by Jade Kuzma
“What did you think?” she asked as soon as we got outside.
“I’ve seen enough,” I said. “The facilities seem to be in order.”
“We’ve gotten several big donations recently. It’s more than enough to renovate. I’ve been here long enough at the shelter to know how to stretch a dollar.”
“There’s always room for improvement. Just because it’s a nice place to be doesn’t mean there isn’t more work to be done.”
“That’s true. I can assure you, Mr. Grant, your donation wouldn’t go to waste. It’d be nice to hire more staff. Ivory city council gives us some funding but supplies are always necessary. I wouldn’t—”
“That’s all right,” I said as I put my hand up. “If you’ve been here as long as you said you have, I’m sure that your heart is in the right place. There’s no need for you to explain the details. I’ll be in touch with you in a few days once I get settled in.”
“There’s no need for you to hurry, Mr. Grant. Thank you. I really do appreciate everything.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
Jackie shook my hand, her smile as big and kind as I’d seen it before. Seeing the old woman smile was enough to make me do the same.
Just as I was about to go on my way, a door to one of the offices next to us opened. A young brunette around my age stepped out. There was nothing about her that stood out too much.
“Oh, Anna,” Jackie said. “I want you to meet someone. This is Ezra Grant.”
“Hello,” I greeted Anna with a nod.
“Nice to meet you,” Anna said.
“Mr. Grant here is providing the shelter with a very generous donation,” Jackie explained.
“Is that right?”
Anna raised an eyebrow at me slightly. There was a bit of skepticism on her face. It wasn’t much but just enough for me to know that it was there. I smiled politely at her and Jackie continued to gush.
“Mr. Grant’s new in town.”
“I’m trying to keep it a secret,” I said. “But… I figure if I’m going to be comfortable in this town, I might as well get in good with the locals. What better way than to give to the people who need it most?”
Anna kept staring at me, her eyes unblinking.
“I’m sorry,” Jackie said. “I have to get back to work. There are many things to do. Mr. Grant, again, I appreciate you taking the time.”
“Not at all,” I said to her, my eyes still on Anna. “It’s my pleasure, I can assure you.”
Jackie excused herself and headed back into the main dining hall where all of the residents of the shelter were.
“Well,” I said to Anna. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to be going.”
“I know you’re in a rush,” Anna replied. “But if there’s a chance I could speak to you.”
“Of course.”
Anna walked outside through the front entrance and I followed right behind her. Her tone was curious but not enough for me to lose my composure.
The Ivory sun was warm. The sky was clear. Everyday people made their way up and down the streets. It was another quiet, comfortable day in the city I’d only just arrived to.
I looked out into the street while Anna did the same.
“You’re new in town,” she said.
“Just arrived a few days ago. I’ve visited a few times but never more than a weekend.”
“You planning on living in Ivory?”
“That’s the plan, yes.”
“What is it about Ivory that made you want to come here?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I sighed. “Ivory seems like a nice, quiet, quaint town. The type of place where someone can do business without the hustle and bustle of the city. I never cared much for bumper-to-bumper traffic and skyscrapers that blocked the view. Ivory has a beautiful skyline.”
“It certainly does.”
I looked over at Anna. She kept staring out into the streets. The frown on her face wasn’t subtle.
“How much are you planning on donating?” she asked.
“Not much,” I said. “I figured I would start with 10,000.”
“I see… Starting with 10,000 dollars.”
There was a grown tension coming from her. I was never one to avoid it. If anything, I cut right through it.
“Do you have a problem with that, Anna?”
She crossed her arms and turned toward me.
“Look,” she said. “I don’t know who you are or what you’re doing here, but most businessmen don’t just show up to Ivory and dump a huge donation like that into a homeless shelter without an ulterior motive.”
“I can assure you that I have no ulterior motive. I’m trying to be as open and honest as I can be. I want to help this town. I want to help these people. If my donation isn’t welcome, I’ll find a place that’s more appropriate. Perhaps there’s a hospice in this town. Or maybe some at-risk youth who need the funding more.”
“There are a lot of people in Ivory who need help.”
“Then I’ll help them all.”
Anna took a step toward me, her eyes narrowed.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I came to Ivory because I wanted to do business.”
“Business, huh? And what kind of business is that? Drugs? Weapons? Sex trafficking?”
“Anna—”
“I’ll give it to you straight. Rich businessmen like you come to Ivory because there’s a lot more they can get away with. There’s always something shady going on in Ivory. Believe me, I know that better than anybody else.”
“You have nothing to worry about.”
She shook her head and sighed.
“It’s not me I’m worried about,” she said. “It’s the people of this shelter. They’re innocent in all of this but they’re still vulnerable. I’ve seen it for myself.”
I could tell that Anna was serious. I would’ve been offended if I didn’t appreciate her being honest with me.
