Donovan knew he was going to have to visit his mother, which was something he was not looking forward to. Not when he knew the Amish maid would’ve reported how he’d acted toward her.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. More than likely it’ll be Mom or some problem at the restaurant, he thought. He considered not answering it, but what if it was something important? The caller ID showed it was Declan. His head chef might’ve set the kitchen on fire, or something else just as urgent.
He pressed the ‘accept call’ button. “Yes?”
“I thought you weren’t going to answer.” Declan sounded panicked. “We have a double booking.”
Did he seriously have to do everything himself? “Okay, how did we come to have a double booking?” Since when did a double booking become a major problem and an issue that the head chef was involved in rather than the booking manager? “Who double booked it? Why did they double book it?” He sighed. “Give me as much information as you can and then we’ll work out how to fix it.”
“From the looks of things, it was Lily and Hannah.” Lily had been fired last week for total incompetence. “Lily’s was definitely the second booking, so I can tell Hannah she’s going to get to keep her job.”
“Hannah would never do something stupid.”
“No, she wouldn’t. Hannah booked in a party of ten, writing in that they wanted table twelve, and then Lily took the second one … although, the booking Lily’s put in here is for an hour later, so she was technically working by the rules.”
“The rules for small tables, yes, so this might’ve been a mistake.” Donovan struggled not to yell at Declan and tell him to figure it out for himself. Why did they keep bothering him with all these nitpicking, trifling complications? The coffee shop was so much easier. Even though he was certain he’d taken all the staff through those rules more than once, they still couldn’t work it out for themselves. “Do you think you can ring the second booking and ask them to come in half an hour later?”
“Maybe.” Declan sounded hesitant.
“Why do you think you might not?”
“It looks like the second booking has a time constraint. They have to be here at that time because they have to be somewhere else in an hour, and if I were to ask them to come in later they might cancel.”
“An hour? How much can they eat in an hour?”
“Um, I … I don’t know.”
“It’s sounding ridiculous. There’s something not right about that whole story. Who goes to a restaurant for a meal with a lot of people and books for just an hour? Just phone them and see what's up.” Donovan shook his head; dinner was usually a minimum of two hours, not one hour. Who books a table for ten to “eat and run?” Donovan knew from his management training if his staff members were hopeless then he was mostly to blame. It was his lack of training them efficiently. Declan and Hannah were shaping up to be very competent, with a bit more experience and more thorough guidance from him. He remained calm and brushed a hand over his hair. He would have to train them better, but where would he find the time or the patience? “They’re both tens?”
“Yeah … yes, definitely both tens. Oh, I think I know what you’re thinking.”
“We have a back room for a reason. Did the second booking stipulate a table?”
“Doesn’t look like it. Could be Lily didn’t write it down, so I’ll ring them and make certain it’s okay for us to put them in the back room.”
“Only call me back if there’s a huge problem.”
“Okay, Boss, and thanks.”
When Declan hung up, Donovan glared at his phone. He had a horrible feeling it was going to ring again. He wanted to spend some time drinking his coffee and thinking about how he was going to fix things with the pretty Amish maid, which might not be possible.
The last thing he wanted was to make people hate him. Unfortunately, he often did that when he took his anger out on people who didn’t deserve it. Things hadn’t gone well with Jessie and that was something he regretted.
Sighing, Donovan sipped his coffee. He was going to change; he had to change. If he didn’t, he was going to lose good people, people who were suffering because he hadn’t taken the time to train them.
The phone rang again, and he snarled at it. He knew from the caller I.D. it was the restaurant again. “Yes?”
“We’ve had a problem with the supplier.” It was Declan again. “And they say they’re not going to deal with anyone who isn’t you, even though I’ve told them you aren’t in today, and I’m the head chef.”
“What’s the problem?”
“They’ve sent us the wrong lobster order.”
“Did they send us frozen again?”
“Yes.”
“When I come back, we’re going to change the supplier. They’re useless.” Donovan sighed. “I’ve got their number in my phone; I’ll call them and sort it out, then I’ll let you know what’s happening.”
“Sorry about this.”
“Not your fault, Declan. You’re not responsible for their inefficiency.”
“True. Thanks for understanding that. Talk to you soon.”
Donovan’s pet peeve was ordering seafood at a restaurant only to find they used frozen rather than fresh. He hated serving the customers at his restaurant frozen seafood. He would feed them fresh or not have any on the menu at all.
Donovan pressed the number for the supplier. “Good afternoon, this is Donovan Billings and I’ve just been in contact with my restaurant and they tell me you’ve sent us frozen lobsters—yet again—when we always order them fresh. In fact, we have a standing order for fresh and yet this is not the first time you’ve sent us the imported lobsters, which are frozen. I’m beginning to get ticked off with your constant mistakes. We order the same thing every other day. How can you get it wrong nine times out of ten?”
A young woman on the other end of the phone did her best to console him. “Mr. Billings, I’m sorry we sent the wrong ones. We’ve got new staff on.”
“I’ve spoken to you before, haven’t I?”
