by Claire Adams
“I do want to be there.”
She smirked. “Good.”
“Now that that’s settled,” I said, “try some of my coffee.”
I poured a mug of coffee. I noticed a few chunks of something as I poured. But it was too late to back out now. I cringed as she sipped it and made a face fit for someone who just drank mud.
“You can spit it out,” I said. “I know it’s awful. I don’t want to poison you.”
Like the graceful woman she was, she swallowed. “Okay, Parker, sit down and eat and I’ll make the coffee.”
She squeezed my hand and went to the coffee maker. I happily took the waffle and stacked bacon and eggs on top. I sat down at the breakfast bar where I was safely away from any and all cooking equipment.
While the coffee was brewing, Sienna finished up a few more waffles. I loved watching her work. This was her passion, and I was proud of my decision to bring back the diner so that she could continue being happy and fulfilled for the rest of her life. And it helped that she was half naked.
When the coffee was done, I got up and poured two mugs. It was the least I could do. When I got back to my seat, there was another freshly made waffle on my plate.
I smiled at her. “How did you know?”
“You were practically salivating watching me.”
“That wasn’t because of the waffles.”
She pulled a face.
“Okay, maybe it was partly the waffles, and partly my sexy girlfriend.”
“I think I need to wear your clothes more often,” she said.
“Definitely.”
“So, what do you want to do today?” she asked. “I need something to distract me or else I’m going to want to work on the diner all day.”
“How about we go surfing?” I suggested. “I know you’re going to be busy getting the place up and running for a little while.”
She nodded while taking a bite of her waffle. “That’s true.”
“And I find I do my best thinking in the water. Maybe you could find some inspiration.”
She sighed. “I could use it. I feel like I’ve wasted all my brain power over the last two months.”
“It hasn’t all been bad,” I said.
“I never said it was bad. Let’s just say it was an overdue vacation. And I’m ready to get back to the grind.”
We finished up breakfast and changed into our bathing suits. I had a hard time keeping my hands off Sienna, so we left the house a little later than expected. I loved the fact that I could touch her whenever I wanted. This was how a relationship should be. I still regretted wasting all those years with girls who only liked me for my money. It was a danger that people had warned me about, but I never thought others could be so callous to someone they were dating. I supposed that’s why there were so many single people out there. Selfish people who were only in a relationship to gain something. It didn’t make sense to me, but it didn’t have to anymore. Sienna made the most sense in the world to me.
Now that we were in the summer months, the beach was packed with tourists. But our little spot further down from all the food trucks and restaurants on the strip gave us a little more privacy. There were several groups of locals that had the same idea we did and stayed far away from the vacation-surfers that tended to spend more time in the water than on the board. It was a dangerous situation for the more seasoned surfers, so we liked to steer clear.
We wasted no time getting into the water. The days were hotter and the sand even more so. The temperature of the water eased my scorched feet.
“This feels so nice,” she said, standing next to her board in the water.
“It really does.”
She sighed deeply.
“What are you thinking about?” Normally Sienna couldn’t wait to get out there and into the waves. I’d noticed lately that she had many moments of silence to herself. I guessed after losing the diner she had a lot to think about. But now that she had her life back, I hoped she’d feel better about herself and her life with me.
“Everything,” she said, still focused on the water. “And nothing. It’s all so surreal.” Then she looked over at me.
With the wind in her hair and her sexy as hell body, she looked like a model on the cover of a men’s magazine. If we weren’t in a public place, I might have taken her right then and there.
“What you did for me was so over-the-top and amazing.”
“And?”
“And that’s all. These past few months have given me a little more perspective. I’m just reflecting.”
“Good, I was a little worried there.”
“Were you?”
I smirked. “No. You’ve been an independent and strong woman your whole life; I wasn’t expecting that to change just because we got together. I’m obviously always concerned for you, but I knew once you had the diner back, you’d feel whole again.”
She sighed. “I really do. You never really know how much something means to you until it’s gone.”
Our eyes locked for a moment. I saw a flash of regret in her eyes. I knew she wasn’t just talking about the diner.
I let the moment linger for a few seconds before I looked back at the ocean. “Are you ready?”
She lay down on her board. “You betcha.”
We paddled out through the waves to get far enough away from shore for our first run.
When we were sure we had the perfect wave, we went for it. Sienna hopped up on her board in a crouched position and rode the wave. I was a little behind her, and my insides warmed seeing the grin on her face.
After a few runs, we decided to take a break. We waded in the water away from the other surfers. Our legs dangled in the water. Sienna bumped mine a few times as we gently paddled to keep from drifting too far from shore.
“What do you think about opening up the diner tomorrow?” I asked.
“Tomorrow?” Sienna said with a surprised look on her face.
I shrugged. “Why not? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten everything about running a diner.”
She pulled a face. “Of course not, jerk. I haven’t been away that long.”
