Christmas at the Restaurant

by Pamela M. Kelley

  “Love the hair tie, you look very festive. What did you think of Stroll?”

  Gina smiled. “It was great. I get it now. I’m glad I went.”

  They didn’t have much time to chat after that as the bar filled up with people waiting for their reservations or walk-ins hoping they could eat at the bar.

  Jill recognized a lot of people from the year she spent working at the restaurant and most of them remembered her too and said they were glad to see her home for the holidays. She was impressed by what a good job her sisters and Paul had done since she’d gone back to Manhattan. Mimi’s Place had so many loyal regulars now and business was booming.

  “Jill, Mandy mentioned you were back in town! Nice to see you.” Kate Hodges and her sister Abby were at the bar waiting to order drinks. Their sister, Kristen waved from the other side of the room where she was standing with her boyfriend, Tyler and Kate and Abby’s husbands, Jack and Jeff.

  “Hey, great to see you all too! Billy and I are here through the holidays. It’s nice to be home. What can I get for you?”

  Kate placed their order, and Jill quickly poured their drinks and set them on the counter. Kate gathered a few of them up while Abby stayed to pay the bill and carry the rest.

  “How’s Natalie?” Jill asked as she set down Abby’s change. She rarely saw Abby without her young daughter.

  “She’s great. She’s with my mom tonight, so I could have an adult night out. My mom would love to see you guys. She’s having her big holiday open house next Sunday. You should all stop by. It will go all afternoon.”

  “Thanks. I’d love to, and I’ll mention it to the others.”

  “Great. See you soon.” Abby wandered off, carefully holding her three drinks and Jill turned her attention to the next person in line. The bar was three deep with people wanting drinks. She took a deep breath and smiled. “What can I get for you?”

  Usually the restaurant emptied out by ten thirty on weekends, but it was a little past eleven by the time the last customer left. The staff that didn’t have to rush home gathered at the bar for an after-work drink. Usually if there was more than one bartender working, they split all the tips that came in equally, but before the others arrived at the bar, Jill told Gina it was all hers. Gina protested. “That doesn’t seem right. You did as much as I did.”

  Jill smiled. “And I’m an owner, so it’s all good. You worked hard and deserve it.”

  Gina still looked unsure but nodded. “Okay, well thank you. People were very generous tonight.”

  “What are you drinking?” Jill asked as she poured herself a glass of Josh cabernet.

  “I’ll have a chardonnay, the Bread and Butter. Thanks.” Once their wines were poured, they brought their glasses to the other side of the bar and sat. As Mandy, Billy and the others made their way over, Jill and Gina took turns jumping up to make their drinks. Jill noticed with interest that the new guy in the kitchen, Jared, took the seat next to Gina.

  Mandy lifted her glass in a toast. “To our best night, ever. We set a new record.”

  “That’s awesome!” Jill knew it seemed busy but she didn’t realize the night had been that good.

  “More than half of the guests ordered Paul’s Prix Fixe menu,” Emma said proudly.

  Paul looked pleased too. “That was a nice surprise. We might want to think of offering that more often, maybe on a regular basis. The profit margins are higher and it made things go more smoothly in the kitchen too.”

  “And people like it because they get a better deal than buying everything separately,” Mandy said. “I got a lot of positive feedback from the hotels and bed and breakfasts when I sent the flyers out, but I really didn’t know it would do so well.”

  “Except for the screaming baby on table two, things went great in the dining room too,” Emma said.

  Jill laughed. “I could hear that baby from here. The poor mother.”

  Mandy looked sympathetic. “I’ve been in her shoes. It’s not always easy taking small children to restaurants. We didn’t do it very often when the kids were that little. It’s too stressful wondering if they are going to have a meltdown and then embarrassing when they do.”

  “You were always good though,” Emma said. “You’d take them right outside until they calmed down. Some parents don’t do that.”

