by Mary Maxwell
“Abigail Ascot?”
Harper smirked. “Do you know more than one Hollywood kid?”
I dropped my legs and got up from the chair. “Do I look okay?”
She smiled. “What’re you talking about?”
“On a scale of one to ten?”
“You’re an eleven in my book, Katie. Even when your hair is mussed…” Her gaze hovered briefly above my forehead. “…you’re wearing mismatched socks with your orange clogs…” I looked down; the proof was irrefutable. “…and there’s a dubious stain on your pullover…” She pointed at my left sleeve. “…even with all of those flaws, you look absolutely stunning!”
“It’s beet juice!” I explained, picking at the reddish splotch on my shirt. “Julia and I had a little calamity in the walk-in this morning.”
Harper laughed, whirled around and vanished into the hallway. I gave myself a quick once-over in the mirror and followed her to the dining room. Abigail Ascot was at a table near the counter, her fingers furiously crisscrossing the screen of an iPad.
“Abby?”
She looked up and grinned. “Hi! Sorry that I didn’t call first, but I’ve got…great news!” She quickly stashed the computer in a Louis Vuitton backpack that harmonized perfectly with her two-thousand dollar boots. “The anniversary party is on again!”
“That’s fantastic!”
“I know, totally!” Her smile was radiant and her eyes flickered with joy. “But that means I need to get the eighteen pies that we’d discussed.”
I sat down across from her. I noticed Harper in the distance, keeping watch from behind the counter.
“That’s great news! When do you need them?”
Her eyes went wide. “Tomorrow! And I’m so excited! My parents are flying in from London on the studio’s G650.”
“Is that a spaceship?”
She giggled. “No, silly! It’s a Gulfstream jet. My father’s is on the fritz.”
Of course, I thought. And such an inconvenience!
“Well, that sounds pretty swanky.”
Her nose crinkled. “What does ‘swanky’ mean?”
“Just that it sounds nice. I’m glad your parents are coming home to Aspen. And I’m even more excited to hear that your big bash is back on.”
“It’s going to be so much fun!”
I smiled as my mind started to spin with the ramifications of making so many pies in such a short period of time.
“So?” Abigail said. “Can you do it?”
“Yes, we’ll take care of everything for you.”
Her mouth puckered. “You don’t sound very convincing.”
“Well, it is short notice. And I don’t know how easy it will be to find the mamey sapote. But I’ll get started right away and call if there are any wrinkles.”
“Would it be easier if we went back to the original plan?”
“Six apple, six cherry and six blueberry?”
She nodded. “And one coconut cream. My father’s bringing a friend along and he really likes coconut cream pie.”
“Is it someone famous?” I felt instantly embarrassed for prying. “Um, actually, forget I even asked that, okay?”
She smiled. Then she leaned forward in her chair and whispered a name.
“You’re kidding!”
“Nope! He might be in my dad’s next movie, so they’re going to talk business stuff after the party.”
“Wow! He’s really famous. And his wife is so…”
She laughed. “I know! She’s one of the most beautiful women, like, ever!”
“And all of their kids, right? Have you met any of them?”
“Oh, for sure. They’re all cool. I especially like—”
“Excuse me,” a tiny voice said.
Abigail and I both turned to see a young girl standing a few feet from the table. She looked to be seven or eight.
“Aren’t you Brendan Ascot’s daughter?” the girl asked.
“I am,” Abigail said. “Do you want my autograph?”
The girl giggled. “No, thank you. But will you tell your father that I found several flaws in his last film?”
Abigail reached into her backpack. She pulled out a small business card case. It was brushed aluminum with three initials engraved on the top.
“Here,” she said, giving the girl one of the cards. “This is my dad’s personal email. Just let him know that I gave it to you. Then you can tell him yourself.”
The young critic accepted the card, gazing at it intently for a few seconds. Then she held up a phone and said, “Can I take a selfie with you?”
“Sure,” Abigail said, leaving her chair. “Inside or on the front porch?”
The little girl shrugged.
“The lighting’s better out there,” Abigail said, reaching for the girl’s hand. “I’ll be right back, Miss Reed. This won’t take but a moment.”
As I watched the pair stroll toward the door, I felt a smile bloom on my face. It had been a chaotic few days; between juggling my Sky High duties and running around to help unravel Lacy Orvane’s murder, I was completely exhausted.
But there was something uplifting and calming about watching the girls as they walked together across the dining room. It was a moment of kindness and generosity, a fleeting glimpse of two strangers who would probably never meet again coming together to create a new memory.
“That’s really sweet,” someone said over my shoulder.
When I turned, I saw Harper, the decaf pot in one hand and the regular in the other.
“Isn’t it?” My smile deepened as I watched the pair walk out the door and onto the porch. “Abigail Ascot is really something! She’s smart and thoughtful and stubborn and compassionate and kind.”
Harper grinned. “You’ve got that right!” she agreed. “And I know somebody just like her.”
“Do you really?”
“Yes, really,” she said. “And I’m talking to her at this very instant!”
Nana Reed’s Sky High Recipes
Swedish Dreams
Ingredients
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon cardamom
2 cups all-purpose flour
24 whole almonds
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Prepare two baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mats.
3. Cook butter over medium-low heat until it becomes a light brown color; approximately 12 to 15 minutes.
4. Remove butter from heat, allowing it to cool and harden.
5. Chop the hardened butter into small pieces with a spoon, spatula or knife.
6. In a separate bowl, thoroughly combine sugar, flour, baking powder and cardamom.
7. Use pastry blender to incorporate butter into dry ingredients before adding vanilla extract and almond extract.
8. When thoroughly blended, form small 1-inch balls of dough by hand.
9. Place dough balls on baking sheets, approximately 1 inch apart.
10. Press one almond into the top of each ball.
11. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
12. Leave cookies on parchment paper or silicone mats and remove from baking sheets.
13. Allow to cool thoroughly before moving to wire racks.
Raspberry Almond Scones
Ingredients
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, chilled and cubed
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1-1/2 cups fresh raspberries
1-1/2 cups toasted almond slivers
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
2. Combine flour, sugar,
baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add cubes of butter to dry ingredients with pastry blender.
4. In another bowl, whisk together eggs and 1/2 cup milk.
5. Combine wet and dry ingredients.
6. Gently fold in raspberries.
7. When all ingredients are thoroughly blended, place dough on lightly-floured surface.
8. Knead dough eight times before dividing into two equal portions.
9. Shape portions into 8-in. circles; divide each into eight wedges.
10. Arrange wedges on ungreased baking sheets, leaving approximately 1 in. between scones.
11. Use remaining milk to lightly moisten top of scones.
12. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Cool on wire racks before garnishing with Sky High Glistening Glaze and toasted almond slivers.
Sky High Glistening Glaze
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon orange juice
1/3 cup orange zest
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Drizzle over scones and serve warm.
Snappy Gingers
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1-1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Prepare two baking sheet with non-stick spray, parchment paper or silicone mats.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
4. Cream butter, sugar, egg and molasses in a large mixing bowl.
5. Slowly add dry ingredients to mixing bowl.
6. When thoroughly blended, form small balls of dough by hand.
7. Roll each ball in pearlized crystal sugar and place on baking sheets.
8. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until tops are rounded and slightly cracked.
9. Place on wire racks to cool.
