Better Than Chocolate Part 37

He grinned. "That's okay. I'm more interested in the woman who makes them."

And to prove it, he kissed her again.

"So when do you think you might be open to that date?" he said after they'd come up for air.

"Oh, maybe as soon as I call Mom and my sisters and tell them the good news," she said with a grin.

She called Cecily first. Her sister was happy for her but didn't sound all that surprised. "I just had a feeling," she said.

"What else have you got a feeling about?" Samantha asked, smiling at Blake.

"Well, I've got a strong feeling that Blake is still there with you. Am I right?"

"Oh, yeah. By the way, we're going to be pretty busy rebuilding the company and I could use help with the marketing and advertising. I know you've got a life down there but I'd love to have you back here. I don't suppose I could talk you into coming home?"

"I don't suppose you could keep me away," Cecily replied.

Oh, yes, life was looking good.

Samantha and Blake celebrated by going to dinner at Zelda's. "Are you having dessert?" Maria asked.

Samantha smiled at Blake. "Yes, but not here."

Maria, no fool, cracked, "Let me guess. You're going someplace for chocolate kisses?"

"Something much better," Samantha said with a grin.

Muriel was walking on Lost Bride Trail with both her husbands. "It looks like Sweet Dreams will be around for a long time," she told them. "Samantha saved it."

"That takes a load off my mind," Waldo said.

"Mine, too," Stephen agreed. "The only thing that would please me even more is to know that she's found someone who can make her happy."

"I think she has," Muriel said.

He smiled. "I'm glad to hear it." He looked up the path. "We have to go now. Will you be all right?"

She smiled at both of them. "Yes, I will. You two go on ahead. I'll be fine here."

They both kissed her and then walked up the path. She stood watching until a mountain mist swallowed them.

She awoke to find herself alone in her bed, morning sunlight filling her bedroom. She smiled, then threw off the covers. It was a new day.

May had arrived and the countryside was lush and green with vineyards come back to life and blossoming fruit trees. This particular Sat.u.r.day was a perfect day for a hike, all blue sky and suns.h.i.+ne.

Blue skies or no, Samantha had planned to get caught up on her laundry and maybe clean her apartment. And she said as much to Blake when he suggested a hike. Cleaning had never sat high on her priority list but these days, between running Sweet Dreams and spending her free hours with Blake, it never happened. If she didn't do something soon, her condo was going to be condemned by the board of health.

"Come on, babe. On a day like this, that stuff can wait."

When he put it that way... "I'll get my camera," she said.

Two hours later they were on Lost Bride Trail, the sun warm on their shoulders, the thunder of the falls promising a stunning view right around the bend. Normally it wasn't a two-hour hike to the falls-unless you stopped frequently to take pictures. Or kiss.

"I remember hiking up here when I was a Boy Scout," Blake said. "I guess I've come full circle."

"Only without the boys," Samantha said.

"I like girls better." And to prove it he drew her to him.

As always, contact with that big, football-player body of his set off a thousand sparklers inside her.

He smiled down at her. "Have I told you recently how amazing you are?"

"Oh, you're only saying that 'cause it's true," she quipped.

"Yeah? How do you know I'm not just saying it to protect my investment?"

The answer to that was easy. The hungry glint in his eyes betrayed him.

He touched his lips to hers and threaded his fingers through her hair and that ended the joking. They got serious.

After a long delay they finally made it to the falls. "Look at that," she said. "Gorgeous."

"I'll say," he agreed.

She turned to see he wasn't admiring the falls at all, and that glint was back in his eyes, promising another lengthy delay before they started back down the trail. "Here," he said, "give me the camera. I'll take your picture."

She handed it over.

"Pretend you're searching for the lost bride," he said.

"Oh, that's B.S." She'd seen the lost bride and...well, here she was with Blake. Still.

"Come on, be a sport," he coaxed.

"Oh, all right." She turned and shaded her eyes as if she were, indeed, searching.

And that was when she saw the figure of a woman flitting behind the waters. The hairs on her neck stood on end and she gasped.

"That's perfect," Blake said. "Got it."

She turned back to him, wide-eyed. "Did you get her?"

"Get who?" he asked, puzzled "Oh, yeah. Ha, ha."