“All the inspections are in, so you’re good to go when you want. You can decorate along the way. How about diving back into it?”
“We could do a soft opening tomorrow,” she suggested. “I could invite Harriet and some of the other regulars. Just to make sure all the equipment is running before we open the doors for good.”
“The website and social media accounts have been updated,” I said.
“Since when?”
I smirked. “Since yesterday. I didn’t want you to see the changes to the accounts until I brought you to the diner. Everything is updated so once you give the firm opening date, I will be able to share that with your followers.”
“Parker, I don't have followers.”
“Yes, you do. My last count was around twelve-hundred. I expect that to grow once you open the doors.”
She balked. “From where?”
“Did you not know how I made a living for years?”
She looked up at the sky and smiled, closing her eyes. “I can’t believe this. I’m so lucky.”
“I’m the lucky one,” I said. “You make this relationship so easy to be in for me.”
“It is pretty easy, right?” she asked.
I was glad she felt the same way.
As the sun started to set against the horizon, Sienna and I called it a day. But we weren’t ready to leave the beach just yet. We propped up our boards and sat on the sand, side by side.
Sienna leaned her head against my shoulder and sighed. “I don’t remember the last time I sat and watched a sunset.”
“Today,” I said with a smile.
She punched me in the arm. “Smart-ass. You know what I mean.”
“I do. There’s been a lot of good moments for us recently.”
“There has been.”
I kissed the top of her head. The taste of salt water spread ac
ross my lips. I found that each day brought more good memories for us. And I suspected that would continue to happen for a long time. Harriet had been right about Sienna and me being together. It was so much easier and more fun than it had been with any other girl. Especially Rachel. I thanked whoever had been watching over me the day of the wedding. My last-minute decision had prevented me from making the biggest mistake of my life. I would have lost Sienna forever, and probably more money than I wanted to.
I put my arm around Sienna and watched the crash of the surf on the shore. Even though the sun was setting on today, I looked forward to tomorrow and the rest of the days ahead of us. I knew they would be happy as long as I had Sienna by my side.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Sienna
My alarm went off at six the next morning. Parker groaned from next to me and rolled over.
I, on the other hand, practically sprung from the bed. Today was the day that I was getting back to work in my brand new diner. I knew I’d probably be exhausted later, but I didn’t care. I had slept enough in the past two months to carry me over for a while. I was ready to get back to work.
While the diner wasn’t exactly the same as before, I intended to take this opportunity and do what I had been too afraid to do in the past: take a risk. I was going to decorate with a theme in mind. And I knew exactly what the theme would be.
Tony still had a connection with the house in Sanibel and he asked the owners to take pictures of the house so I could use the interior as inspiration. Even though the reason for going to Sanibel had been to escape from Parker, now it was a fond memory of a nice mini-vacation with a friend in a place that made me feel at home.
I planned on taking Parker and Tony shopping later that week to start picking out little decorations from the local shops around town. I wasn’t going to rush this. I had the idea that regulars or tourists who came back year after year would comment on something that they hadn’t seen or noticed before. It would keep the diner updated and ever-changing, and would keep patrons coming back day after day and year after year. I felt the same way about the house in Sanibel, and I hoped that I could make others feel the same way too.
“I’m going to take a shower,” I said to Parker. “Get up soon. We need to make a special trip before going to the diner.”
After showering and making a quick breakfast for us, we were out the door by seven. Parker drove to Harriet’s house and she was sitting on her porch swing, waiting for us.
She was an early riser like we were. Having the diner back was only a piece of the puzzle that made me incredibly giddy with excitement. Getting Harriet back into her routine after Kenneth died had been a priority for me. I knew she would always cherish him, but I wanted her to continue on with her life as much as she could in the circumstances. I even offered to go to Bingo with her every week just so that she could do things that made her happy again, even if it was without Kenneth.
“Oh, my,” Harriet said when I helped her from the car. She looked at the diner and her eyes filled with happy tears. “Parker, you did an amazing job.”
“You haven’t seen the inside yet,” he said and helped her up the front steps.
I opened the door and offered my arm to her. She took it, and we entered the space.
The shock of seeing the diner in front of me instead of in my dreams still moved through me, even days later.
“I wanted to show you something,” I said, then glanced back at Parker.
He winked at me and I led Harriet to her regular table that she’d shared with Kenneth. I came in the night before and set up the surprise for her.
It took her a minute to realize what she was looking at. But when she did, her hands covered her gasp.
“Sienna,” she said accusingly. “What have you done?”
I glanced at the framed picture on the wall hanging next to their booth. It was their wedding photo that was published in the newspaper after their nuptials.
“Do you like it?” I asked. “We wanted to dedicate this space to you and Kenneth.”
“Where ever did you find that photo?” she asked.
Parker raised his hand. “I contacted the newspaper that printed it. They scanned the copy and sent it over to us.”