“A couple of times, yes.” She sighed. “I’ve just ordered the lobsters to be replaced and you’ll get them rush-delivered this afternoon. Once again, I apologize. You’re one of our best customers and I’ll personally make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“I’ll let my chef know the order is on its way. Can I authorize Declan Jones to speak on my behalf next time? He’s my head chef, and I’m not always available.”
“Of course, I’ll put him on the list.”
Once Donovan ended the call, he sent a text message to Declan, pleased he had been able to put out another fire, and without leaving home.
Chapter 4
“Can I see you for a moment, Mrs. Billings?”
“Back already, Claire?”
“Your son arrived and wasn’t too pleased to see me and told me I should come back.” Claire hoped Mrs. Billings had work for her elsewhere, or she’d be out of a job on her very first day.
“I didn’t expect him back so soon.” Mrs. Billing raised her eyebrows. “I’ll have a talk with him. He seems to have this notion in his head he can do everything himself. I keep telling him he needs to delegate, or he’ll send himself to the lunatic asylum.” Mrs. Billings looked Claire up and down. “I’ll take you to Linda; she’ll find you something to do for the rest of the day.” Mrs. Billings patted Claire on her arm. “I’ll talk to my son and fix it for you to go back there tomorrow. He won’t be home; he leaves early.”
“Will it be all right with him if I go back there?” Claire didn’t want to get yelled at again.
“I’ll call him and make sure of it. Someone needs to clean the place and he knows it won’t be me—and I know it won't be him.” She chuckled. “Come with me and I’ll find Linda.”
Claire knew from Jessie’s stories Linda was one of the housekeepers and a nice lady.
“Can I tell you something, Mrs. Billings?”
“Yes, of course; what is it?”
Mrs. Billings regarded her carefully. “I appreciate your honesty; that is a rare commodity these days.” Mrs. Billings turned around and kept walking down the hallway. “Don’t take my son’s anger as a personal attack. He’s that way with everyone. I can’t say I blame him for being upset with you. You certainly can’t fall asleep again, even if it is during your lunch break.”
“No, of course not, Mrs. Billings. It won’t happen again.”
The very next day, Claire knocked on the door of Finch House. Mrs. Billings had directed her to go straight there in the morning. Claire hoped Mrs. Billings had talked to her son, and that there wasn’t going to be a repeat of yesterday’s behavior.
When no one answered a second round of knocking, she put the key in the lock, remembering to turn it the opposite way other keys turn, and when she heard the click she opened the door and entered the house. Even though she’d been told Donovan wasn’t going to be home, it felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders when she saw he wasn’t there.
She went straight to the kitchen, which was a mess already. There was sugar all over the counter and bits of food everywhere. Claire was unable to believe someone was quite so messy. Once she’d cleared the mess, she checked the living room. Seeing it was tidy, she walked up the steps to the second level bathroom. With Donovan not there, she was determined to get a whole lot done, so he wouldn’t have a further bad opinion of her.
After the bathroom was clean, she moved onto the bedrooms. Her mistake of falling asleep on the job was going to be her last mistake. Once the bedrooms were done, she cleaned all the windows. Had she been working for anyone else, she would’ve made herself a cup of tea. As it was Donovan’s house, the last thing she wanted was for him to come in and find her having a cup of tea. He would surely think she was slothful.
Now in an upstairs study, she dusted some framed photos that hadn’t been there the day before. She picked up a photo of Donovan. He looked like he’d been a happy person at one point. If only she could wind back the clock. It wasn’t good she’d got on the wrong side of the boss’s son.
Biting on her lip, she placed the photo back where it had been and turned her attention to vacuuming the place again even though she’d done it the day before. She realized cleaning this house could be a fulltime job because once she got to the end she’d have to start all over.
Being back at the same house today made her think of the disgust in Donovan’s eyes when he had found her asleep. Then he had talked down to her for being a maid, and he apparently had a problem with the Amish.
Pushing the vacuum around was another job out of the way. Her parents had brought her up to be hardworking; they always said to ‘do everything heartily as unto Gott.’
Giving another sigh, she noticed a smear on one of the windows and gave it a quick wipe. Then she found herself staring out the window at the wonderful gardens and the birds flitting from branch to branch in the trees. It was the sort of view she’d love to have from her room at home. From her bedroom at home, she could see almost the entire farm and to the end of the street; she could see who was visiting before they even arrived.
Then her thoughts turned to Donovan again and she knew she shouldn’t have let his rudeness get to her. Maybe she had to toughen up and get used to the Englischers if she was to work for them. At least Mrs. Billings had been nice enough to her about falling asleep on Donovan’s porch. From what Jessie had said about her, Claire would have thought she might be sterner about such a lapse.
She hated admitting she was finding herself attracted to Donovan’s unusual good looks, considering the way he was. From Jessie’s warnings, she had thought he’d be charming and polite.
Chapter 5
Claire was washing her hands in the downstairs bathroom when she heard a car. She walked to the kitchen window to see Donovan closing his car door. She swallowed a lump in her throat as her heart accelerated, hoping his mother had spoken to him about his behavior.
