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"She interviewed the three Washington State fruitcake recipe finalists"

"I know" Oliver realized he probably sounded s "I was the one who flew her in for the interviews Don’t you remember I told you about that?"

"Yes, but you didn’t tellor what for"

"She usually writes obituaries, Mom"

"You haven’t read her articles, have you?"

"I’ve been busy"

"Everyone in town is talking about thee club luncheon, we all said ere surprised soe?"

"The paper ran her photo at the bottom of the last article She’s an attractive woman"

Oliver agreed

"My son is dating Eht" He didn’t think noas the tireed to this only because she’d lost a bet

"I can’t believe you haven’t said anything!"

"Sorry"

"You should be That girl is gifted Those articles were so good"

"Save theh the papers in his recycling bin, but just in case…

"I already used one of the recipes and I’ to serve it on Christmas Day"

Oliver liked fruitcake, and there always seemed to be plenty of it around his parents’ house "So I can bring Emma?"

"Don’t you dare shoithout her"

"Wouldn’t dream of it"

As soon as he arrived home, Oliver collected a week’s worth of papers and sat doith the until he located the first article--about the Yakima interview He studied a picture of Earleen Williarapher He recalled that first flight and how nervous she’d been Then he remembered her problem with the television in the motel room and her effort to hear the news that turned out to be nudes At that he laughed outright

His htful and ritten Within a few paragraphs, Oliver felt he knew Earleen He’d certainly nize their oorth or, as in Earleen’s case, recognized it later in life Eically but subtly, she led the reader to her own conclusion--that this was a generous wo men who didn’t deserve her devotion

He found the article about Sophie McKay next Sophie was a woman who enjoyed life Neither she nor her fruitcake recipe was in any way typical She took the ingredients she liked best and combined them into a truly unique recipe, just as she’d done with her life Both she and her beloved husband, Harry, had been willing to compromise on the fruitcake issue and, no doubt, on the e After his death, she’d mourned him and continued to love him but also continued to live Sophie McKay, like her fruitcake, was one of a kind

As Oliver ruh discarded papers for the third and final article, he understood what had intrigued his mother and her friends about E of these women’s lives was compassionate as well as incisive

When he found the third article, he sy Lucas surrounded by her children He alraph The theme for that article was eat it now and the No-Bake Fruitcake recipe followed With Peggy, too, Eht tone

In all three articles, she’d ed to write about fruitcake--on the surface a rather li Fruitcake as a sy advertising dollars for Walt, but she shouldn’t worry What she lacked in sales ability shetalent

Oliver saw that it was al his hand down his cheek, he decided to shave He was in a good mood and knew he should credit Emma with that She’d ih There was a lot to be said for a wo on his leather jacket, which had survived its icy bath in Puget Sound, he reached for the wine bottle, called Oscar and together,what he hoped was a sexy Cary Grant pose, Oliver rang the doorbell He leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb and crossed his ankles, bottle tucked under one ar the lock, she opened the door and immediately made a fuss over Oscar She hardly seemed to notice Oliver was even there Apparently she was immune to his many charo

"That’s all the greeting I get?" he chided

She wore a towel apron over jeans and looked lovely He couldn’t resist Slipping his hand behind her neck, Oliver bent forward and kissed her She tasted wonderful--a little spicy, a little sweet

She blinked several times when he released her "Hi," she said in a husky voice, sounding flustered When they’d firsther about how much she wanted him Actually, the reverse was true He wanted her In an effort to derail the direction of his thoughts, he asked, "What’s for dinner?"

"If I don’t get back to the stove in a hurry, it’ll be takeout" She dashed across the room and returned to her kitchen

Oliver bent down and petted Boots The two dogs resu

"Ever heard of puttanesca?" Ee can of crushed tomatoes into a pan

"Putin what?" Oliver asked as he set the wine bottle down on the crowded countertop "Is it some Russian dish?"