Christmas in Wine Country (45 page)

Concurrent with Lila’s relieved sigh, Jake—whose relaxation and happiness remained unperturbed—said, “Thanks, Annie.” After a moment, he added, “You’re…growing on me.”

Nodding in appreciation of his wryness, she pointed a finger at him. “Don’t screw things up.”

“I have no intention of doing that.” 

“All right then.” Giving them a smile that could only be described as satisfied, Annie wished them Happy New Year and went to join Pete.

Alone at last, Jake insisted on pouring them both champagne. In lieu of champagne flutes, Lila retrieved some of Joyce’s heavy blue-glazed mugs from the kitchen. Heading back into the main room of the café, empty save Jake on the picnic blanket opening the champagne bottle, Lila paused for a moment. Was it all simply a hallucination induced through too much happiness? As Jake swore and bit his thumb, injured implausibly by the wire holding down the champagne cork, Lila took the imperfection as proof that, yes, Virginia, there was a Santa Claus and this was, indeed, all happening. 

Popping off the cork, Jake nearly filled the two mugs with bubbly. Holding his up, he promised, “Next New Year’s I’ll tak
e you somewhere more romantic.”

“I’m pretty happy right here,” she smiled up at him, clunking mugs for a toast.

“Oh, and wait!” Jake jumped up, grabbed his jacket and fished around in the pocket to retrieve a large bar of dark chocolate. Joining her back on the blanket, he leaned against the wall and wrapped an arm around Lila as she leaned against his chest. “Now we’re all set.”  

Outside, the fog settled in, the waves continued their ceaseless pounding and a packed Ted’s erupted in a chorus of “Happy New Years.” Back in the kitchen of Corner to Corner Café, the moment of midnight passed unnoticed, too involved were Jake and Lila in the business of engaging in the happiness of the new year. 

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