The Second Chance Supper Club

by Meier, Nicole

  “Quick, get them all into their seats!”

  “We’re on it!”

  Julia and Olive hustled out and gathered the group with a brief announcement that dinner was served. It was a choreography they had perfected over the past weeks. And as she and Olive stepped aside to make room for the guests, Julia realized she was going to miss having this experience with her niece. She’d enjoyed living and working together in such close proximity. It had brought on a new kind of intimacy that she had come to cherish.

  And then it dawned on her. Julia didn’t want to pack up and return to New York. She didn’t want to risk missing out on this feeling. This was where she most wanted to be. With family.

  It was as if she’d been washed over with a wave of sudden clarity. Gone was her desperate desire to make it at GBN, gone was her desire to commit every waking hour toward gaining recognition and respect from a corporate culture that had showed little loyalty in return, gone was the yearning to be in the epicenter of busy city life. And perhaps most surprisingly of all, gone was any lingering worry she’d made the wrong decision about James.

  This was a big one.

  What mattered to Julia was love and family and peace of mind. If she had stayed with James, Julia feared she’d have lost herself and become a version of what he wanted his partner to be, and that wasn’t her true identity. Not any longer. A tiny voice inside her head told her she might be more clearly seen for who she really was by someone like Shane. As strange as it was to admit, Julia just got that sense.

  This thought gave her hope. An optimistic enough feeling to stick around and find out. Not because of a man, but simply because of a feeling.

  It was good to tap into her authentic self, finally. And she wasn’t about to let that sensation slip away.

  Olive peered inquisitively at her and then went to retrieve the waiting plates. She tugged on Julia’s sleeve as she passed by. “Okay, let’s get the first course out fast.” And then she paused. “Everything okay? You seem lost in thought tonight.”

  Julia blinked, suddenly aware she’d been daydreaming for the second time. “Oh yeah. Perfect. I’m ready.”

  “What’s the deal with you and Mom?” Olive pressed, leading Julia away. “You both have a similar far-off look on your faces. Is there some kind of big news or something I don’t know about?”

  She really was an intuitive girl.

  Julia entered the kitchen and glanced from her sister to her niece. “Yeah, I think there is, actually.”

  Four hours and many dirty dishes later, the three women sprawled out wearily on the living room furniture. Their shoes had been kicked off, and each cradled a stemless glass containing a hearty pour of red wine. Shirts had been untucked and ponytails loosened. Low music trailed throughout the house, the volume turned up a notch now that the guests were all gone. A dull crackle remained in the fireplace, the remnants of a wood-burning fire that had been fed all night. Julia scanned the scattering of empty cocktail glasses that littered the surface of the large coffee table.

  They were all too tired to clean a single thing more.

  Julia, Ginny, and Olive sank farther into the cushions and reflected on another busy but successful night of work.

  “Sorry, but that scallop dish I made tonight was the bomb, if I do say so myself,” Ginny mused, looking over her glass.

  They giggled.

  Julia, feeling the lure of sleep calling, gazed back at her with her eyes at half-mast. “Mm-hmm. It was. I tasted it. So buttery it was ridiculous. Well done, sister.”

  “I filled up on a lot of mozzarella and bread. That cheese was so good, Mom. You should order it from that place all the time.”

  Ginny nodded.

  “So,” Julia began, “are you going to share whatever you’ve been waiting to tell us?”

  Ginny took an idle sip of her wine. Both feet kicked up as she readjusted herself on the deep sofa. “I have some news. It’s a little premature, but I’m going to tell you both anyway. Hopefully I’m not jinxing myself by doing so.”

  “Well, now you have to tell us.”

  “I met with Roger Mendelsohn today.”

  Olive frowned. “Roger from the supper club?”

  Ginny nodded her head. “Yep. That’s the one. Anyway, he’s kind of been my biggest fan since I opened Mesquite. We’ve become friendly. He has a great palate, so I trust his taste. Anyway, he also has money, which is why I met with him.” She paused and glanced around the room.

