Catering to Love (26 page)

“No. That was the reason he walked out.”

“Are you kidding me? He walked out because it was too much work?”

“That’s what he said.”

“Well, then he’s an idiot. But I don’t think it was just that. It had to be something else.”

“Maybe he was tired of being in a relationship with me.”

“Then you don’t want him. You need someone who will commit.” She paused. “Gabi, are you going to be okay?”

“I think so. Focusing on working harder than I’ve ever worked in my life today helped me dismantle the pity party I was having with myself.”

“That’s exactly what you have to do. Focus on the goal and things will all work out. I know it doesn’t feel that way right now, but I promise you, they will. The fact that you have double bookings is the first step. What about help in the dining room?”

“I’ve hired another server based on the amount of bookings I have, otherwise, I’ll be spreading myself too thin. And Stephanie has been working as hostess, but I know she’d be happy to help serve too. The three people I have left on
the cooking staff haven’t had enough experience. Well, one does, but he’s always been a line cook.”

“Don’t you worry about a thing. I’m calling Jamie right now and I’ll get back to you. And Gab… don’t you ever try to carry those burdens during hard times again without telling us. You know we love you like a sister.”

Gabi began crying again. “Thank you.”

“You’re not getting off that easily. Promise me before I hang up.”

“I promise.”

They disconnected the call. Gabi felt better than she had all day. Having a support system in Cassie and Jamie was the absolute best feeling in the world. At least she didn’t feel as though she was standing there all by herself. She finished her drink and crawled under the covers. Tomorrow had to be better.

Take a deep breath, girl. I know you’re upset, but you have a lot to do to pull this weekend off. Yes, you let yourself go with him and now you’re regretting it. Don’t let his negativity get you down and make you question your capabilities. You have work to do. Now, square your shoulders and place the top 11 ingredients in a large bowl, stir to incorporate. Using a 7-quart slow cooker, place chicken pieces on the bottom of the bowl insert. Pour the liquid over the chicken and cook on low for 5 hours. Remove the chicken pieces to a platter, cover and keep warm. Now wrap a warm blanket around your shoulders and stop thinking about him.

Okay, keep your mind on the goal here and mix equal parts of butter and flour together in a small bowl to make a paste (roux) and add to a large saucepan. Using medium heat, cook the roux until browned—not burnt, just brown. Add
the juices from the slow cooker and stir until thickened. When serving, ladle sauce over the chicken and serve with rice, and forget that he’s not so nice. Serves 8–10.

Gabi checked her inventory of the month’s rooms at the inn. Totaling the receipts gave her a sense of relief, especially when she realized she’d made more money than she’d anticipated. Despite the few cancellations, she’d been so busy with the new menu that she hadn’t paid much attention to that side of her business. Nevertheless, knowing that part of the business was doing well was huge. Regardless, she needed to find someone new to take that burden off her shoulders so she could focus solely on the restaurant. She called Stephanie. She’d become her source for employees and services, and she might have a friend looking for work. Stephanie answered with her usual flair.

“Hi, Steph, it’s Gabi.”

“Hi, yourself. I haven’t spoken to you in like a day. How are things going?”

“Coffee Boy left. He just walked out.”

“What? What a creep.” Gabi could hear Stephanie sigh. “So what are you going to do?”

“Whatever I have to do to focus on my business and not my personal life. The fact that I’m double-booked solid for
the grand opening’s long weekend with the new menu is a little daunting, but I can handle it. I’ve handled worse things. I’m waiting for a call back from Cassie and Jamie. If they can work it out, they’ll be here to help.”

“Gab, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there last night. You must be feeling awful.”

“Hey, your family has to come first with your dad being so sick. How is he doing?”

“He’s doing much better.” Gabi heard Stephanie tsk-tsking herself. “Damn, I feel like I let you down.”

“You did no such thing.”

“Will your parents be coming?” she asked.

“You know, I did a stupid thing. I booked my grand opening before checking with my parents, and they’re on a cruise.

“Well, you’ll be happy to hear there’s been a lot of chatter about you restoring one of the town’s most coveted landmarks with this new menu.”

“Really? That’s a good sign. Thanks for telling me that.” She groaned. “I really needed to hear some good news tonight. If I hear one more bad thing, I’m running away, changing my name, and I’m not telling anyone where I am.”

“Yeah, well, if you do that, then you won’t know whether the locals liked your new menu or not.”

“I’ve been meaning to mention that I’m looking for someone to take care of the rooms at the inn. Do you know of anyone? Estelle, who was handling the job, just quit. There’s no way I can take on any additional work and still stay sane. It’s just too much.”

“Well, hallelujah! She’s not Wonder Woman after all.” Stephanie chuckled. “Nell was able to handle that aspect of
the inn because her husband handled the kitchen. So what are you offering for a salary?”

“There are only five suites available for rent so the work won’t be laborious. Estelle seemed happy with the salary I was paying. I mean, she didn’t complain, so I can only assume it was okay. She left because she was missing her family and wanted to move back to Ohio.”

“What? She couldn’t wait until you found a replacement?”

“Well, she actually left me a note that she was leaving and took off. Anyway, I’m looking for someone who can clean the rooms and take care of basic maintenance issues to make sure they’re in tip-top shape. Other than that, there really isn’t much else to do.”