"No. Really. She's right there." Samantha followed the direction of her pointing finger and saw...nothing. "She was there. I saw her." She took the camera and flipped back to the shot. There was only one woman in it, one crazy woman.

Now Blake was staring at her earnestly. "Did you see her?"

Well, that was the power of suggestion for you. She shook her head and blew off the legend of the lost bride with a flick of her hand. "Nah. It must have been a shadow."

Or a promise of things to come.

Epilogue: Dreams Coming True

The much-antic.i.p.ated episode of All Things Chocolate aired on the Food Network the following week. The Sterlings had a viewing party, squeezing as many friends as possible into Muriel's new digs-Pat's charming little cottage overlooking Ed York's vineyard.

"I must say-and I don't say this very often-these chocolates are to die for," said Mimi LeGrande, holding up one of Samantha's new creations. "But I think I can guarantee you'll die with a smile on your face."

Everyone applauded as she put in a plug for visiting the Sweet Dreams shop and Icicle Falls.

"You did it, Sammy," Bailey said. "You saved us."

"No," Samantha corrected her. "We all did it."

"Thank G.o.d," Ed murmured. "And this." He waved a hand in the direction of the TV. "This should bring in a ton of orders."

"And visitors," Olivia added. "I bet we'll have twice as many people at the chocolate festival next year," she predicted gleefully.

"Let's not rush our festivals," Ed told her. "We still have an Oktoberfest to put together."

With Mom and Cecily involved, Samantha suspected it would be spectacular.

Her sister had jumped into community life with both feet when she moved back, volunteering at the food bank and getting herself (and Mom) on a committee to plan future festivals-a real benefit to the town. She was also a benefit to Sweet Dreams and was doing a great job of promoting the company.

In addition to the festival planning, Mom was writing a new book, a cookbook t.i.tled A Chocolate Lover's Sweet Dream, but that didn't stop her from coming into the office a couple of times a week to a.s.sist Cecily with marketing.

Curled up on the sofa next to Blake, looking around at all the people who meant so much to her and thinking about how they'd all helped one another through a difficult time, Samantha felt almost overwhelmed with grat.i.tude. Waldo would have loved this party, she thought with a smile. Everything worked out, Waldo. You're off the hook.

Blake gave her a kiss that promised fireworks when they were alone, then went to the kitchen counter where the champagne was sitting to freshen their gla.s.ses. That done, he turned and cleared his throat. "While we're celebrating, I have a very important question to ask Samantha."

"Like when am I going to pay back the money?" she joked.

He returned to the couch and held out a champagne gla.s.s. "Like how about making me a silent partner?" At the bottom of the gla.s.s something bright and sparkly winked at her.

"Oh, my gosh, it's a ring!" Bailey cried.

"I knew you were a match all along," Cecily crowed.

Samantha was the only one of the sisters who was speechless. She stared at the gla.s.s and the diamond in it. Then she stared at Blake. Her company was safe, the future was looking good for Icicle Falls once more, and now the most wonderful man in the world was asking her to marry him. Great-grandma Rose couldn't have dreamed up anything better than this.

"I know I can never properly appreciate your chocolate, but I sure do appreciate you. Samantha Sterling, I'm crazy in love with you. Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" She kissed him and everyone applauded.

While she fished out the ring and slipped it on her finger, her mother and sisters circulated among the guests, making sure everyone's champagne gla.s.s was filled.

Once that was accomplished Ed York raised his gla.s.s. "A toast. Here's to a sweet future for both of you."

"I'll toast to that," Blake said, and kissed his bride-to-be.

Samantha closed her eyes and savored the moment. No chocolate could compare to Blake's kisses. Like Waldo said, did it get any better than this?

With the man she'd chosen, she was sure it would.

Recipes from the Sterlings

If you're ever in Icicle Falls we hope you'll come visit Sweet Dreams. Meanwhile, enjoy trying some of our favorite chocolate recipes.

Samantha Sterling

THE CHOCOLATE ROSE WHITE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE.

(Our friend Sheila Roberts tried to make this and failed miserably, but her pal Doreen Geidel came through and saved the day. Doreen, you're a real chocolatier!) Yield: 48 candies Ingredients: 2 14-oz bags of vanilla candy disks,