Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #4)(14)

"Not that! Am I too late?"

"Too late for what?" Hannah asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Don't play games with me, Hannah. Bill told me all about Norman's new house."

"Oh, that!" Hannah did her best not to smile as she met Mike's eyes. He was jealous, pure and simple. The green-eyed monster had sunk its claws into the most handsome man in Lake Eden. Of course Mike didn't have any reason to be jealous, but he didn't know that, and Hannah was enjoying his discomfort too much to tell him quite yet. "Is there some reason why Norman can't build on that property?"

"Not that I know of."

"But you seem upset."

"Of course I'm upset! I was only gone for three days and when I come back, I find out that Norman's building your dream house!"

"It's our dream house," Hannah corrected him, "Norman and I designed it together."

"Then you're going to marry him?" Mike asked, clenching his fists.

"No," Hannah said, knowing that she'd milked Mike's jealousy for all it was worth and any more would be cruel.

52

Joanne Fluke

"Norman's just building the house, that's all. It doesn't have anything to do with me."

Mike exhaled with an audible whoosh and Hannah could see that he was relieved. "But that house is too big for Norman, isn't it?"

"Four bedrooms, three baths."

"That's what I mean. What's he going to do with all that room?" Mike began to frown. "Do you think he's going to ask you to marry him when it's finished?"

Hannah laughed. "If I knew that, I'd set up a hotline and rake in the cash as a telephone psychic."

"What if he does? Will you say yes?"

"I don't know."

"Well, you can't!"

Hannah's heart jumped up into her throat. Was Mike about to propose? And how would she feel about it if he did? "Why can't I?"

"Because you'd never be happy with Norman. Promise me you'll tell me right away if he asks you."

"What good will that do?"

"I don't want to get blindsided. Promise me, Hannah."

"I promise," Hannah said. What else could she say? She didn't like to see Mike looking this miserable.

"Then everything's still status quo with us?"

"Status quo," Hannah repeated, beginning to smile as she wondered what that was, exactly.

Mike got up from his stool and pulled Hannah to her feet to give her a hug. "I don't want to change anything. Everything's great just the way it is."

And then Mike kissed her. It was a long, sweet kiss that was just beginning to kindle into a blaze when Hannah heard someone open the back door.

"Hannah? I just wanted to ask you about..." It was Andrea and she stopped abruptly as she saw what she'd interrupted. "Sorry. I'll come back later."

Mike motioned Andrea in. "That's okay. I was just leaving. If you see Bill before I do, tell him I'm going home to

LEMON MERINGUE PIE MURDER 53

take a quick shower and put on a fresh uniform. I'll catch up with him at the station after lunch."

"What was all that about?" Andrea asked after Mike had left.

"Nothing much." Hannah shrugged, leaving it at that. "What did you want to ask me?"

"It's about Tracey's costume." Andrea eyed the cookies that were cooling on the baker's rack. "Are those Almond Kisses?"

"They're for my catering job, but I baked extras."

"Then I can have a couple?"

"Of course." Hannah watched as Andrea grabbed three cookies. "What were you saying about Tracey's costume?"

"I need to know what kind of shoes the Statue of Liberty wears."

"Really big ones," Hannah quipped, but Andrea didn't look amused. "I think it's sandals, but I'm not positive."

"How would I find out?"

"Run down to the library and look it up in the encyclopedia. There's bound to be a picture."

"Good idea. I asked Janice Cox, but she wasn't sure either. I'm going to dress Tracey up as Lady Liberty. Won't that be cute?"

"Tracey would be cute in any costume."

"I know, but she really wants something with a crown. Is she right-handed?"

"Probably," Hannah said, assuming that Andrea was asking about Lady Liberty and not her daughter. "The torch goes in the right hand, if that's what you're asking. You're not going to put Tracey in green makeup, are you?"

"No. The green's just tarnish anyway. I wonder why they don't polish her up. She'd look a lot better."

"That's easier said than done. Remember when that citizens group got the idea to clean the dome on the county courthouse? They dropped it in a hurry when they found out it would take three years and cost a fortune."

"Time and money. They're always the deciding factors.

54

Joanne Fluke

I'd better run, Hannah. I'm short on time this morning, and I'll be short on money if I don't get out to CostMart in time for their white sale. I'm picking up new towels for the bathroom. Ours are practically in shreds. Is there anything you need while I'm there?"