“Well, you could always combine the hostessing and the room maintenance together as one job. What do you think of that?”

“Oh, no. Not you too. Are you quitting the hostess job?”

Stephanie laughed. “Nooo,” she said, elongating the ‘o.’ “I’m saying I’d like to do both.”

“Oh.” Gabi blew out a breath. “Cripes. I mean, I’ve got strong shoulders, but I’m not sure just how much more they can carry without jumping off the deep end. Having you handle both would certainly make my life easier. Okay, let’s talk about salary. Why don’t you think about it, give me a number, and I’ll see if I can pay you what you want.”

“That’s a deal.”

“Stop by a little earlier than the normal starting time, and we can discuss it. Okay?”

After they’d disconnected, Gabi was feeling better, knowing two heavy weights had been lifted from her shoulders. She thought about Stephanie’s mention that the new
menu was being recognized by the town. Thank God the money she’d invested in advertising was working, but she cautioned herself about jumping the gun on hiring more people. Just because she had three days booked solid did not mean she was going to make enough money to keep her business moving forward, unless the menu was a success. She blinked her eyes shut and said a silent prayer. It had to work out, and she needed to start thinking positive, not just talking about it. Now that Corey was gone, it did free up his salary. But she would definitely have to hire a replacement so that she could go back to the business model she and Jamie had discussed: the sous-chef to handle the kitchen while she had the overall responsibility of adding the final touches to the dishes before service. Gabi shook her head. With all that she had going on right now, even considering a replacement was the furthest thing from her mind. At least she hadn’t thought about Corey for a few hours. Maybe finishing the new menu was a blessing in disguise.

When Leslie’s laughter echoed through the halls, she knew the staff had arrived early, as promised, and went to meet them in the kitchen.

“Oh boy, something smells good,” Steven said. “Let me guess,” he said when he saw Gabi. “Breakfast quiche with sausage.”

“Your nose never fails you, does it? Are you guys hungry?”

Later, Stephanie called to say that her father had another setback and couldn’t make it over early to discuss salary, but they’d quickly chatted and agreed over the phone. Just as Stephanie had told her, Gabi was surprised at the salary she
wanted and that she could afford it. She promised herself she would give Stephanie a raise as soon as she could. Her friend had helped her out so many times, it was the least she could do for her. Having Stephanie as hostess was a bonus because she knew practically everyone in the surrounding area. A familiar face might be the icing on the cake and have the locals coming back on a regular basis.

Gabi breathed a sigh of relief when she read Cassie’s text saying they were coming to the rescue and would arrive Wednesday night. They’d be staying at the motel where Stephanie used to work, because her mother was coming with them to front as the hostess. That way Stephanie could take the weekend to care for her dad if need be. Gabi laughed because she knew she was in good hands with Mama Pirelli as hostess. This is one woman who could sell snow to the Eskimos. Gabi was confident the customers were going to love her, and after the weekend, Stephanie could handle the job.

Gabi listened to the chatter in the kitchen and wished Corey’s voice was amongst them. Not that he talked all that much when he was working. Despite his departure, she was still infatuated with him. Those three weeks were the best in her life—or at least it seemed that way. Every day since he’d left, she couldn’t help but picture him walking into the kitchen, reaching for an apron and tying it around his waist. She brushed off the sentimental feeling. Her phone rang. “So sorry, again, I couldn’t make it in to talk to you, Gabi,” Stephanie said.

“How’s your father?”

“He’ll be all right. I just called to find out what’s happening for the weekend.”

“Cassie and Jamie are coming. So is Cassie’s mother, Lucy. She doesn’t know much about a restaurant kitchen, but her husband owned a deli, and she wants to be hostess for the weekend. You could do it with her if you wanted, so people aren’t waiting, or I can give you another assignment.”

“Sure, that’s fine. I can work with her, or fill in wherever I’m needed. Now that Trevor is waiting tables, I can help be your runner.”

“Thanks, Steph,” Gabi said, and smiled thinking about Lucy. “The woman is a hoot,” she gestured with her hand. “I promise you, by the time the weekend is over, she’ll have you ready to walk down the aisle to get married.”

“Oh, she’s one of those, huh?”

“That she is… a perpetual marriage/baby nagger… but in a nice way. She means well. She just thinks everyone should be married and have babies.”

“Now, my mother is just the opposite. She doesn’t ever want me to get married. She wants me to stay home forever. Of course, she’s starting to get worried about Ryan’s intentions.”

“Yeah. I didn’t realize it was going so well. Geez, I’m sorry we haven’t had girlfriend time to talk about things other than the restaurant.”

“That’s okay. After the big event, I’m going to force you to take a day off, and we’ll hang out and catch up on everything.”

“That sounds incredibly wonderful.”

“So, where else would you need me this weekend? Who does your expediting now?”

She sighed. “Right now, the waiters are doing it with a little help from me, but I’m probably going to have Cassie
do it for the weekend. Jamie runs a restaurant, so I’ll be putting her behind the stove. This way, I can keep an eye on things. What I’m worried about is neither of them knows what the plates are supposed to look like, so there may be some confusion on their part.”