by Mayne, Debby
"What's going on?" he asked as he approached.
One of the younger guys shrugged. "Catfish special today. I never miss."
"Excuse me," Bubba said as he squeezed between the doorframe and the customers. "I work here."
"Maybe you should tell your boss it's time to expand," a nearby woman said. "This is the best downhome cookin' in town."
"I'll let him know." He smiled at the woman. "Thanks."
As Dante made his way back to the kitchen, he thought about the Harlem location. There was no doubt in his mind that expanding to a new location would be a good move and maybe even relieve some of the overflow here.
When he got to the kitchen, he saw that it was fully staffed with every employee on the payroll at Bubba's. And they were all busy. Sunny moved quickly and with determination as she went from seating customers to prepping and then taking orders. She knew her way around a restaurant better than anyone else he'd ever seen—even better than his own family members. And it made him love her even more.
Before he had a chance to say a word to her, she reached into her pocket, pulled out a slip of paper, and handed it to him. "Some guy stopped by and told me to give you this."
Chapter 5
He stepped off to the side so he'd be out of the way and looked at the paper. It was from the realtor who had left the message at his office last night. When he glanced up, he saw Sunny looking at him.
"Thanks." He shoved the paper into his pocket. "Put me to work. What do you need?"
Estelle came up from behind. "We could use someone to help with crowd control. Those people waiting outside are gettin' antsy."
Sunny tapped her chin with her finger. "Let's give 'em something to eat." She leaned around Dante. "Hey, Riley, can you put an appetizer tray together for the people in line?"
"What's that all about?" Dante asked.
"It's something that we sometimes do when it gets crazy in here. We give bite-size samples to the people who have to wait. That makes 'em happy, and it lets them know we appreciate them."
"Good idea," Dante said. He hadn't seen profits dip for even a day since Sunny had been here, so it must be working.
Five minutes later, Dante was outside handing out appetizers to eager, hungry people. As he bent down to offer the tray to a little girl, her mother thanked him profusely. "This is one of the reasons we keep coming back. Everyone is treated like family."
Dante straightened up and smiled at her. "That's what we do best at Bubba's. We want you to feel like family."
Several more people made comments that left Dante feeling as though this diner was the best thing on the planet. And when he stepped back inside to refresh the appetizer tray, he spotted Sunny helping an elderly woman to her feet. One of the servers brought a walker that had been stashed somewhere in the back, and Sunny made sure the woman had a good grip on it before letting go.
She glanced up at him and smiled, making his heart do a double flip. This woman was good to the core, and he loved her even more now than he did an hour ago. He couldn't let her get away.
They managed to get everyone in line seated, fed, and out the door over the next couple of hours. Dante was exhausted, but it felt good to have gotten through such a busy time. He'd had busy times in his family's restaurants, but it had never been like this.
Sunny ambled over to him, folded her arms, and grinned. "How do you feel, boss?" The teasing tone in her voice made him smile.
"Now that is what I'd call hard work."
"But it's not bad, right?" she retorted. "In fact, I'd rather have it like it was today than have to stand around waiting for the next customer to walk in."
"An empty restaurant is never good." Then a flash of concern shot through him. "Has that ever happened here?"
She shook her head. "Never. Not a single solitary time. The food here is too good, and word of mouth is doin' way more than any expensive, fancy advertising can do. People are serious about their food, and they like to tell folks when somethin' is good or bad."
"I'd love to hear what people say about this place."
Sunny bobbed her head in a humorous way. "I think it's pretty obvious they're not badmouthin' us. It's like that old shampoo commercial where one person tells ten people, and those ten people tell ten people …" She made a wide gesture with her arms. "You get the picture."
"I do." He glanced around to make sure it wasn't about to get busy again. "Since we're reached a brief lull, let's sit down. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
She raised her eyebrows as though she might say something, but she didn't. Instead, she told Estelle to let her know if she needed her before leading him to a booth toward the back of the diner.
