Home on Apple Blossom Road (Life in Icicle Falls) by Sheila Roberts Page B

scramble.”
    “I should’ve known 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