  “Okay . . .” Julia wasn’t sure where this was going. Was her sister going to start dating a man who was old enough to be their father? Was she that desperate for money?

  “Well, you both know that the supper club has had its challenging moments. It’s no secret I’m not pulling in a ton of revenue. And while it’s been fun, it’s also been rather risky. That thing with the diabetic woman the other night really scared me. The evening could have taken a much more drastic turn for the worse. Think about what would have happened if the authorities had actually been called to the house. It would have been a disaster.”

  “I know.” Julia shuddered at the memory.

  “And then there’s the matter of that stupid food blogger who won’t even respond to my emails. I’m still so ticked off about that. And”—Ginny sighed—“I didn’t tell you guys this, but another reporter has left two messages asking for a quote. It seems she’s found the blog. She wants to write about Mesquite.”

  They all took a collective inhale, reflecting.

  “I’ve ignored her for now. And I still plan to pursue this guy in hopes he’ll take down the write-up. Anyway, to make a very long story short, I’m being proactive. I approached Roger and asked him to be my primary investor in a new space. Believe it or not, I want to open a boutique dinner spot. Roger has tentatively agreed to help me.” A whoosh of breath followed Ginny’s speech; clearly, she’d been holding in a big secret. She searched their faces with expectant eyes.

  Julia sat up. “Wow! Are you serious? That’s amazing, Ginny. Really. I had no idea this was something you were thinking of doing.”

  “Yeah, Mom. Jeez. You never really mentioned this before. Not since New York.”

  Ginny shook her head. “I left the city to take care of family business, but I have always missed the collaboration and energy of a working restaurant. And this time I’ll be in charge. This will be my restaurant, with no one looking over my shoulder. Roger will be like a silent partner. I’ll have minimal staff, high-quality food, and a small enough space so that there won’t be a giant overhead. I really think it could work. I’ve slowly made a name for myself around here and collected a bunch of loyal customers. Hopefully they’ll follow me to my next spot. And I won’t have to be in hiding anymore.”

  Both women were quiet, soaking in Ginny’s announcement. This was big. It would change the dynamic of so many things.

  “That sounds cool, Mom . . .” Olive trailed off, as if she might be concerned about something else.

  Ginny must have understood because she quickly answered her daughter. “And Olive, this also means a new chapter for you. I don’t want you working for me anymore. I want you to find your own way. I won’t push you, but if you want to go to school for landscape design or floral arrangement or something else, I would gladly help you figure out how to fund that. You deserve to follow whatever interests you.”

  Without hesitating, Julia jumped in. “I second that!” She turned to face Olive. “Olive, honey, I would love to help finance your going back to school if that’s what you want. You’re so talented. It would be great to see you chase your passion.”

  Olive gaped. For a moment she said nothing. “Wow. That’s amazing. Thank you.”

  Julia noticed something like a light turning back on in her niece’s eyes.

  Ginny and Julia smiled back at her in unison. They’d both seen Olive’s potential and wanted to see it fulfilled, but only if it would make Olive happy.

  Julia believed it would.

  Ginny turn
ed to Julia then. “It’s all going to move pretty fast in the next few months. Thank you, Julia, for sticking around and helping me during your visit. Olive and I both appreciate everything you’ve done. Promise you’ll come back and visit again? It would be fun to have you see the new business when it’s ready.”

  Julia looked back at her sister. A warmth filled her heart. “I won’t need to do that.”

  Ginny’s face fell. “Oh, I just thought that—”

  Julia cut her off. “What I mean is that I won’t need to visit because I’ve actually decided I’m not going back.”

  “You’re not?”

  “No. I’d like to stay. In Arizona. I’m quitting my job, and I’ve already ended things with James. My old life doesn’t fit me the way it used to. I can’t explain it. It just doesn’t. Things have changed. I’ve changed.”

  “Wow, so what does that mean?”