Does he even know I’m here today? I hope his mother told him I’d be here.
It was best, she considered, to meet him at the front door.
When she opened the door, he smiled at her. “Oh, I was hoping you’d be here. Look, I’m sorry about my rudeness yesterday. It was unforgivable.”
With relief, Claire said, “That’s quite all right, I forgive you. I hope your mother told you I’d be back here today.”
“Yes. Yes, she did. You did a wonderful job yesterday.”
Claire smiled, glad he was in a better mood today.
He stepped through the door and walked into the center of the house. “So, what do you think of the old place?” His eyes traveled around the living room.
“It’s such a beautiful house and I love the garden.”
“Yes, the garden is quite magical. It’s the kind of place fairies and goblins would live.” He coughed.
Claire smiled at him. It was something a child might say. Was this his way of being charming, or was he trying to make up for yesterday?
“The inside needs modernizing.”
Claire looked around and wondered what he thought needed modernizing. “I think it’s lovely the way it is.”
He shook his head. “No, it’s too dated. Of course, it’s a very old house, but even the grandest old houses have modern kitchens and bathrooms. I’m having a new kitchen put in next week. It’s costing me eighty grand.” Donovan looked pleased with himself.
Claire gasped. “Did you say eight or eighty?”
“Eighty.”
“How could a kitchen cost so much?”
“Everything’s imported—the marble, the appliances—everything. The stove alone cost just under twenty-five and that was wholesale. When I’m done, I’ll have the most amazing dinner parties here.”
It was a waste as far as Claire was concerned. She had been brought up to be frugal. In her opinion, the current kitchen was perfect, and she saw no reason to throw money away on a new one.
He dipped his head down. “You don’t look impressed.”
“Am I supposed to be?”
He laughed. “I guess so. It’ll be nice when it’s finished.”
“But, Mr. Billings, it’s nice now.”
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Claire Schoneberger.”
“Well hello, Claire Schoneberger.”
Claire smiled, pleased they were finally speaking like two human beings. “Hello, Mr. Billings.”
He swiped a hand through the air. “No 'Mr.' Just Donovan, please.”
“Donovan then.”
“Would you make me a cup of hot tea?”
“Yes.” She turned away from him to fill the kettle. “I hope you don’t think I’m rude, but I don’t see the sense of spending so much money when this kitchen is lovely. Well, it’s more than perfectly all right, I think it’s beautiful.”
“Beauty, Claire, is in the eye of the beholder.”
She plugged the kettle into the wall and turned to him. “I’m sorry; it’s not my place to comment.”
“You Amish are a different breed that’s for sure.”
Claire ignored his comment and opened the cupboard to see what kind of tea he had.
“The green tea is in the cupboard on the far left. Would you join me in a cup?”
“Okay.” Claire was anxious to get on with the cleaning, but figured since he was being nice she could be too.
“As long as you don’t fall asleep, because that’s what you seem to do on your breaks.”
Claire looked at him to see he was smiling. “I’m sorry. It’ll never happen again.” She smiled back pleased he was making an effort to put her at ease.
“Don’t be so sorry. I was rude, and you remained polite. You made me see what an idiot I am.”
“
I’m sure you’re not an idiot.”
“Do you know Jessie Miller?”
Claire looked at the kettle that had just boiled. “Yes, she’s a very good friend.”
“How’s she doing?”
“She’s very well.” Claire poured hot water over the teabags waiting in their two cups. “I don’t use teabags very often. I normally use loose tea from a teapot.” Claire knew Jessie had liked Donovan, and it seemed he’d been fond of her too, but now Jessie was with Elijah.
“Probably tastes better that way.”
“I think so.”
Donovan took the two cups in his hands. “Shall we sit at the table?”
“Yes. Can I get you something to eat, Donovan?”
“There’s nothing much here. I eat out mostly.”
“That’s right, you own a restaurant and a café. I suppose you’d have the choice of eating at either place.”
He spun around nearly spilling the hot drinks. “Jessie told you about me?”
“Not really. She just mentioned you have a coffee shop café and a restaurant.”
“What else did she say?”
Claire shrugged her shoulders. “That’s about it.” She then followed Donovan to the long table in the formal dining room. He pulled out a chair for her and one for himself. “This is a very grand room,” Claire said, as she sat down. She watched him sit next to her and then he took a sip of tea.
He looked into her eyes. “I fell in love with her as soon as I saw her.”
She was transfixed by him and couldn’t look away. No wonder Jessie had fallen for him. “You fell in love with ...” Her voice trailed off quizzically.
“With the house, I mean, when I saw her. I had to have her. She just needs modernizing. This’ll be a real home where I can stay forever. Let me give you a tour.” He pushed out his chair and stood up. “Let’s go.”
“What about our tea?”
“It’s too hot. Come on, I’ll show you some things you haven’t seen.”
Claire giggled a little at his energy. She’d already seen the house, so she didn’t know what he planned to show her.
The Amish Maid's Sweetheart Page 3