The Restaurant

by Pamela M. Kelley

  But two weeks later, Jay left us suddenly. He went to sleep and didn’t wake up. And we got a call from his attorney. He really did change his will and left Mimi’s Place to me. Charlie and I were shocked. It was the sweetest, most outrageous thing to do. I met with his manager, and he assured me that the restaurant is a well-oiled machine. When I asked if I could be a silent owner, and they run it, he assured me that was possible.

  I want to respect both Charlie and Jay by keeping my ownership private. I don’t want there to be any talk of anything inappropriate—that wouldn’t be true or fair to Charlie and people aways assume the worst. Charlie wasn’t so sure about that. He thought we could just say we bought the place, but I insisted. I’d rather have people think of us as regular customers than owners. In my mind, Mimi’s Place is really Jay’s place. It’s a lovely piece of him and I want to take care of it as best I can.

  Mandy sighed as she closed the diary. There were no more entries and she was happy to hear that her grandfather had supported Grams decision to keep her ownership a secret. She felt sorry for Jay, who had so much tragedy in his short life. She was glad that they had Mimi’s Place renovated and the new menu created. She wanted the restaurant to be a success, and to honor her grandmother’s memory.

  Chapter 20

  The next few weeks saw a steep increase in reservations and sales which was a welcome relief to Jill, Mandy, Emma and Paul. The new menu was a hit, and they were seeing a steady stream of new customers coming from local hotels and bed and breakfasts. Mandy had some loyalty cards and coupons printed up and distributed them at the local businesses and they were starting to see them being used. The regulars liked the idea of the loyalty cards, which they stamped each time they came in and then on their tenth visit, they would receive a free entree. The coupons were for ten dollars off the bill and that got a lot of new people in to try the restaurant.

  “Mac really did have some good ideas,” Jill said Thursday morning while Emma ate her breakfast and they were talking about how successful the coupons and loyalty cards seemed to be.

  “Will you see him this weekend?” Emma asked.

  “Yes, I told him I’d meet him after work tomorrow night.” Jill was flying out later that day and planning to work in the New York office on Friday.

  “Will you see Billy too? Are you staying through the weekend?”

  Jill nodded. “Yes. When he found out I have plans with Mac tomorrow night, he insisted I stay until Sunday so we can go out Saturday night.”

  Emma raised her eyebrows. “You’re sure you’re not dating?”

  But Jill laughed. “No. He just thinks he owes me for his recent trip here. It will be fun. We’re going to some new restaurant he loves that I haven’t been to yet.”

  “That does sound fun.”

  Emma finished her breakfast and went upstairs to shower and change. When she came back down an hour later, she stopped short when she stepped in the kitchen and saw Jill staring at Izzy.

  “Look at your crazy cat.” Jill laughed. Jill had been so deep into what she was doing that she didn’t realize at first that Izzy was trying to get her attention. The fluffy cat had climbed onto the kitchen table and was sitting just behind the laptop with her little nose resting on the edge. She stared at Jill until she finally saw her and reached out to pat her.

  “Izzy, get off the table.” Emma tried to sound stern but failed utterly, and Izzy just looked at her and didn’t move Finally, Emma went over and scooped her up.

  “She is too cute,” Jill said. They’d both fallen in love with Izzy and it was hard not to spoil her. Jill liked having her around while she worked. Izzy often slept in the chair next to her or brushed against her feet to get her attention.

  “She’ll miss you this weekend,” Emma said.

  “I’ll miss her too.” Jill went to pat her, but then her phone buzzed again as her email dinged and she had to shift her focus back to work.

  “Have a good weekend. I’ll see you when you get home on Sunday,” Emma said.

  Jill’s flight was at six. She was too busy to get out earlier. Billy had wanted her to come into the office and go for an after-work drink, but she wasn’t going to get in early enough to do that and truth be told, she was just as happy to go straight to her own condo and get a good night’s sleep and then be well rested to get into the office early the next day.