I nodded to her in understanding.
“I see what you’re getting at,” I said. “Your heart is in the right place. The truth is, I would’ve been skeptical the same as you if some businessman from out of town just wandered into the shelter with a big donation. But I can assure you that there’ll be no consequences from accepting my money. I came to Ivory because I wanted to do business. Legitimate business. Nothing under the table. Nothing behind anybody’s backs. Ivory…”
I swallowed before I said it.
“…Ivory is special to me.”
“It’s special to me, too.”
“Then you can appreciate where I’m coming from. Believe me, Anna, I’m here because I want to make this place my home. If anything, I’d like to clean this town up.”
Anna stared into my eyes like she was trying to read me. She twisted her lips, holding back a smile before finally relenting.
“Okay,” she said with a nod. “I believe you.”
“I have no reason to lie to you. You can see for yourself what I’m doing. In fact, I’d like to ask you some advice.”
“Advice? On what?”
“I’m planning on opening a business. A restaurant.”
“A restaurant, huh?”
“Where do you think it would be the most successful?”
Anna looked around, thinking about it.
“That’s going to be tough,” she said. “There are already plenty of good restaurants in Ivory. Family-owned places that have been around for decades.”
“Surely there’s room for one more.”
“…You want my advice, go to Old Town. There’s plenty of room for you there.”
She started chuckling at me.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
“You’ll see when you get there.”
I didn’t second-guess the smile on her face.
“All right,” I said with a shrug. “Old Town. Thank you for your time, Miss Anna.”
I walked over to my ride parked along the side of the curb. Anna walked towa
rd me as soon as I got onto it.
“Is this your ride?” she said, confusion on her face.
I gave her a nod.
“Suits aren’t much good for riding,” she said. “You didn’t have to put on that whole facade for Jackie. She would’ve taken your donation anyway if your heart was in the right place.”
“It’s not a facade,” I said. “This is who I am.”
“Don’t see too many businessmen in suits riding around on choppers. Especially not here in Ivory.”
I revved my engine before replying to her.
“Then maybe it’s time for a change.”
Chapter 3
EZRA
Most people assumed that the people of Ivory were strange. A small town in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but a barren wasteland in every direction. It took a special kind of person to live out here.
But the people in Ivory weren’t any different from the people you’d find in the surrounding cities. They weren’t backwater hicks who didn’t know how the world worked. They were just honest folks trying to make honest livings doing honest work. There was nothing fancy about them. If anything, they were the breath of fresh air that I needed.
I looked out through the window and watched the city as it passed me by. The people walking down the streets went about their day like they weren’t in a hurry. Even the cars seemed to be moving slower than I was used to seeing, and it wasn’t because of the traffic.
I sighed contentedly then turned back to the rest of the diner. There were only a few other patrons off to the other side. A couple of seniors who looked like regulars. The place was as quiet as the rest of town. You never saw this kind of shit in the city. It was moments like this that I realized how much I was missing.
I took a bite of my sandwich just as the waitress walked up to me.
“How is everything?”
The old woman filled my glass. She looked too disinterested to smile at me but I didn’t take that shit personally. I guess when you were a waitress at some small place like this, you were just trying to get through your day.
I smacked my lips and swallowed my bite down with a nod.
“Good,” I said. “Best sandwich in the city.”
“Best sandwich in the city?” she raised an eyebrow at me. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
“I would. I haven’t had anything better in Ivory.”
“Right… That’s what I figured.”
“What did you figure?”
“That you’re not from around here.”
“What gave me away?”
“Besides the fancy suit? Probably the fact that you’re eating here in the first place. Most folks who come around here don’t come back.”
I chuckled at her. It was enough to get a smile out of her.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Ruth.”
“Ruth…”
The white-haired lady didn’t seem as disinterested as she was initially but she still didn’t seem to give a shit. I figured she was only giving me some conversation because there was nobody else in the entire building to tend to.
“You like working here, Ruth?” I asked.
“It’s a living. Why? You offering me a new job?”
“Maybe.”
“Ha!”
She reared her head back and cackled at me. She laughed so hard that I had to wait for her to finish. Ruth eventually wiped her eyes and cleared her throat.
“Sorry,” she said. “That was the funniest thing I’ve heard in weeks.”
“Why’s that?” I said, slightly confused.
“Look at me, son. There’s no use for an old woman like me. This is all I’m good at. I can’t offer much else, even if you were offering me a real job.”
“What if I am though?”
She laughed again at me and shook her head.
“I’ve seen your type before,” she said. “Fancy suit. Fancy watch. Even the way you style your hair. I guess that’s some way of trying to convince everybody to take you seriously.”
“Is that what you think?”
“Sure. Get plenty of businessmen like you around these parts. You don’t have to live in Ivory for very long to get that there’s some shady shit happening in this town.”
