“You’re right.” Hannah took a moment to think about that. “Actually . . . this might not be a bad thing. I’m sure Mother and Andrea will do a great job. And they can consult with me by phone if there’s a problem when I’m in New York.”
“How about Michelle?”
“She’s going with me as my assistant, so she’s off the wedding team. I wonder if Mother and Andrea can handle it alone. They may have bitten off more than they can chew.”
“I doubt that. Your mother’s a force. She knows how to get things done.”
“That’s true.” Hannah thought of something else that Eric had told her and she sighed heavily. “Will you call your dad and Marge and ask them if they can handle the coffee shop for us while we have a meeting to plan what I’ll bake for the contest?”
“I’ll ask them right now. They’re here at a table in the back. Dad will be really pleased. He loves to help out up front and so does Marge.”
“Is your Aunt Nancy here today? I know she’s been helping you out in front.”
“She’s here. She says it’s a wonderful way to meet the people in Lake Eden, now that she’s moved here.”
“Good. I’ll need you, Michelle, and Aunt Nancy to come back here for the meeting. And I’ll text Mother and Andrea to come here right away. I have to decide which desserts to bake so that I can give the producer a list of the ingredients I’ll need.”
“Okay. I just filled the display cookie jars and made a fresh pot of coffee. That should hold them out front for at least an hour.”
“Thanks, Lisa.”
“You’re welcome. Do you want me to make some white chocolate cocoa for us? I’ve got a new recipe that uses cinnamon and white chocolate chips.”
“That sounds great. I have to talk to all of you, and we’ll meet right here around the work island.”
“Okay. But if this is about the baking contest, why do you need your mother and Andrea? Andrea doesn’t bake anything except whippersnapper cookies, and your mother doesn’t bake at all.”
“I know, but both of them have tasted everything we’ve ever baked in here. And if I don’t invite them, I’ll just have to explain everything all over again.”
“That makes sense. And you need Aunt Nancy because she’s such a good baker?”
“Exactly. Aunt Nancy has more recipes than anyone I know, and she may be able to suggest some desserts that haven’t even occurred to me. I have to come up with some real winning recipes before I leave for the competition, and there’s not that much time.”
“How many desserts do you need?”
“I need one super dessert for the hometown challenge. That’s on the first night. It has to be the best thing I’ve ever baked.”
“What’s the hometown challenge?”
“It’s the only part of the competition that’ll be held in New York. The winner of the challenge gets to move the rest of the competition to his or her restaurant.”
“If you win, they’ll move the contest here?” Lisa glanced around their kitchen in dismay. “But that’s impossible, Hannah! We only have one oven!”
“That’s exactly what I told the producer, but he was one step ahead of me. He called Sally at the Lake Eden Inn, and she agreed to hold the competition in her kitchen if I win the challenge.”
“Well, that’s a relief! I was wondering how we could fit all those contestants in here.”
“It’s not just the contestants. There’ll be a New York film crew here, too. The Food Channel is going to be airing the whole competition live.”
“How many will be in the film crew?”
Hannah shrugged. “I’m not sure, but it’s bound to be a lot of people.”
“Thank goodness for Sally’s big kitchen! If we had to crowd everyone in here at The Cookie Jar, we’d have to knock out a wall and expand to include the whole block!”
Chapter Three
Hannah gave a relieved sigh as she glanced down at her shorthand notebook. “All right. I’ve got seven desserts to try. Which one do you think I should bake for the hometown challenge?”
“None of them.”
Hannah, Lisa, and Michelle turned to stare at Aunt Nancy in confusion. “None of them?” Hannah repeated.
“That’s right. The first night is really important. You’ll need something that’ll knock their socks off.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Delores said, smiling at Aunt Nancy. “Hannah simply has to win the hometown challenge.” She turned to Hannah. “Just think about the business it’ll bring to Lake Eden if you win, dear. They’ll be shopping in the stores. Claire’s Beau Monde is every bit as classy as a New York boutique. And Claire is a real person, not at all snooty the way most of those pseudo-French salesladies are.”