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This didn’t sound pro "You’d better tell me," she said

Oliver buried his hands in his pockets "Blarounded"

"Grounded?" She blinked "What does that rounded," he repeated "Because of the weather We’re stuck in Yakiar

1 cup butter

2 ½ cups applesauce

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups raisins

2 cups walnuts, chopped

4 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp nut

2 tsp cinnamon

2 pounds candied dried fruit ar and butter Add beaten eggs and applesauce Mix flour, salt, spices, soda and baking powder, then gradually add to other ingredients Mix well Blend in candied fruit, dates, raisins and nuts Mixture will be stiff Bake in 325-degree oven in two loaf pans for one hour

Cool and remove fruitcake from pans Cut a piece of cheesecloth to fit and soak in ½ cup ru alcohol over the fruitcake Wrap fruitcake in cheesecloth and then cellophane, followed by aluerator for up to three months

Chapter Four

"This is a bad joke--isn’t it?" Emma cried "Oh, please tellscowl, Emma could see he wasn’t pleased about this turn of events, either He’d obviously enjoyed giving her the bad news but he wasn’t grinning anymore A delay probably affected his bottom line Oscar sat down next to Oliver and stared up at him confidently She’d heard so; that was certainly the case with poor deluded Oscar

"I mentioned the weather earlier, reotten that Her afternoon lad she hadn’t taken it yet "What are we supposed to do now?"

"Wait it out We could find ways to entertain ourselves"

This was exactly the kind of comment she expected from Flyboy And was that a wink? "In your dreaestions?"

Eet out late this afternoon, but I wouldn’t count on it" He raised his eyes to study the heavily clouded sky "There’s a snowstor in our direction The clouds don’t concern "

Emma wasn’t sure what that ot an article to write," sheher lower lip Walt had wanted the first piece written as quickly as possible Earleen Williareat interview, but Emma still hadn’t decided exactly what slant she should take She needed time to study her notes and think over their conversation

Oliver nodded glu around here all day, twiddlinghis delivery if he hadn’t been waiting for her She felt bad about that She’d been less than gracious "Are you hungry?" she asked

"Why?" His voice was suspicious

"I was being friendly" She glanced across the street at a café Several letters in the neon sign had burned out It’d once read MINNIE’S PLACE but now said MI…CE This wasn’t exactly an entice It was past noon and all she’d had to eat was a small slice of liquor-drenched--and quite delicious--fruitcake

"Are you offering to buy me lunch?"

Emma ht, as long as you don’t order anything over five dollars"

Oliver grinned "You’ve got yourself a date"

"This isn’t a date"

"Sure it is," he said "One day I’ll tell our children you asked me out first"

"One more remark like that, and you can buy your own lunch"

Oliver chuckled "I wasn’t trying to be funny"

"Yeah, right"