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A few ar and walked over to Sophie’s Taurus A welcome blast of hot air warer seat

"I have to tell you," Sophie said as she slipped the stick shift into reverse and revved the engine "You co for this interview has really stirred up interest in town We don’t get much notice this side of the mountains Of course, there’s notout of Colville, so the western half of the state doesn’t pay us much mind"

"Your fruitcake recipe is a finalist in a national contest," Eh, "that was exciting news around here It ured anyone in the Seattle area would care about my recipe"

"Why do you think yours was chosen?" Eet started with the intervie She opened her purse and brought out her notebook and one of her pens

"That’s easy It’s different How many recipes have you heard of for chocolate fruitcake?"

"Chocolate?"

"That’s right I created it for o and he loved it Christ er than I can reine your husband appreciates that"

Sophie took her eyes off the road for an instant "Harry’s been gone twenty years"

"I’m sorry," Emma murmured aardly "Uan shortly after Harry and I were ht in World War Two," Sophie told her "I ot a real kick out of that because, you see, we’d had our first real fight over fruitcake I’ll explain all that once we get back to the house He wrote to letit every year since I still have all his letters Now that he’s gone, I read them every once in a while for the memories"

"You never remarried?"

"No, I never did I found the love of my life There wasn’t another man like Harry and I knew it" Sophie shook her head as she drove down Main Street and the large clock that stood in the center of town From there, she turned up a steep hill and past the city park

Although Harry McKay was very different from her own father, Sophie’s devotion re one man her entire life, despite his weaknesses and flaws Bret Collins wasn’t worthy of such adoration, such heartfelt affection And Ehter he see

"Did you have any children?" she asked, unwilling to waste anotherabout her father

"Two sons Both live in other parts of the country Harry was very proud of his sons I aood boys--handsohed a little as she pulled into a long driveway that led to an older hoe front porch Sophie parked in the back and turned off the engine

"The boys want to buy htful look "Lonnie wants to get et what they’re called--Cruisers, I think Unfortunately, they don’t come with a stick shift"

"You don’t like automatics?" Ee, I’m comfortable hat I know"

That made sense to Emma

Sophie ushered her onto the back porch She stepped around pie tins filled with cat food, both kibble and canned

"Sorry for the ized "I feed the strays Some of them have bad teeth, hence the soft food God only knounder this old porch I do what I can for theive them a bit of attention" She paused and sood, even when they don’t appreciate it"

Ee well-maintained lawn and flower beds "Your yard is lovely"

A fir wreath with pinecones and red bows hung in the kitchen"You should seeI have them planted everywhere and the yard is full of color Flowers, cats and chocolate fruitcakes are my passion Harry and the boys, too, of course, buttheir own lives now They don’t need me the way they once did" She unlocked the back door and brought Emma into the oversize family kitchen Three cats meowed as they entered "These are Huey, Duey and Louey They’re the house cats They’re spoiled, ill-s, so you’ll have to forgive them"

Emma petted one, who instantly scooted into another roo alone," Sophie said as she filled the kettle and placed it on the stove "It’s just s"

"That’s understandable"

Sophie walked into the dining rooe teapot "I reserve this one for special co toward the table, she added, "Make yourself comfortable Just pull out the chair if there’s a cat in it and he’ll e tabby was nestled on the seat cushion As soon as Eingly vacated the seat