Harriet took each of our hands in hers. “You two are simply darling. I’m better for knowing you.”
“We could say the same thing for you,” I said.
Harriet sat down at the booth and scooted over, getting a better look at the photo. “You know,” she said, “I was a size two then. My, how times change you.”
“You look just as good now as you did then,” Parker said, sliding into the other side of the booth.
She let out a hoot of laughter. “You’re too kind, Parker.”
I left the two of them to talk and went into the kitchen. There, I was able to take a deep breath. I was finally home again. I smoothed my hands over the clean surfaces, burning the image and feel into my brain. I knew after a few months of cooking, these surfaces would be well-worn.
A knock on the back door broke me from my reverie. I unlocked it and let Tony inside.
“I’m going to need a key,” he said, lugging in several bags of food.
“I’ll get some made this afternoon,” I said and made a mental note on top of the other million things I had to do.
Opening the diner again would be a challenge, but I was up for it. I’d forgotten all the little things that were involved in the process, but I was quickly remembering and falling into step.
We started separating the food items and putting them away before they went bad in the heat.
The refrigerator was sub-zero with clear glass doors. That would prove helpful in keeping the food cold while taking inventory. I couldn’t believe Parker thought of everything. He did admit to speaking with top chefs all around the country during the planning process. Even though my diner would serve a third of the clientele those places did, it was a generous gift that made the diner much more upgraded than it had been.
I grabbed a few things to prep while Tony organized the food. Everything went back into its place and eventually—aside from everything being brand new—we were back in our groove.
When we were prepared and ready to go, I squeezed Tony’s arm. “Are you ready?”
“The better question is, are you?”
I took a breath. “Yes, I think I am.”
I grabbed my brand new ordering pad and shoved it in my back pocket as we headed out to the dining room. I’d told the other customers to come in around ten so we’d have time to prepare. Plus, I wanted to take one special order and focus all of my attention on it.
“All right,” I said, interrupting Harriet and Parker.
Parker sat back in his seat and Harriet looked up at me expectantly.
“You want some coffee?” I asked.
They both nodded.
The four of us sat in the booth, sipping coffee for about forty-five minutes, chatting about the old diner.
“I remember when Kenneth and I first stepped foot in this place,” Harriet said, regaling us with more amazing memories of her equally amazing husband.
Heat flickered behind my eyes. I hated that I’d only known Kenneth for a short time. Harriet had even more time with him, yet remained positive and loved to talk about him. I knew I would feel the same way about Parker when we were older. I needed to make a priority of remembering everything between us so I’d be able to look back and smile whenever I was feeling down.
“It actually used to be a different place before you bought it, Sienna,” she said at the end of her story.
I glanced up at the ceiling, trying to remember. I’d bought it a few years after the restaurant closed down. “I think it was called Bernie’s.”
Harriet snapped her fingers. “That’s right! The food was terrible, but we didn’t know that until you came in and gave us something delicious.”
I laughed.
Parker took my hand and squeezed. “You really are a go
od chef.”
“A good cook,” I corrected. I didn’t think I deserved the honor of being called a chef.
“Sienna,” Tony said. “Remember when I applied to work here?”
“Oh yeah,” I said, remembering fondly.
“I thought I was passing through here when I saw the diner and the sign,” Tony explained. “When I met Sienna, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.”
“No, you didn’t,” I said, cracking up.
“But this little brat grew on me,” he said.
I kicked him under the table and he cried out in alarm then laughed. We all did.
Happy tears sprung to my eyes, and I didn’t want anyone to see me cry. I slid out of the booth and took a second to collect myself. “People are going to start coming in here soon, so I think it’s time to do this.”
“Do what, dear?” Harriet asked.
I pulled the pad out of my pocket and poised my pen on the paper. “Harriet, you are our first customer ever in this diner. So I would like to ask you one question.”
“Yes?” she said.
I looked at Tony and smiled. “Would you like your usual?”
The other customers came in all at once at ten o’ clock on the dot. Tony greeted some of his biker friends while I said hello to a family that came in every Sunday while they stayed at their beach house for several weeks during the year. Harriet’s meal had gone off without a hitch, so I had hope that the rest would be fine, too. Since the design of the kitchen was nearly the same as before, I found I fell back into the rhythm very quickly. As did Tony.
Parker was the only one with a learning curve. But that would come with time. Being a server wasn’t as easy as people thought it was. He took too long writing down the orders and making the customers repeat it several times.
Anytime he looked a little down about it, I made sure to kiss him and tell him he was doing great. Even though I found myself cringing each time he took a plate from the pass-through. By the end of the day, there were only two broken plates and a shattered glass on his record. And since we didn’t have many customers that day, I’d say that was a win for him.
I was making another pot of coffee for the last set of customers when Parker brushed up against me. I looked over at him. He wore a devilish grin.