  “I don’t know how they can just ignore it,” Jill said. “It seems like they just scream louder until the parent finally pays attention to them. And you wonder why I’m not in a hurry to have kids,” she joked. But when she glanced Billy’s way, he wasn’t laughing.

  “It’s different when it’s your own,” Mandy assured her. “You find your own rhythm. Some kids are better about going out than others. Finding a good baby-sitter is a blessing.”

  “Oh, that reminds me. Did you see the Hodges sisters? Kate and Abby stopped at the bar to get some drinks and invited us all to their mom’s open house. It’s next Sunday at the Beach Plum Cove Inn and we’re all invited.

  Mandy smiled. “I didn’t make it last year, but when she’s had her open houses in prior years, I’ve often stopped in. Lisa Hodges knows how to throw a party. The food is always really good.”

  Chapter 6

  “Are you sure you don’t mind that I’m going out with Matt tonight? He said you two are welcome to join us. I wish you would.” Mandy felt like a terrible hostess abandoning her houseguest and sister to go out for a romantic dinner.

  But Jill laughed. “Don’t be silly. I insist. We’ll have plenty of time to see Matt too, and we don’t have to do everything together. You guys need a date night, with just the two of you.”

  “Okay, well there’s plenty of food in the fridge or you can always get takeout.”

  “Billy will probably want pizza. We have pizza at least twice a week. But I like it too, so it works for us.”

  Matt arrived a little before seven, and they headed off to one of their favorite Monday night restaurants, Crosswinds at the airport. It was a favorite spot for locals, had a cozy pub feel and the menu featured good comfort food. Matt ordered his usual local beer, Cisco’s Shark Tracker, and Mandy had a glass of Bread and Butter cabernet, which was her new favorite. Matt got the meatloaf, and Mandy went for the roast chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. She rarely ordered chicken at restaurants, but she liked how they did it here and it was so cold and raw outside that it sounded good.

  The restaurant was busy but not too crowded. Monday nights typically were one of the slowest and many restaurants took it as a day off and closed completely. But Crosswinds never closed. Mandy guessed it was partly because they were at the airport and people would need somewhere to go while waiting for flights. She was glad they were open. It was a cheery and welcoming place and they were decorated for Christmas too with a tree in the corner and garlands and lights pinned around the room.

  Nancy, the older waitress that often served them and always remembered their order, brought a basket of rolls out and not too long after, delivered their meals, which were delicious, as usual.

  As they ate, Matt told her that as long as the weather stayed cold, he was planning on taking Billy ice-fishing on Sunday.

  “There’s a group of us going. It should be a good time.”

  “Ice-fishing. So you’ll literally stand over a hole in the ice hoping to catch a fish?” It did not sound at all fun to Mandy.

  But Matt seemed excited about it. “Yes, pretty much. We’ll have a cooler of beer and food, so it will be a good time.”

  She smiled. “I’m sure Billy will love it.”

  “He’ll fit right in.”

  “Hi, Matt! I thought that was you.”

  Mandy and Matt looked up to see a bubbly blonde woman approach their table. She was wearing a snug, low-cut sweater that showed off her ample cleavage and jeans that looked poured onto her. She was also wearing leather boots with ridiculously high heels. Mandy wondered how she could walk in them—they looked painful. Her hair was a chin-length mass of fluffy layers and her lipsti
ck was very red.

  “Amy, nice to see you. Do you know my girlfriend, Mandy Lawson? Mandy, Amy works next door to my office.”

  Amy glanced her way and nodded. “Nice to meet you. I’m the building office manager.” She turned to Matt. “Did you like the present I left for you?”

  Matt laughed. “Yes, I ate every crumb. That was unnecessary but kind of you. Thanks again.”

  “Well, I’m off to meet my friends. You two have fun.”

  Amy walked off and Mandy raised her eyebrows. “She made you a present?”

  “She likes to bake. She made lemon cakes for all the guys at the boat basin.”

  “Isn’t that nice.” Mandy wondered how old Amy was. “Is she single?”

