“That sounds wonderful. I know I’d like it if I could just get past the raw fish part. Maybe it’s because I’m from Minnesota and my father fished.”

“Could be. How are you coming along at the gym?”

“I’ve added a bunch of new suspects to my list.” Hannah gave a little laugh. “Ronni insulted quite a few women in her classes. Of course when it came to the men, she was exactly the opposite.”

“That figures.”

“I was just wondering…you joined Heavenly Bodies, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but not because of Ronni. I thought you knew me better than that. I’m a one-woman guy, and I’ve found her. And just because she hasn’t said yes yet doesn’t mean I’m going out looking.”

“That’s not really what I…well, maybe it was, but I…”

“I’m flattered you were jealous.” Norman seemed to sense that she was uncomfortable, and he jumped in before she could stutter out any more half-explanations. He reached out for her hand, squeezed it once, and started to say more when footsteps approached and the curtains parted.

“Well hello, you two!” Delores arrived with Carrie, and Andrea and Michelle were right behind her. “Our waitress will be right here with tonight’s specials. Let’s have a nice meal, and then we can get down to business over dessert and coffee.”

Dessert. The word rang in Hannah’s mind like a tolling bell. No dessert for her, even though Sally’s dessert cart was laden with some of the most scrumptious concoctions she’d ever tasted. Her flourless chocolate cake was fantastic, her mousse of the night was always mouthwatering, and her lemon torte was nothing short of legendary.

“What’s the matter, Hannah?” Norman asked.

“Dessert,” Hannah said in a mournful tone. “I can’t even have fresh fruit.”

“Why not?”

“There is no fresh fruit in November. This is Minnesota. The only things that grow in Minnesota in the winter are icicles.”

Norman laughed, and when Hannah joined in, he slipped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a little hug. “I promise you’ll have dessert, Hannah. When the mothers decided to meet out here for dinner, I talked to Sally and we dreamed up a special dessert just for you.”

Hannah opened her mouth to say she couldn’t possibly eat it, not if it contained over fifty calories. And what dessert didn’t contain over fifty calories? But then she thought about how hurt Norman would be if she refused to eat his carefully planned dessert.