Page 50 of Gotta Have Mistletoe

“This is pretty impressive,” I say.

Erik gives a humble shrug.

Gunnhild and Olav enter the kitchen.

“Your Majesty!” Gunnhild exclaims. “How wonderful to see you.”

“We’re going to make kransekake,” Erik announces.

“What’s kransekake?” I ask.

“Kransekake is a traditional Scandinavian dessert,” Erik says.

“Though the Solbergian version is superior,” Gunnhild says.

“We add saffron,” Erik explains.

“Don’t tell him,” Olav admonishes. “That’s a national secret.” He turns to me. “The Norwegians don’t put saffron in their kransekake.”

“Of course, the cowboy can know,” Gunnhild chides. “Mr. Garland will become Prince Consort! And what a wonderful one he will be!”

Erik busies himself with the recipe, and I try to smile as Gunnhild beams happily at me.

I want to hint that I won’t be here for long. But even joking that I don’t have my own palace doesn’t feel right.

Because everything here is incredible, particularly Erik.

In three days, I’ll be home in Mistletoe Springs, like Max and I never went here.

It’s gonna hurt.

Erik busies himself with opening cabinets, then he triumphantly pulls out a series of metal rings.

“What’s that?” Max asks.

“This is the form for the cake.” Erik holds up a metal ring. “We put the cake batter in each ring, bake them, then we remove them from the forms, and place the rings on top of each other, the widest at the bottom, so they form a cone.”

Max furrows his brow. “That’s strange.”

“It’s how they make cake.”

“Just this kind of cake,” Anders says. “You’ll like it.”

Max nods, seemingly satisfied by Anders’ words. Anders and Max get along better than I expected. Before we left, I worried Imight ruin Max’s Christmas with this trip, but now I think the only thing he’ll be sad about is that it will end.

I blink rapidly and focus on Erik as he measures out powdered sugar and ground almonds. He shows Max how to crack eggs and how to separate the yellow from the white, a part of recipes that I never thought much mattered, but apparently does.

“No flour?” Max asks.

“No flour,” Erik says.

“In the US, we use flour.”

“Solberg has a harsh cold climate, unsuitable for wheat. Almonds come from far away, but they are small, easy to store and last a long time.”

“Cool.”

Olav exits the kitchen. When he returns, Lena Haugeland is with him.