open and Michelle came back to her chair at the table.
“It’s cold out there,” Michelle said, picking up her mug of coffee and holding it in both hands. “Clara answered the door and she said to tell you that she had a few more photos to take of the pine tree.”
“That’s good.” Hannah wondered again if Michelle had possibly read her mind. “I was just thinking about that.”
“So was I, so I asked her. Remember how Great-grandma Elsa used to say, Great minds think alike?”
“I do. And she always used to follow it up with, And fools seldom differ.”
“That’s right! I’d forgotten all about that part!” Michelle took a swallow of her coffee and stood up. “I’m going to make my bed before Mike comes in for his breakfast. Have another cup of coffee, Hannah. It’ll only take me a minute or two and then, when Lonnie gets here, we’ll all have breakfast.”
“Do you want me to make some scrambled eggs and sausage?” Hannah asked her.
“Sure, if you don’t mind. Otherwise, just wait until I come back and I’ll do it.”
Hannah had just put the sausage on to cook and was whipping up eggs with a little cream in a bowl on the counter when Mike came into the kitchen.
“How are you this morning?” he asked.
“I’m fine, Mike. I know I slept better because you were here.”
Mike grinned his famous sexy grin. “That’s good. It’s probably because you felt safe.”
“That’s probably right,” Hannah told him, not mentioning the fact that delicious food and good wine might have had a bit to do with it.
“The year before she died, my wife got me a bumper sticker. It said, Feel safe at night. Sleep with a cop.”
Hannah laughed. She couldn’t help herself. It was funny. “Your wife had a sense of humor.”
“Yes, she did. And so do you, Hannah.”
Warning bells went off in Hannah’s mind. Mike was comparing her to his wife. Should she be a bit worried about that?
“Something sure smells good,” Mike commented, taking a deep breath of the Apricot Coffee Cake – scented air. “What is it?”
“Michelle baked a coffee cake with apricots.”
“But that’s not all. I smell sausage.”
“Yes, you do. And pretty soon you’ll smell scrambled eggs with cheese.”
Just then the doorbell chimed and Mike turned to head for the living room. “That’s probably Lonnie,” he called back over his shoulder. “Go ahead and cook. I’ll get it.”
Hannah gave a fleeting thought to whether or not Mike would peer through the peephole before he opened the door, something he never failed to remind her to do. Then she concentrated on melting butter in her largest frying pan and grating some sharp cheddar to flavor her scrambled eggs.
“Hi, Hannah,” Lonnie greeted her as he followed Mike back to the kitchen. “Where’s Michelle?”
“Making her bed and getting dressed. She’ll be out here in a minute, Lonnie.”
“Something smells good!” Lonnie repeated Mike’s earlier comment. “What is it?”
“Apricot Coffee Cake,” Hannah told him. “Pour yourself some coffee and sit down, Lonnie. The eggs and sausage will be ready in less than five minutes and then we’ll eat.”
APRICOT COFFEE CAKE
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
The Cake:
1 cup salted butter, softened (2 sticks, 8 ounces, ½ pound)
1 and ¾ cup white (granulated) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
The Filling:
3 cups chopped apricots (I used canned apricot halves)
⅓ cup white (granulated) sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅓ cup all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
The Crumb Topping:
½ cup brown sugar (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
⅓ cup all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
¼ cup softened butter (½ stick, 2 ounces, pound)
Hannah’s 1st Note: If you choose to use drained canned fruit, put it in a strainer and save the juice for the kids. Then pat the fruit dry with paper towels before you chop it in pieces.
Grease the inside of a 9-inch by 13-inch rectangular cake pan, or spray it with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.
To Make the Cake:
Mix the cup of salted, softened butter with the white sugar until it’s light and fluffy.
Mix in the salt, vanilla extract, and baking powder. Mix until everything is thoroughly combined.
Mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
Mix in the flour in one-cup increments, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
Give the bowl a final stir by