Devil's Food Cake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #14)(28)

“Yes.” Norman popped the rest of the orange cookie in his mouth. Once it was gone, an expression of mock horror spread over his face. “Uh-oh! I didn’t mean to finish it. I wasn’t through comparing the lemon with the orange.”

Hannah laughed and went to fetch two more cookies. She could hardly wait to tell Delores how much Norman liked them.

“Did they have their new pastrami burger on the menu when you went out to The Corner Tavern with Mike on Saturday?”

Hannah was surprised at the question. How had Norman known that she’d gone out to dinner with Mike on Saturday night? But Mike had probably mentioned it. The two men were friends, after all. “Yes, they did,” she told him. “It was the first item on the burger page.”

“How was it?”

“I didn’t have it. I ordered the bacon cheeseburger melt. It’s one of my favorites.” Hannah was silent, wondering if she should ask if Norman had gone out to dinner with Doctor Bev. Several of her regulars at The Cookie Jar had mentioned that they’d seen them together on multiple occasions. “How about you?” she finally asked, hoping it sounded like a casual, friendly question. “Did you have it?”

“Oh, we weren’t there. I took Bev out to Bertanelli’s for a jumbo Hawaiian special.”

“But I thought you didn’t like pineapple on your pizza!” The words flew out of Hannah’s mouth before she could stop them. She was shocked that someone had actually talked Norman into eating something he’d told her he didn’t like.

“I’m still not that fond of it, but it’s Bev’s favorite pizza so I’m trying to learn to like it.”

You always ordered a half and half with me, Hannah thought, but of course she didn’t say it. There was no way I could get you to even try one anchovy! You must like her better than you like me.

“I’d rather be with you,” Norman said, reaching out for her hand. And then, just when Hannah was beginning to feel good again, he continued, “but I get tired waiting for my turn to see you. It’s great to have someone else who likes to spend time with me. If I want to go out to dinner and you’re doing something with Mike, I ask Bev.”

And Doctor Bev’s just sitting there waiting for you? Hannah wanted to ask, but she didn’t.

“Bev’s usually available, so it works out just fine. She dates only one other man in town.”

“One other man?” This time Hannah asked the first question that popped into her mind.

“Mike.” Norman must have seen the surprised look on her face, because he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry, Hannah. I thought for sure he told you. Bev lives right across from him, and it’s really convenient. If she’s out with Mike, you’re usually available to go out with me. And if you’re with me, she goes out with Mike. It keeps everybody happy and it levels the playing field.”

Hannah frowned slightly. The way Norman described it, Beverly Thorndike sounded like a fuzzy yellow tennis ball, bouncing between the two men. The analogy pleased her until she realized that she fell into that same category, dividing her time between the two players, Mike and Norman, unable to settle on one or the other side of the court.

But thinking like this would get her nowhere, and it certainly wouldn’t answer the question that was foremost in her mind.

“What?” Norman asked, noticing that Hannah had fallen silent, an unusual state for her.

It was now or never, win or lose, do or die. Hannah took the bull by the horns, yet another cliche, and faced Norman squarely. “Why did you ask to see me alone, Norman?”

“I told you after the party last night. It’s because I haven’t spent much time with you lately and I miss you.”

“Then you didn’t come here to break up with me?”

“Break up with you?” Norman looked truly confused. “Of course not! I came to ask if you’d like to go out to dinner with me tonight.”

“Oh,” Hannah said, completely taken off guard.

“Will you?”

“I…yes. Yes, I will.”

“Good!” Norman got to his feet and carried his coffee cup to the sink. “I’ll pick you up at seven, and we’ll go out to the Inn, if that’s okay with you.”

“It’s fine with me.” Hannah made a mental note to call Sally this afternoon and tell her that she’d told Norman the trifle recipe was complicated.

Norman pushed back his stool and stood up. “I’d better run. I’ve got a patient in ten minutes. See you tonight, Hannah.”

After Norman had left, Hannah sat on her stool at the workstation sorting through the new information she’d learned. Both Norman and Mike were dating Doctor Bev. Norman had come right out and told her that he’d rather be with her, but was that true? If she stopped dating Mike, would Norman stop dating Bev? And was that something she wanted them both to do?

“Hannah?”

Hannah looked up, startled, as Lisa stepped in through the swinging door. “Yes?”

“Grandma Knudson just called. She wants to know when you’re going to deliver the cookies for her meeting this afternoon.”

“Tell her I’m on my way,” Hannah said, jumping to her feet and grabbing her parka. She didn’t bother with her snow boots. The walks were shoveled every day at the parsonage, and she’d park in the rear, right next to the kitchen door. She picked up the box of cookies on the counter, grabbed her purse from its perch on top of the water cooler, and headed out the door at a trot.