  High winds caused her flight to be delayed a half hour, and it was just after eight by the time her Uber pulled up to her condo building. It was nice to relax in her own place and sleep in her own bed. She woke early the next day, did an online yoga class and felt energized as she jumped into the shower. An hour later, she walked through the doors of her office. Billy was already there and grinned when he saw her.

  “You almost beat me. I got here literally two seconds ago.” He gave her a hug, and they caught up over coffee in his office. It didn’t take long before the rest of the team arrived. They had their morning meeting and then it was non-stop action for the rest of the day. Jill barely had time to eat a sandwich at her desk, it was so busy. She loved it though, and it was great to see the team. She wanted to get back to the office at least once a month, twice if at all possible. Now that she was settled on Nantucket and into a routine with the restaurant, it would be easier to take some weekends away.

  Around four, Billy came into her office and leaned on the side of her desk. “Are you sure you can’t come for just one with us? What time are you meeting your date?” Jill was amused that Billy either didn’t remember or just didn’t want to say Mac’s name.

  “Not until seven.”

  “So, you have time to come out with us for a little while. We’ll just go around the corner, to our usual spot.” It was tempting. And Jill was half-wishing that she didn’t have plans with Mac and could just relax with everyone after work.

  “Okay, I’ll come for a little while. What time are we heading over?”

  Billy jumped up. “Great, I’ll let the others know and we’re wrapping it up at five sharp. Come to my office and we’ll head out then.”

  Jill started winding down her day and by five, was ready to go. They all headed to their favorite bar and took their usual spots.

  “Dill pickle martini for you?” Billy asked once they were settled. It was Jill’s favorite cocktail. They made it with cucumber vodka and homemade pickles.

  But Jill shook her head. “No vodka for me. I need to pace myself. Just a wine, I think. Cabernet. And a glass of water.”

  It was fun to hang out with everyone from the office. Jill realized how much she’d missed it. She especially missed the energy and enthusiasm of their newer recruiters. One of their newest, Stacy, had just landed her first client and had an offer pending on her own candidate, so it would be what they called a ‘double-bubble’, when you had both the job order and candidate sides of the placement. Like real estate, the placement fees were split between the holder of the job listing and the person with the candidate. And that amount was then split with the house, which was Jill and Billy.

  While they were all chatting at the bar, Stacy’s phone rang and she looked like she was about to throw up as she went outside to take the call. A few minutes later, she came back, white as a ghost and looked a bit in shock.

  “What happened, Stacy? Did your candidate say no?” Billy looked sympathetic.

  But Stacy shook her head and took a moment to speak. “No, he actually said yes. He took the job.”

  A chorus of cheers erupted, and Billy waved the bartender over and ordered a bottle of their most expensive champagne.

  “Congrats on your first double-bubble. It’s time to celebrate.” Billy handed out flutes of champagne to everyone.

  “Awesome job, Stacy. To the first of many double-bubbles,” Jill said.

  The mood was festive as everyone toasted Stacy and she looked like she couldn’t quite believe what had happened. Jill was thrilled for her. She glanced at the time, to make sure she wouldn’t be late to meet Mac. Billy caught her
doing it and frowned.

  “I wish you didn’t have to go. Can’t you cancel and reschedule with him? Better yet, don’t go out with him at all.”

  Jill laughed. “What do you have against Mac? I think you’d actually like him. He’s a nice guy.”

  “I’m sure he is. We just don’t get to see you often enough.”

  “Well, I’m looking forward to tomorrow night. Tell me again about the place we’re going to?”

  “It’s a small place, but fancy. Everything is top notch. I don’t know what kind of food it is, but it’s all good. You’ll like it.”

  “It sounds great. I probably should get going, though. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  Jill made her way out of the bar, flagged down a cab and gave the address of the restaurant where she was meeting Mac. It was the flagship location of his family’s steakhouse. The last time she’d been there was over a year ago, with Billy, when they were celebrating a new client and another big placement.

