” Mia said, and Lorelei smiled.
“I guess so. I’ll take you back to Aunt Beth’s.”
“Hey, what about me?” Lorelei asked.
“I can walk back,” Mia said. “It’s not that far.”
“I don’t mind taking you,” Colin told her. It was tacky to make her walk home. “I’ll be right back,” he promised Lorelei, who’d already slipped her arm through his.
She frowned.
He pulled a twenty from his wallet. “Order whatever you want and a huckleberry shake for me.”
The frown didn’t leave, but she took his money and said, “Okay.”
He gave her a quick kiss and that was
embarrassing. It shouldn’t have been. She was his girlfriend, after all. But with Mia standing right there...
As if she cared. She’d moved on years ago, so what did it matter if he kissed another woman in front of her?
“You could’ve stayed,” she said as they got back in the car.
“Hey, I’m not such a bum that I’m going to leave you to walk home.”
“Like I said, it’s not far.”
“It’s the principle of the thing.”
“You always were chivalrous,” she said softly. “You remember punching Billy Williams in the eye?”
He snickered. “Poor, old Bill Will.”
Then there’d been the other time, with Adrian Malk, but neither brought that up. Too humiliating for both of them. Silence entered the car like a big old rhino and camped between them for the rest of the ride.
The car had hardly come to a stop when she hopped out. “Thanks.”
“I’ll come by tomorrow at ten to.”
She nodded, then ran up the walk to Aunt Beth’s.
He watched her go, thinking what a great ass she had. Heck, she had great everything. The woman looked good from every angle. Why wasn’t she with someone?
His cell phone let him know that Lorelei was waiting. And that brought up a whole new question. Why was he with someone who wasn’t Mia? Oh, yeah, because Mia hadn’t wanted him. Anyway, he was happy with Lorelei. She was great. They were great. Yep, great.
“We finally get to hang out?” she greeted him when he sat down next to her in the booth at Herman’s.
“Sorry,” he said, and kissed her. Not so embarrassing this time.
“Well, I did come all this way,” she reminded him.
That irritated him. Who’d asked her to? “I told you that you didn’t need to. I don’t know how long it’s going to take.”
“That’s okay. I’ve got all weekend.” She slid a burger his way. “Here. I ordered us veggie burgers.”
Veggie burgers? He hadn’t noticed that on the menu. When did Herman’s start serving veggie burgers? And, “Where’s my huckleberry shake?”
“All that fat,” she said, wincing. “I got us water instead.”
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