  “I don’t really know. Maybe? She goes out with her friends a lot. Seems like everywhere I go, Amy is there.”

  “Interesting.” Mandy thought it was likely that Amy was single and looking for her next boyfriend and maybe had her eyes on Matt. He was a catch and at forty-four, he was plenty young enough to start a new family with someone. She thought of Cory and his very pregnant young girlfriend and lost her appetite. She picked at her dinner, while Matt inhaled the rest of his. He noticed that she wasn’t eating much.

  “Is your chicken okay?”

  “It’s fine. Delicious as usual. I’m just not that hungry I guess.” She took another bite and set her fork down. “Did I tell you Cory might be getting engaged soon? His young girlfriend is expecting.”

  “Oh! Wow.” Matt took a sip of his beer and looked at her closely. “Is that what’s bothering you?”

  She shook her head. “Not anymore. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it when I first heard. It’s strange to think that Cory is basically going to start over. He might have several kids, who knows? You could do that too. I bet Amy would be up for it.”

  He reached over and took her hand and squeezed it. “I’m not interested in Amy. And I think kids are great, but mine are in college. The thought of starting over again makes me tired.” He looked into her eyes. “Unless you really wanted more, then I could find a way to get on board. You’re still young enough if that’s what you wanted to do?”

  Mandy laughed. “Oh, my goodness, that’s the last thing I want. I love my children, but I agree with you. The thought of doing it all again—diapers, sleepless nights….no, thank you.”

  Matt looked relieved. “Good. I’m glad we are on the same page.”

  Mandy was very glad too and relieved that Matt said he had no interest in Amy. Because it was clear to Mandy, that Amy was interested in Matt. She thought it was brazen of her to walk up while they were having dinner together and to mention in front of Mandy that she’d given Matt a gift. Who did that? And Mandy had been wondering what to do about a gift for Matt. She wanted to get him something meaningful but not too much or too little. She needed to check with Jill and Emma for ideas. She had no idea what would be appropriate after dating someone for three months, but she wanted to get him something special.

  Chapter 7

  Gina stared at her closet for a good ten minutes trying to decide what to wear for her night out with Alex. She still wasn’t sure if it was meant to be an actual date, so it felt silly to be so worried about what to wear, but she couldn’t help it. It had taken her all of two seconds to decide what to wear when she met Jared at the Stroll, but she knew that wasn’t a date, so it was different. There was no pressure, no expectations. She’d been surprised by what a fun day it had turned out to be. Jared was a nice guy and the time had flown by.

  Boots, her all black cat with four white paws, sat on her bed watching her intently in-between yawns. She was in her usual afternoon nap spot, on Gina’s pillow.

  Gina tried on a few different tops, then settled on a navy blue v-neck sweater and jeans. Her outfit was casual but the sweater was a nice one and flattering. It was a good color for her and she always felt confident when she wore it. She added a swipe of rosy pink lipstick, grabbed her coat and purse and headed out. She punched Alex’s address into her phone’s GPS, connected it in the Jetta’s console and a few minutes later, pulled up to his house on Orange Street.

  His rental was an apartment that was part of a very old house. It was a convenient location within easy walking distance to downtown and The Lawson Group’s office. Alex was outside, talking on his phone and looked up when he heard her car. He ended the call, walked over and got into the passenger side.

  “Thanks for coming to get me.” He looked and smelled great. She couldn’t place his cologne but it smelled freshly applied and she guessed from the dampness of his hair where it met the collar of his shirt, that he’d recently showered too.

  “You’re welcome. How’s the new job going?”

  “Great so far.” He told her all about his new role and how awesome the company was as they drove to Millie’s. “In a couple of years, if all goes well, I’ll move into the top spot, as a Portfolio Manager. That’s where the real money is, although, it can be good at my level, too, as a senior analyst. The guys are great. Two of us started yesterday.”

  “Oh, is the other one John? One of the girls at the restaurant said her husband just got hired there.”

  “That’s him. Seems like a smart guy. Kind of on the quiet side.”