  Julia took a big breath. “If it’s okay with both of you, I’d like to find an apartment in town and move closer. That is, if you’ll have me. I didn’t realize how much I missed having family around until I came here. I didn’t realize how much of myself I’d lost over the past few years. I want to change all of that. I believe by staying I can do that. And I have some ideas about a slight shift in direction with my work. It’s nothing concrete yet, but I’m mulling over some plans. What do you think?”

  Before she could wait for an answer, Olive leaped up and crossed the room. She flung her arms around Julia’s neck. “Oh, Aunt Julia! You’re staying! You’re staying!”

  Tears pooled in her eyes. She’d hoped for a positive reaction, but she hadn’t expected such a big one from her niece. Craning her neck, she peered over Olive’s tight embrace at Ginny. Julia worried her sister might not feel the same because she’d yet to say anything.

  From where Julia sat, however, she noticed that Ginny also had moisture in her eyes. Her sister appeared to be just as choked up.

  “This is turning out to be a day of new beginnings.” Ginny beamed.

  “I agree!” Olive darted off in search of more wine, and the three women toasted to a new chapter. Julia’s heart had never been so full.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  JULIA

  Breaking the news to GBN wasn’t difficult. Before flying home to pack up her things, she’d emailed the office that she’d be stopping by. Although Peter appeared slightly stunned at her resignation—most people did not willingly walk away from an opportunity as prestigious as GBN—he claimed he understood. Julia explained she’d had a change of heart and planned to relocate. Her boss nodded, was cordial and kind, and wished Julia the best.

  “Thanks for the opportunity, Peter.”

  “Absolutely. I’m only sorry things are ending the way they are. You have great potential, Julia. You’ve learned a valuable lesson with the Rossetti incident. I’m sure you’ll go on to do good things.”

  Julia smiled and accepted his well-wishes. It meant a great deal to part with GBN on decent terms. Thankfully there hadn’t been any legal mess to clean up. Peter promised a letter of recommendation, but she knew that her boss was secretly relieved he wouldn’t have to go through the ugly business of firing her. After all that had happened, her chances of staying, let alone rising, at GBN were rather slim, and they both knew it.

  She hugged Catrine goodbye and promised to keep in touch. She’d miss their talks. “If you ever need a vacation with lots of sunshine, you know where to find me. I’d love to see you,” Julia offered.

  “Thanks.” Catrine hugged her back. “I just may take you up on that. It sounds fantastic.”

  “I mean it. You’ve been a good friend. Call me if you need to vent. I’m just a phone call away.”

  “Deal.” Catrine smiled wide as Julia turned to go.

  Before leaving the office, she had one more thing to take care of. She made her way to the busy newsroom floor, glanced around, then dropped a folded note on Hannah’s desk. Julia didn’t personally know her replacement, and she wasn’t sure if the girl was capable of keeping up with Miller, but she decided Hannah should have a fair shot anyway.

  In the note were the few details Julia had gleaned in her research about the scandal in Mayor Rossetti’s office. It included specifics on Rossetti’s chief of staff, the consultancy, and a brief timeline of events. Whether anything would become of her notes was up to Hannah. Julia found herself hoping the newcomer would have the courage to break the story herself, putting Miller in his place and bringing in a victory for GBN. Maybe even clearing Julia’s name in a roundabout way.

  It was nice to think of the underdog winning for a change.

  It was even nicer to know she might have a small hand in that happening.

  Julia was finished with big network life. In the end, it wasn’t for her. She’d already put out some feelers in Arizona. A couple of meetings had been placed on the calendar. The idea of having a more low-profile job with a smaller news outlet appealed to her now. Time would tell if she’d get the chance. Then again, if she could have a second chance to begin with Ginny and Olive, she had to hope there’d be room for a second chance for her career, and maybe even love too.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  JULIA

  Five weeks later

  Julia shifted in the passenger seat of Olive’s Jeep and turned a key over in her hand. Its jagged angles poked into the skin of her moist palm. A fizzing of nervous excitement moved steadily through her. Today was moving day. And there was no turning back.

  “Thanks again for driving me,” she said to Olive.