  Mac was waiting for her just inside the door and was chatting with a tall man at the reception desk that looked vaguely familiar. She realized why as soon as Mac introduced him.

  “Jill, this is my brother, Ryan.” The resemblance was strong.

  “It’s nice to meet you.”

  Ryan led them to a quiet table in a corner. The lights were dim, and the leather and wood were dark. A small candle glowed in the middle of the table. The overall feeling was comfortable elegance.

  Jill wasn’t a big meat eater, but now and then she enjoyed a good steak and ordered the house aged sirloin that was coffee crusted and served with a butter sauce. Mac got the same, and they shared a side order of creamed spinach and scalloped potatoes. Mac ordered a good bottle of cabernet and they sipped it while they chatted. It was nice catching up with him. Jill felt like she was with an old friend. There wasn’t any nervousness, and they chatted easily. Mac was especially interested to hear about the changes they’d implemented and the reopening party.

  “I should have suggested a party. That was a great idea that Mandy had. And it sounds like it went well?”

  “It really did. It let us introduce Paul’s menu changes to a lot of people and once they sampled the food, they were sold.”

  Their steaks were perfect, and Jill thought it was pretty much a perfect date except for one thing. Mac was a perfect gentleman. He was funny and attentive and easy to talk to and they had a lot in common as they swapped restaurant stories. It was a fun night, but Jill still didn’t feel any kind of physical attraction. She wanted to want to kiss him, but it just wasn’t there. And she was pretty sure that it would have been by now, if there was anything there. It was frustrating because on the surface, Mac seemed ideal for her.

  And he seemed interested too. At the end of the evening, as he walked her to the Uber that she’d ordered, he seemed almost nervous about suggesting they go out again, so she didn’t have the heart to say no.

  “Thank you for a lovely night and for dinner. It was wonderful. I’d love to do it again.”

  He looked relieved. “Great. Let me know when you’re in town again, and we’ll make a plan.”

  “Will do.”

  She settled into the Uber and gazed out the window as they pulled into traffic. Her cell phone buzzed, and she smiled when she saw a text message from Billy.

  “Hope you’re behaving yourself. I’ll be by to get you at six tomorrow. Sleep well.”

  Jill put her phone back in her purse. She’d text Billy back in the morning.

  Jill stood in front of her closet the next day, staring at her clothes and feeling like she had nothing to wear. She finally settled on black dress pants and a shimmery pewter top that was whisper soft with a flattering neckline. Unlike her date with Mac the night before, Jill was feeling a little nervous about her non-date with Billy, which was ridiculous. She’d accepted that nothing was going to happen between them, but some part of her obviously still held out hope.

  When Billy called to say he was downstairs, the butterflies in her stomach danced again and she tried to ignore them. She made her way downstairs, and he was waiting in the lobby wearing a blazer and tie—which meant the restaurant was expensive. Billy looked sharp. His tie was a deep purple which looked great against his dark hair.

  “You look handsome,” she said as she reached him.

  He grinned. “Thanks. You clean up pretty good yourself.”

  She followed him outside to where his black BMW was waiting. The restaurant wasn’t far but traffic was heavy, so it took them almost a half hour to get there. Billy turned his keys over to the valet out front and they went inside.

  Jill loved the feel of the restaurant when they walked in. It was intimate and quiet with rich fabrics and plush carpet. Billy gave his name to the hostess, and she looked up their reservation then led them to a cozy table in the back. It was a semi-circle shape, and they sat side by side, looking out on the dining room. The leather seats were soft and comfortable, and the service was excellent. Within moments of sitting, they were greeted by their server and told the specials.

  One of the drink specials was a hot and dirty martini, vodka with blue cheese stuffed olives and red pepper juice. Billy looked her way when their server finished, and Jill nodded.