  Gina pulled into the lot, and they went into Millie’s and upstairs where the view of the ocean was better, though it was too dark to see much this time of the year. They sat at a high-top table in the bar and both ordered margaritas and some guacamole and chips to snack on while they decided what else to have. Alex went with a beef burrito and Gina decided on scallop and bacon tacos.

  “So, you’re still working in the restaurant business,” Alex said when the waiter set down their drinks and appetizer. “Did you go to college for hospitality?”

  Gina smiled. “No. I kind of fell into it. I was a fine arts major. At one point I thought about teaching art, but I ended up liking the fast pace of restaurant work. I really like the mix of what I do now, mostly managing the bar and covering for the dining room and front desk managers on their nights off.”

  Alex nodded. “I never minded it, but I was ready to get a real job once I graduated. Not that restaurant work isn’t a real job. It just wasn’t what I wanted for a career.”

  “I knew what you meant. I’m glad you found something you love to do. You used to play hockey, too, I think, didn’t you?”

  He grinned. “Yeah, I was on a men’s league. My brother was too. We both played in high school.”

  “There’s an active men’s hockey league here. You might want to look into it.”

  “No kidding? That’s awesome. Thanks for letting me know. What else should I know about Nantucket? Tell me all your secrets.”

  Gina laughed and then told him a few of her favorite places and the best days to go there.

  “Oh, if you do get a car, don’t bring it with you when you go off-island. You’ll have to take the slow boat, the Steamship Authority, which takes twice as long. It’s easier and faster to take the fast ferry and then either call for an Uber or rent a car if you are going over the bridge.” When people left the Cape to go to Boston or elsewhere, they had to cross the Cape Cod Canal, so it was often referred to as ‘going over the bridge’, which was a big deal and a rare thing for many native Cape Codders.

  “I went to college with a girl from the Cape. After graduation, she got a job in Hyannis. I tried to get her to visit me in Boston and finally, once, she did. But she got so lost. She ended up taking a wrong turn and ended up in Chelsea and I had to stay on the phone with her while she drove to my place. I think that was the last time she crossed the bridge.”

  Alex laughed. “My mom’s friend is like that too. I can’t imagine.” The waiter arrived with their food and they dug in. As they ate, Alex caught her up on some of the people they both knew from the restaurant in Boston. He still saw some of them even after he graduated and started working in finance.

  When they finished eating, Alex ordered another margari
ta but Gina still had more than half of hers left. She sipped it slowly to make it last. She didn’t want another one. They were big and she was always careful when she was driving. Plus, she was so full.

  Alex took a sip, then yawned and immediately apologized. “That was rude, I’m sorry. I’m still getting used to the hours. I had a few weeks off before starting this job and I fell into sleeping late and not getting up until seven.”

  “Seven? That seems early to me. What time do you have to be in the office?”

  “We’re there by seven at the latest, so I’m usually up by around five or so to check the markets and work out before heading in. It’s a long day. Everyone was still there when I left at six thirty. I’ll probably stay ‘til seven or so tomorrow.”

  “That’s a twelve-hour shift.” It sounded like a very long day.

  “Yeah, the norm is a sixty or seventy-hour week. It’s intense, but I love it.”

  She could tell that he really did and his energy was contagious. She thought about her artwork. She hadn’t painted anything in months. She was always so tired when she got home from work. But she did love painting and she missed it. She made a mental note to make time for it and to start a new painting soon.

  “Do you want dessert?” Alex asked when the server came back to their table.

  Gina shook her head. “No, thanks. I’m stuffed. But if you want something go ahead. They have a really good key lime pie.”

  Alex yawned again. “I think I’ll pass too. Maybe next time?”

  Gina thought it was a good sign that he mentioned a next time, a second date possibly. When the bill came, Gina pulled out her wallet, but Alex insisted on paying.

  They left and when she dropped him off, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Thank you for driving. I had fun tonight and you were right, Millie’s is great.”