  “Of course. I’m excited to be one of the first people to see your place. I can stick around and help when the movers come as well. It could be fun!”

  “That’s okay.” Julia smiled. “You’d better scoot. I know your mom wanted you to stop by the restaurant with an estimate for the flowers. You can’t be late for your new gig!”

  Olive laughed. “No, I guess not. Even if it’s just Mom.”

  Olive had taken everyone’s advice and enrolled in a local floral school. Her first class had begun a week earlier. There was a larger, more prestigious floral school—where all the heavy hitters in the floral industry trained—located in New York that Olive had her eye on. But for now, she wanted to remain in Arizona. Julia assumed that, like her, Olive was taking advantage of the repaired relationship she finally had with Ginny and felt strongly enough that it was worth pursuing.

  Ginny, clearly thrilled that Olive had chosen to stay, offered her daughter a monthly retainer to keep the new restaurant in fresh arrangements and to tend to the outside planters in the summer months. The landlord of the little brick building that housed the restaurant and small offices also offered to pay Olive. He’d asked her to revive a string of planter boxes out front and maintain them regularly.

  It was a nice starter salary. Julia knew both mother and daughter were pleased with the arrangement. Soon, Olive hoped to have saved enough to get her own apartment.

  “Well, here we are!” Olive rounded the corner of a downtown street known for its great shopping and dining. A brand-new, modern condominium project, complete with a state-of-the-art workout facility, pool, and smart systems, had just been completed the season before. Julia, not yet ready to abandon the trappings of city life altogether, had chosen to purchase one of the contemporary residences that featured impeccable finishes, culinary-inspired appliances, beautiful wood floors, and private patios that offered up to seven hundred square feet of outdoor living space.

  Letting go of her portion of the pricey lease in Manhattan had allowed her to make the offer in Arizona’s reasonable market. She was also able to sell some of her furniture, including a small but significant piece of art that James had once gifted her. Though she’d given back the ring, he’d insisted she keep the art. Thus, she was able to deposit a tiny cushion into her bank account, along with some savings, which would come in handy while she figured things out.

  The new condo was within walking distance of Whole Foods, a
slew of trendy retail shops, a scenic bike path, and popular restaurants, including Ginny’s newest endeavor. This fact alone had been the biggest draw for Julia. She could walk down a handful of blocks to visit her sister anytime she wanted. Just like in the old days.

  “I can’t wait for you to see my patio,” she told Olive. “I bet you’ll have some great ideas for a low-maintenance garden. It’s got a spectacular view of the mountains too. I plan to spend lots of time out there.”

  “Let’s go!” Olive hopped out eagerly.

  Julia slid from the passenger side and shut the door. As she glanced up, the gleaming new building seemed to smile down at her. Julia shaded her eyes and took it all in. The sun refracted in a high window and winked down onto the street below.

  This is my new home, she thought to herself. She gripped the key harder, filled with a surge of gratitude. Somehow, Julia knew this move had been the right decision. Despite what she’d had to let go of to get here, she was glad.

  Later that evening, Julia sat at a long community-style table in Ginny’s yet-to-open restaurant. Her cheeks pushed back into a wide smile. All around her were the people who would become her new friends and family. Her new tribe.

  To her right was Olive, looking very grown-up in a long dress with her glossy hair in a high twist. A young man, whom Julia had just met, sat close by Olive’s side. He was apparently one of Ginny’s vendors and had a tight friendship with Olive. This was the “friend” Olive had stayed with whenever she’d fought with her mother.

  The pair looked cute together, whether her niece would admit they were a couple or not, and Julia found herself glad for them. There was nothing like young love.

  To her left was Shane, who’d come alone. Sweet, genuine Shane, who’d arrived with a bouquet of flowers for Ginny and a bottle of prosecco for Julia as a housewarming gift.

  “To your new home.” He smiled, handing over the bottle. Julia’s heart did a little flip at seeing that the delicate silver bow had been tied with a note that read “Love, Shane.”