  “I’ll have that, please.”

  “Jack and Coke for me, thanks.”

  The menu was over the top decadence. Everything was rich and seemed to have truffles or cream sauces. It was hard to decide. Billy wanted to share a foie gras appetizer which Jill loved, but it was very rich, so she decided on a piece of fish for her entree—salmon with a honey mustard sauce. Billy went with steak, which was his usual choice.

  The foie gras was silky and sumptuous, and Jill enjoyed every bite. She couldn’t finish her entree but agreed to help Billy with the dessert he wanted. She was curious to try it too as she’d never had a Baked Alaska. It was an impressive looking dish, ice cream on cake, smothered in meringue that was baked in the oven. She had two bites and thought it was just okay, but Billy loved it and ate every bit.

  Neither one of them were ready to go home after dinner, so they found a place nearby that had live music. Billy dragged her up on the dance floor and she was surprised when she sensed that same vibe again that she’d felt briefly on Nantucket. It was like something had shifted between them. But she still worried it wasn’t real and was just her imagination playing tricks on her.

  They left at the end of the set and when they walked outside, Jill decided she’d lost her mind as everything seemed as normal as ever with Billy. Until he pulled her aside, leaned over and kissed her. It took her totally by surprise, and it only lasted a minute.

  “What was that?” she asked when the kiss ended.

  “Just something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. I hope you don’t mind?”

  Jill was speechless and finally said, “I don’t understand.”

  Billy ran a hand through his hair and looked frustrated. “I’m not sure I do either. This might be a really bad idea. But I’ve just really missed you. I didn’t realize how much until you weren’t here. Nothing has felt right with you gone. And I have to admit, I felt jealous as hell that you were going out with that other guy last night.”

  “Mac.”

  “Yeah, Mac. I’ve just been thinking a lot. And when you were here last, I thought I sensed something from you too, at Rosa Mexicano. Am I losing my mind?”

  Jill shook her head. “No, you’re not. I feel it too. I’ve just been torn between wondering if it’s a good idea or a bad one. I don’t want to ruin our friendship and we are business partners.”

  But it looked like all Billy heard was that she felt it too. “I think it’s a good idea.” And then he kissed her again, and she had to agree. His lips felt good and right against hers. And unlike with Mac, she really wanted to kiss Billy.

  “I don’t suppose you want to come back to my place for a while?” he asked.

  But she shook her head. “I do. But I don’t. This is huge
Billy. We need to be really sure. I think we should take things slow.”

  He grinned. “I’m sure you’re right. But I had to ask. So, we’ll take it slow then. You’ll come back in two weeks and we’ll go on an official date.”

  “Okay.”

  Chapter 21

  Mandy was nervous as she shook the hand of the therapist that Barbara referred to her. Maggie Dunham seemed like a nice enough woman. She seemed to be in her early sixties and had the classic preppy Nantucket look—a simple blonde chin-length bob, a string of pearls and a soft yellow top paired with a pretty blue skirt. She led Mandy into her home office, which was a comfortable room with bookcases lining the walls, several tall lamps, an assortment of chairs and two big bay windows that overlooked a grassy backyard. There was no sofa to recline on, which was how Mandy always pictured a therapist’s office.

  “Please have a seat and make yourself comfortable,” Maggie said.

  Mandy tried to do that. She settled into the nearest chair, crossed her legs and waited for Maggie to begin.

  “Have you been to a therapist before?” Maggie asked. She sat across from Mandy, with a yellow legal pad in her lap.

  Mandy shook her head. “No, never. This is my first time. I’m not really sure what to expect, to be honest.”

  Maggie smiled. “There’s no one right way to do therapy. It’s your time to talk about whatever you want to talk about. I’m just here to listen and to help where I can. Why don’t you start by telling me why you’re here?”

  “Okay. I’m trying to process what happened with my husband and if I should move toward divorce or consider trying to work things out.”