Once they were seated, Sunny placed her forearms on the table and leaned on them. "So what's so all-fired important to talk about right this minute?"
He leaned over to make sure no one could hear before turning back to Sunny. "This has to remain on the down-low."
"Oh, okay." She made a zipping motion across her lips with her fingers. "Mum's the word."
"Back when I was looking at a place to open Bubba's, it was between here and a location in Harlem. I was actually leaning toward Harlem, but someone came in and outbid me on the rent."
She grimaced. "Yeah, that happens."
"So …" He clasped his hands on the table in front of him. "It appears that the guy who outbid me couldn't make the rent, and he's gone, so it's available again."
Her eyes widened in apparent shock. "Don't tell me we're movin'."
"No, not that." He paused, took a deep breath, and smiled. "We are expanding."
"So there's gonna be two Bubbas?"
"That's what I'm hoping. Judd is looking into it for me, so I don't want word to get out just yet. It's easier to get a good deal when we keep the negotiations under wraps."
She frowned and tilted her head. "Okay, so why did you tell me?"
"Several reasons. One, I will probably have to spend some time working on getting it set up."
She pursed her lips and glanced down at the table. "I see." He watched as she processed the information before slowly looking back up at him. "So you won't be working here as much as you said you would."
He sighed. "Yes, but there's more. I'll need someone to manage it, and I was hoping you'd help me find someone. Plus I thought it might be nice to get your feedback on some of the details, such as décor, hours, and menu."
Sunny's frown turned into a half smile. "I think I can manage that. But are you sayin' you want me to manage the other place too?"
"I think you're right where you should be, but if it's okay with you, I'd like all likely prospects to come over here and spend some time seeing how a southern style restaurant in New York City should be run."
"Oh, I can definitely tell people how to do that."
Dante liked seeing her quick excitement at the prospect of helping him out with the new diner. There was no doubt in his mind that she was one of the primary reasons for his success.
*
After Dante left the diner, Sunny thought about how he'd said he wanted to spend more time at Bubba's and now that had all changed. It would have bothered her if he'd had any reason besides opening another restaurant … and to think that he trusted her opinion enough to ask for her help.
The rest of the afternoon's pace was normal, but around 4:30, traffic picked up again. By 5:30 it was just as crowded as it had been at lunch, only Dante wasn't there to help out. His restaurant experience had really been obvious once he got into the swing of things and how they operated.
By closing time, Sunny couldn't wait to get home and kick off her shoes. She felt like she'd been chewed up and spit back out. A hot bath would be wonderful. She closed her eyes in the cab ride and imagined herself engulfed in a tub of bubbles.
The instant she opened the front door, she knew she wasn't alone. Miss Lucille's voice rose above the music blasting in the study.
"No, that's not the one I'm talking about. Can't
we start with something slower?"
Sunny walked toward the door and peeked inside. Miss Lucille was waving her arms around, while a young man who appeared to be in his early 20s looked lost.
"Hey, Miss Lucille." Sunny barged on into the room toward Miss Lucille, her arms open.
The young man cast a curious glance back and forth between Miss Lucille and Sunny. "Hey, girl, you look great." Miss Lucille leaned back and took a longer look. "And you look exhausted. Has Bubba Dante been workin' you to death, because if he is, I need to have a talk with him and give him a piece of my mind. I won't—"
"Whoa," Sunny said as she raised both hands. "It's always busy on fried catfish day."
The man's mouth opened, and his eyebrows shot up. "I knew I'd seen you someplace. You're the woman who runs that simply fabulous little southern bistro in—"
"Bistro?" Sunny said with a chuckle. "It's just a diner that serves up downhome cookin'."
He shook his head in awe. "Whatever you want to call it, I absolutely love that place."
"I'll buy your dinner there if you can teach me how to do the foxtrot," Miss Lucille said.
He pulled away from the desk he'd leaned against, brushed his hands together, and reached for Miss Lucille's hand. "In that case, let's get going."