“I’m starting to get the sense that everybody in this town thinks no business is legitimate…” I said.
“There’s legitimate business in this town. But business isn’t good enough to afford a fancy suit like the one you’re wearing.”
“Fair enough.”
I took another bite of my sandwich. Ruth eyeballed me while I chewed on it as slowly as I could.
“Is there anything else I can get for you?”
“Who made this sandwich?” I asked.
“Cook in the back.”
I chuckled softly and shook my head.
“Yes, the cook in the back,” I said. “Could you be a little more specific?”
She narrowed her eyes at me. I’d seen the same kind of skepticism from Anna earlier, so I was already used to it at this point.
“What are you up to?” she asked.
“Nothing. I’d just like to pay my compliments to the chef.”
Ruth cackled again at me and shook my head.
“First of all, we don’t have any chefs around here. We have cooks. Second of all, in all my years, I’ve never heard of anybody wanting to pay compliments to someone around here.”
“Lucky me. It looks like I’ll be the first.”
I stared at Ruth. She took a few seconds before finally relenting.
“Hold on,” she said as she started walking away. “Hey, new girl! Someone wants to talk to you.”
While Ruth disappeared into the back of the diner, I took another bite of my sandwich and looked back out into the street. The scenery didn’t change much. Shit was so relaxing that I almost wanted to spend the rest of the day being as lazy as I could.
“Yes?”
I turned when I heard a voice next to me.
I was almost caught off-guard by the woman standing there.
Short brown hair that was wet with sweat. Some of it dripped along her brow. There wasn’t much makeup on her face, probably because she spent all of her time in a kitchen. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a regular t-shirt but even with the apron covering her, I could see the figure she was hiding.
She stared at me, wide, brown eyes with her eyebrows raised.
Even with all of the sweat and how tired she looked, there was still something about her. Something that distracted me enough that I couldn’t even say anything.
“Is there something wrong?” she asked, looking even more confused than before.
“You made this?” I said as I pointed at my sandwich.
“Yep, I made that,” she said with a nod.
“It’s good.”
“Thank you—”
“It’s really good.”
“Oh, well…”
Her cheeks started to blush red slightly even though she didn’t look like the shy type. Shit was even more obvious with how pale her skin was. She looked away from me and shrugged.
“…It’s a BLT,” she said with a laugh. “It’s hard to go wrong with that.”
“There are plenty of ways to go wrong with a BLT. Trust me. I’ve had enough to know that.”
“I see…”
The more I stared at her, the more trouble she had looking at me. It was kinda cute in a way. But I was examining her so much that she started to look a little exasperated.
“Is there anything else?” she said with a shrug.
“What’s your name?”
“W-what?”
“Your name. What’s your name?” I repeated.
“Lacey.”
“Lacey… It’s nice to meet you, Lacey. I’m Ezra.”
“Okay, Ezra… It’s nice to meet you.”
“Why don’t you sit down so I can talk to you?”
She squinted at me and shook her head.
“You want to… talk to me?” she said.
“That’s what I said.”
She kept giving me that same puzzled look. I couldn’t blame her. Some stranger asking to talk to her… Chances were high that it was nothing but a bunch of bullshit.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t think I should be talking to customers while I’m working.”
“Lacey. The diner is empty. I know you’re not doing anything back there. You have the time.”
“Still… I don’t think Ruth would be too happy about talking to a customer.”
“If she gives you a hard time, tell her that I’m not a customer, I’m a regular.”
I gave her a smirk. She smiled softly back at me. The dimples on her cheeks were distracting in a way that I almost forgot what I was thinking about. If all the girls in Ivory were like her, I was going to enjoy being around here.
Lacey sighed and slowly took a seat in front of me.
“All right,” she said. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to talk to you for a little bit.”
“I promise this won’t take long. If there’s another customer to deal with, you can go.”
“So?” she said with a shrug. “What’s this all about? You want to know the recipe for the BLT? It’s not complicated.”
“Do you have a lot of experience in a kitchen?”
“I’ve been doing this for more than seven years now. A BLT isn’t any trouble, even for someone who has no idea what they’re doing.”
“I’m not asking you about the BLT. There’s something else.”
“Which is?”
She arched an eyebrow at me. The demure girl I was staring at just a few seconds ago was suddenly more suspicious of me. The way the corner of her lip curled into her smirk made me chuckle. I shook my head to regain my composure.
“I’m not up to anything,” I said.
“You’re not? It sure sounds like you are.”
“Okay. I am up to something. But probably not what you’re thinking.”
“You don’t know what I’m thinking.”
Lacey narrowed her eyes at me. The way she stared at me gave me all of the wrong kinds of thoughts for just a split-second.
Not now…
I straightened up in my seat and fixed my tie.
“I’m here in Ivory on business,” I said. “I’m opening a business, actually. A restaurant.”
