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The Zavijava Is Still Open
Toby backed out of Frank’s driveway. “So, where to?”
“I want to go to the hotel.“
“Sure thing.” He glanced at her. “Is everything alright?”
“Yes, definitely.”
“Uh-huh. Tell me what you’re feeling.”
“Toby, does it ever get warm here?”
He laughed. “It’s so beautiful here in the Spring, Meri. You’ll love it.”
“I love you.”
“But you’ll have that wherever we go.”
“You have a good job. I should move here.”
“You have a good job, too.”
“I can do that anywhere.”
“We can look at houses before you go back to the city. Maybe there are some with home offices.”
Meredith cried. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Are you getting cold feet?”
“In this godforsaken wilderness? I’m getting cold everything.” She laughed. “I’m just kind of freaking out. This is, like, wow.”
“I know. I’m having a hard time with exactly how real this has become.”
“Do we need to pump the brakes?”
“No.” He glanced at her as he turned the corner. “I wouldn’t take a single thing back. It’s just really weird to have your dreams come true.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you want to stop at the Zavijava for something to warm you up?”
“It’s kind of late. I don’t know if it’s still open.”
“I think they’re open late for Christmas shoppers.” Toby scanned ahead. “Looks like the sign is lit.”
“I wouldn’t mind a cuppa.”
Toby smiled. “Your wish is my command.”
“Hmm, that opens a lot of promising territory.”
“Whatever is mine is yours.”
“Ooh.”
“Especially my heart.”
“Aw.” She leaned against his arm. “That’s the part I want the most.”
“It’s yours, forever and always.”
“Knock it off, already. You’re going to make me cry.”
“Good thing they’re open. I wouldn’t want you to get dehydrated.” He pulled into a parking spot near the door. “Nice and close, so you won’t get too cold going in.”
“My hero.”
He hurried around to open the door for her, holding his coat open to wrap around her. “What are you getting?”
“Black coffee and, uh, something.”
“Very decisive of you, Mr. Belzer.”
“Thank you, Future Mrs. Belzer. What will you be having?”
“Probably a heart attack if you say that again. Toby, are you serious?”
“Hmm, proposal accepted. Emerald ring accepted. General announcement made to friends and family. Yeah, I think I’m serious. How about you?”
She threw her hands over her geeky smile. “Yeah, I’m serious, too.”
“What can I get for you?” The barista asked.
“Large black coffee for me and whatever my fiancée is having.”
She squealed into her hands as she studied the menu board. “I’ll have a gingerbread latte and a cranberry scone.”
“Oh, a chocolate chip cookie for me, please.” Toby added.
“If you step down to the register, Dustin will ring you up.” She said as she began to work on their order.
“Dustin?” Meredith slid down to the register. “Aren’t you the pastor’s son?”
“Sure am.” He smiled. “They were short-handed tonight. Did you enjoy the wedding?”
“Definitely.” She studied the young man. “Did you?”
“Yes, thank you. It was very kind of them to invite me.”
“Well, it’s not everybody that gets to have a superhero at their wedding.”
A flash of panic registered on his face. “A superhero? Did I miss something?”
“Yeah, me too.” Toby said, sliding up to her with the tray containing their snacks. “There was a superhero at the wedding?”
“Maybe I was mistaken.” Meredith smiled. “Kendra told me about something that happened last year.”
“She did?” Dustin looked at the order. “Um, coffee, latte, cookie, scone. $12.59.”
“She said that everybody believes Slipstream saved the town from getting robbed, but she knows it was somebody local.”
“She didn’t say who?” Dustin took the money from Toby.
“No, but she has drawings of somebody in a dark blue coat all over her room. He’s her hero. Seems like he’s Wyoming Pass’ hero, but he’s shy.”
“Wyoming Pass has its own superhero?” Toby shook his head. “Wow, that’s amazing.”
“Some day, we’ll have to get his autograph for our collection.”
“Our collection?”
“Well, yeah. We’re going to merge our collections once we get married. Right?”
“I hadn’t even thought about that.” Toby slid the tray forward so the young lady could place their cups beside their snacks. “Thank you.”
Dustin watched them go find their seat.
“What was that all about?” The barista asked.
“Beats me. Guess they heard some kind of rumor.”
“That would be kind of cool, though.”
“What?”
“If Wyoming Pass had its own superhero.”
“Think so?”
“Yeah, I’ll bet he’s hot.” She turned and headed back to her station to clean up the machines.
“Are you alright?” Toby asked, as he grabbed a few extra napkins.
Dustin hadn’t seen him walk up. “Me? Sure.”
Toby shook his head and returned to the table. “Nice kid. A little strange, though.”
“Toby, don’t look at him right now, but he’s the superhero of Wyoming Pass.”
“What?”
“Seriously. Kendra told me.”
“Is that why she’s always gawking at him in church?”
“Yes, he saved the whole town last year.”
“I was there, Meri.” He dunked his cookie in the coffee. “They told us it was Slipstream, but that never sat right with me.”
“Exactly, he wouldn’t know what was going on way out here.”
“But you just told him she didn’t tell you.”
“I didn’t want him to be angry with her for telling. Toby, she’s got drawings of him all over her room. It’s adorable.”
“How did she find out?”
“She saw him raid the candy cart outside of the toy store.”
“He runs on candy?”
“No, of course not. He was trying to boost his blood sugar so he could finish taking down the bad guys. He’s a Sentinel in training.”
“Wow, now I want his autograph.”
“I know, right?” Meredith looked over at Dustin.
“But Slipstream showed up at the end to debrief the police.”
“He did?”
“Yes, after the Krampus gang was all-”
“The what?”
“They all wore Krampus masks when they robbed everybody.”
“Oh, weird.”
“It was part of the intimidation. Imagine if some guy dressed up as Krampus stuck a gun in your face.”
“Did they do that to you?”
“I was out by the soft pretzel guy listening to the Victorian Carolers and all heck broke loose. They yelled for everyone to get down and started shooting up in the air. What could I do?”
“I’m so glad you’re alright.”
“I don’t know that I would have been if it hadn’t been for Slipstream or whoever it was. The guy near me was getting really agitated. I thought he was going to start shooting people indiscriminately.”
“Toby, that’s awful. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“It was…” Toby just stared at the door until Meredith turned to see who it was.
“Oh, wow.”