“I’d appreciate it if you’d remind those guys at the counter that gambling’s illegal in Minnesota. And then you can tell Hal that I’m not going to marry either one of you and that he should donate every cent of the money he’s holding to charity.”

When Hannah came in the back door at The Cookie Jar, Lisa gave her a thumbs-up. “You were absolutely right to turn both of them down.”

“Thanks, but how did you hear about it so soon?”

Lisa pointed to the wall next to the sink and Hannah turned to look. The cord from the wall phone was stretched out to its limit and the phone attached to the end of the cord was out of sight, shut tightly in the drawer that held the dishtowels. “Too many calls?”

“You said it!” Hannah’s petite partner gave a little laugh. “Everybody in town who doesn’t know wants to pump me for information. And everybody who does know wants to be the first to tell me about it. I couldn’t get the baking done and answer the phone at the same time, so I took it off the hook.”

“And you hid it in the drawer so you wouldn’t see it on the counter and feel guilty?”

“You know me too well.”

“Well, I’m here now. I’ll take care of the calls.” Hannah opened the drawer, retrieved the phone, and hung it back on the hook. There was a moment of breathless anticipation and then it began to ring.

“Your turn,” Lisa declared, slipping into her coat and heading for the door. “I’m running over to the school with the cookies for the faculty meeting.”

“Put on your gloves. It’s cold out there,” Hannah called after her. Then she reached for the phone, hoping the person on the other end of the line was someone comfortable, someone friendly, someone from out of state. “The Cookie Jar. Hannah speaking.”

“Hi, Hannah!” A familiar voice reached Hannah’s ear. “I figured you were here when I couldn’t get you at home.”

“You were right,” Hannah said, giving a big sigh of relief. It was Michelle, her youngest sister, calling from the house she rented with friends and fellow students just off the Macalester campus.

“I heard you turned both of them down.”

Hannah sputtered slightly. Michelle was over sixty miles away. “How did you know?”

“It’s not like I live in a vacuum. Lots of people keep me up to date on what’s happening in Lake Eden.”

“Mother!” Hannah breathed.

“Mother,” Michelle confirmed. “You did the right thing, Hannah. It’s a whole lot better than saying yes to one of them and changing your mind later.”

“You’re right. Is that why you called?”