Sunny chuckled. "Don't do too much too fast, Miss Lucille. I don't want you havin' another stroke. It got mighty lonely around here while you were gone."
As soon as Sunny got to her room, she called Bethann. "Did you know that your great-aunt is home?"
"Of course. Judd and I went and got her and brought her home. How's she doin', poor thing? We got her settled in bed, and I even brought her some tea, but I've been worried sick about her. In fact, I was startin' to feel guilty that I had to go back to the office."
"Oh, don't you worry about her," Sunny said. Then she told Bethann about the scene when she got home from work. "I don't know if she's supposed to jump right back into dance lessons, but she looks like she's having a great time."
Bethann groaned. "I'm sure she's havin' a great time, but do me a favor and run that guy off when you can. Aunt Lucille has never known when to stop."
So much for the bubble bath. "Okay, will do." They chatted about a few more things before they finally hung up. Sunny sat down on the edge of her bed and pondered what to do next.
Miss Lucille didn't know the meaning of slowing down. In fact, Sunny suspected the older woman's mind worked double-time thinking of what to get into next. But Bethann was right. It was time for her to get some rest.
She stood, thought for a moment about what to say, and forged ahead, toward the study. She was surprised to see Miss Lucille sitting in there alone.
"Where's your friend … um, dancing instructor?" Sunny asked.
"You're kidding. What do you think I am? A machine?" Miss Lucille clicked her tongue as she shook her head. "A girl's got to get her rest, and I don't mind telling you that I am now officially exhausted."
"Then I'm glad you sent him away." Sunny smiled as she closed the distance between them. "Here, let me help you to your room."
As they went to Miss Lucille's bedroom, the older woman chattered about how much she missed her home. "But I'll miss some of the friends I made at the rehab center too. Maybe we can go visit them sometime soon."
Sunny felt a sense of warmth flow over her at the thought of Miss Lucille including her. She truly did feel like a family member—something Bethann said would happen.
It took a few minutes to help Miss Lucille change into her nightgown and get her situated in bed. Sunny was about to leave when the older woman called out to her as she stepped out into the hallway.
"Can we talk for a few minutes before you go?"
"Yes, of course." Sunny went back into the room. "What did you want to talk about?"
"I want to know what's happening with Bubba Dante." Miss Lucille narrowed her eyes and crinkled her forehead. "I mean I really want to know. Don't tell me something just to placate me."
Sunny clasped her hands as she thought about what to say. She wasn't sure about where she and Dante were going with their relationship, so she didn't want to give Miss Lucille too much hope.
"We've decided to take things slowly and see how we feel down the road."
Miss Lucille continued to frown. "Taking things slow is overrated. What's the holdup?"
Sunny had already talked about her trust issues, but she didn't need to go into detail about Chase. "I just think that's the best thing for us at this time," she said softly.
Miss Lucille held up both hands. "Okay, I get it. And don't let me push you into something you're not ready for. After all, it's not about me. If you don't like him enough to get all lovey dovey, far be it from me to guilt you into it."
"Thanks for understanding, and don't get your hopes up yet, but we have started getting a little bit … lovey dovey." Sunny's cheeks flamed as she pulled the blanket up. "Ring the bell if you need anything, okay?"
Miss Lucille nodded and smiled. "You're a good girl, Sunny. And you've been such a blessing to both Bethann and me. I don't know what I'd do without you."
A lump formed in Sunny's throat. She'd started feeling homesick when she first moved to New York. Between the congestion of the big city and the tiny apartment she barely had room to turn around in, she missed everything back home in South Carolina. But after moving in with Bethann and Miss Lucille, she didn't think twice about going back home. But she sure did miss Mama who'd been awfully silent lately. They used to chat on the phone several times a week, but now Mama didn't even answer her phone half the time when Sunny called.
"It's so good to be home in my own bed." Miss Lucille pulled the covers up to her chin.
"I'm glad you're back home," Sunny said. "I really missed you."
