“Sure,” Candy replied quickly, and then she gave a little sigh, “but not the way you mean. I could do it, though. I know I could. I mean, I know how to set a table, and pour coffee for people, and dish up food and stuff like that. And I can make candy for your shop. I’ve been making candy for a couple of years now, ever since I turned thir…”—Candy stopped abruptly and swallowed hard—“…ever since I was really young.”

Hannah smiled. Getting information from a chilled, tired teenager wasn’t at all difficult. She’d already learned that Candy’s last name started with R, she had a mother and a deceased father who’d been a veterinarian, and a couple of years had passed since she’d been thirteen. If this kept up, they’d have the story of Candy’s life before they’d finished their hot chocolate.

“Here you go,” Hannah said, carrying Candy’s mug to the workstation and setting it down in front of her. She poured a mug for Norman, filled one for herself, and delivered those, too. “I don’t know if you’re still hungry, but would you like a cookie?”

Candy looked delighted. “You bet! I mean…yes, please. You make really good cookies.”

“Thanks.” Hannah hid a grin as she carried a plate of her newest creation to the table. Obviously, Candy had been taught to be polite and that was another fact to add to the mix. “You two can be my taste testers,” she told them. “I’m trying out a new cookie and I’m not sure what I’m going to call it. Maybe you can help me come up with a name.”

“They’re good,” Norman said, after the first bite. “That’s raspberry I taste, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I made them with seedless raspberry jam.”

Candy finished her first cookie and started to reach for a second. Then she drew her hand back and looked at Hannah. “Could I please have another?”

“Of course. Help yourself.”

“I like the way the outside crunches and the inside is chewy.” Candy took another bite and then she looked over at Hannah again. “Could you make them with other jams, like blackberry? Or strawberry, or mixed berry?”

“I don’t see why not. They might not be as attractive if you used blueberry, but any other berry should be fine.”

“That’s perfect, then. How about if you call them Merry Berry Cookies? It rhymes and everything, and that means it’ll be easy to remember. And eating them makes you happy so that’s where the ‘merry’ part comes in.”

“What a great idea!” Norman praised her. “‘Merry Berry Cookies’ sounds perfect to me. Are you sure you don’t have an advanced degree in marketing?”

Candy giggled and Hannah felt like beaming. Norman was helping to relax her, and perhaps she’d tell them more about her background and what she was doing here in Lake Eden.

“I don’t have an advanced degree in anything. I haven’t even finished…” Candy halted and cleared her throat. “I haven’t even declared my major yet.”