Miss Lucille lifted a hand and shook a finger. "I missed you too, and don't think I'm gonna stop meddlin' in your life. I'm just giving you a break before I start back."
Sunny laughed as she walked out of Miss Lucille's room and toward her own. She'd be disappointed if Miss Lucille didn't meddle at least a little bit. That was her way of showing how much she cared.
When she got to her room, she pulled her phone from her handbag to charge it. As soon as she glanced at it, she saw that she had a missed call from Mama.
Chapter 6
"I hope you don't mind, sweetie," Mama said. "I know it's last minute and all, but your Aunt Sadie's airline points are about to expire, and she can't use them, and—"
"Of course I don't mind if you come up and visit me," Sunny said. "I'll have to check with Miss Lucille and make sure she's okay with it, though."
"You said she told you it was okay to come visit any time." Mama's voice sounded hurt.
"She did say it was okay, and I'm sure it's still fine, but she just got back from rehab."
"Oh, that's right." Mama paused for a split second. "You know I used to do private duty nursing, so maybe I can help out while I'm there."
There was no way Sunny could ask Mama to wait a few weeks—at least until they got back into a routine. Mama had always worked so hard to keep them afloat, and she'd never asked Sunny for anything.
"That would be helpful."
"I'd like to see that place where you work. I bet it's nice, bein' in New York City. I've seen all the beautiful restaurants on TV."
"But it's—"
"Sadie told me that when you're in New York City, you see famous people all over the place. Have you seen any famous people?"
Sunny thought for a moment. "Well, yes, I have seen a few. In fact—"
"I can't wait to see that place for myself. I gotta run, sweetie. I'll call you later with the exact date and time. Love you." Click.
Sunny held out her phone and stared at it before she plugged it into the charger. She was pretty sure Miss Lucille wouldn't mind having Mama stay in the house. After all, there were two spare rooms, both of them furnished. But the timing was off, with Miss Lucille having just returned and Dante … well, t
rying to figure things out and not knowing up from down when it came to matters of the heart.
If she thought she could get away with it, she wouldn't even mention Dante to Mama, but there was no way she could expect Miss Lucille to keep quiet about him. In fact, Sunny wouldn't be surprised if the two of them conspired. She shuddered. Mama and Miss Lucille would make quite a formidable matchmaking team, and there was no doubt Mama would love him. He was not only a gentleman, he made eye contact when chatting with someone, which was the first thing Mama looked for in a man, and he was quite handsome. Those were all important traits to Mama.
Since it was late, Sunny skipped the bubble bath and took a hot shower instead. Then she crawled beneath the covers in her double bed and fell asleep right away. She awoke to the aroma of brewed coffee.
By the time she got to the kitchen, Miss Lucille was already sitting at the table with coffee, toast, and jam in front of her. "Well, if it isn't Miss Sleepyhead."
"Long day yesterday." Sunny poured herself a mug of coffee and carried it over to the table. "There's something I'd like to talk to you about." She told Miss Lucille about Mama wanting to come.
Miss Lucille's eyes lit up as she clasped her hands together. "I can't wait to meet her. When will she be here?"
"We're not sure, but it won't be too far in the future. She has to use Aunt Sadie's airline points before they expire."
"Why don't we plan a party and invite everyone—Bethann, Judd, Cissy, Charlene, their guys, and anyone else you can think of."
"So you're okay with it?" Sunny said. "I mean, if you're not ready yet, I'm sure Mama will understand."
"Don't be ridiculous, Sunny girl." Miss Lucille bobbed her head. "Parties are healing. One of the best ways to get over something is to have a good time. And in case you haven't figured it out by now, I love being around people."
"You are such a sweetheart," Sunny said as she stood up, went around the table and gave the older woman a hug. "I'd better grab something to eat and get ready for work. What time will the therapist be here?"
"The physical therapist gets here in about half an hour, so I need to get everything ready for her. She likes to put me through the paces, and then the occupational therapist will be here right after lunch. I might be taking a nap when you get home from work."
