She smiled. “Thank you. I can’t wait for you to visit soon. Remember, we have several guest rooms at Grams house.”
“I’m counting on it. Not next weekend, but maybe the weekend after, if that works for you?”
“I’ll plan on it. So, fill me in on what’s going on. How are things?”
For the next twenty minutes, just up until they were called for their table, Billy filled her in on what was going on in the office, how the month was looking and what issues he needed advice on. The minutes flew by as Jill realized that even though she was connected via the internet and phone, she still was missing the pulse of the business and being up on the day-to-day operations of the office. She and Billy spoke a few times a week, and it didn’t feel like enough.
“We need to talk more often.”
“Well, it’s not like you’re down the hall. Things are different now,” Billy said.
“I know, but it’s a work in progress. If we talk more often, I’ll have a better sense of what’s going on and how I can help.”
“Okay, let’s make a plan then to connect at least once a day, to debrief and say hello.” Billy lifted his margarita and Jill did the same, tapping her glass against his.
The hostess came a moment later and led them to a cozy table for two, tucked away in a secluded alcove. Jill sunk into one of the plush oversized chairs that were more like mini-sofas, covered in a soft brushed suede. Once they were both settled, Billy flipped open his menu. “So, on to more important matters. What are you going to have?”
Jill was about to answer when the waitress appeared and told them about several specials. When she left to get them another round of margaritas, Jill said to Billy, “Too many choices and they all sound good. What are you getting?”
“Well, the guacamole to start, don’t you think?” That was a given, as they made it table-side. The server crushed fresh avocados in a stone bowl, along with tomato, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno to taste. Jill loved watching them make it, and it was how she’d learned to do it herself as well.
“I’m going to have the chili rellenos, I think.” She had them the last time she was there and had been craving the plump peppers bursting with gooey cheese and raisins and sauce ever since.
“I’m going to try the seafood enchiladas. Just to be different.”
Their food was amazing as usual, and when they finished, they adjourned back to the bar for an after-dinner Mexican coffee, a mix of liqueurs, coffee and fresh whipped cream.
Jill had a warm glow going by this point and a hint of courage. She found herself laughing more than usual and touching Billy’s arm to make several points. He seemed a bit confused by her behavior.
“Do you want to come back to my place for a drink?” she asked as they walked out the front door.
Billy raised his eyebrows at her and said, “I think someone has had her limit. Let’s get you in a cab and home. I’ll see you in the office tomorrow.” He touched her arm gently and guided her into the nearest cab. “I’ll catch the next one.” They were going in opposite directions.
“Okay. I am kind of tired.” And she was suddenly bone tired. The week had caught up with her. Just going home and going to bed was very appealing. Tomorrow was another day.
Morning came way too quickly. Jill drank several glasses of water and was halfway through an extra-large dark roast coffee when her cab pulled up in front of the office. She’d had more to drink the night before than she usually did, and it was just enough to ensure that she wasn’t at a hundred percent. And she needed to be.
The office was starting to buzz a little as she walked through the hallways and towards her office. People were arriving, settling in, and a handful, the early risers, were already on the phone. Heads turned in surprise as she walked past, as her appearance was not expected. Fridays were generally the most laid-back day of the week, but Jill knew that with both she and Billy on the floor, that wouldn’t be the case.
In her company as well as the larger firm she and Billy used to work at, the intensity level was always higher when the managers were in the office, and especially when they were actually ‘working a desk’ along with their employees. That was one thing that she and Billy were both in agreement on when they decided to start their company. They would never be hands-off managers—telling people what to do, but not actually doing it. They wanted to lead by example, showing them how to do it.
Jill wasn’t at her desk for more than a few minutes when she was asked to put out the first fire of the day. She sipped the last bit of her coffee as two of her employees peeked into Billy’s office first, and when they saw he wasn’t in yet, they walked back towards hers. That was understandable, of course, as they were now used to going to Billy first.
“What’s up guys?” Jill asked as Tony and Nicole hovered outside her door.
“We hate to bother you so early, but do you have a minute? It’s kind of important,” Nicole asked.
“Of course. Come in, have a seat.”
Once they were settled in the two chairs in front of Jill’s desk, Nicole glanced at Tony nervously and he began to talk.
“You know the MacGregor placement, the big one?”
“Of course, you both did a great job on that.” The two exchanged glances, and Jill guessed they’d run into an issue. There were so many moving parts to any placement, some more so than others, that you really couldn’t consider your work done until the person had actually started and stayed in the role for several months.
“Well, he’s due to start on Monday,” Nicole began. “Today was supposed to be his last day.”
Tony leaned forward and added, “His boss took him to lunch and presented a ridiculous counteroffer. Told him he’s important to the success of the company and they can’t do it without him. He’s incredibly flattered and confused.”
“He called you and told you this?” Jill asked, and they both nodded.
“He’s your candidate, right Nicole? Did you have a talk with him at the beginning about this?” Jill asked. It was what she trained all new people to do, to defuse the possible counteroffer issue from the outset. If people expected to receive one, it wasn’t usually as effective when it actually arrived.
“Yes. I told him to expect a counteroffer. I also stressed that they wouldn’t want to lose him and that this is very inconvenient for his company. He assured me that they’d never give him one because he asked for a raise and promotion a few months ago and they turned him down flat, said there was no money budgeted. And when he gave his notice, they didn’t do anything then, so I thought we were safe.”
“Then you can relax, he’s probably just flattered. If he’s smart, he’ll realize what’s going on.”
“So, what do we do now though?” Tony did not look at all relaxed.
Jill felt for them. She had been in their shoes many times and knew well the feeling of panic when something that was supposedly all set threatened to go south. She had a good feeling about this one though. It sounded like they’d done things the right way. Covering everything ahead of time was essential in smoothing over rough patches that developed.
“How did he leave things with you?” Jill asked Nicole who seemed a bit calmer.
“He said he was flattered and had to give their offer serious consideration. That it would only be fair. He’s calling me this morning.”
“Okay. Sit tight, then, and wait for his call. If you don’t hear from him by noon, call him. If you need to, remind him why he was looking and that in most cases nothing will change. He’ll likely be regretting his decision if he stays.”
Nicole grinned and then said, “I said all of that to him last night.”
“Great, then you should be good. If not, I’ll be here. Keep me posted.”
Jill walked them out of the office and then wandered to the kitchen to find more coffee, as she felt like she’d barely had a drop. As she was filling her mug, she sensed Billy before she actually saw him.
“How are you feeling this morning?
” he asked softly as she turned to leave the kitchen.
“Tired. Maybe a little hungover,” she admitted.
“Well, you’re in good company. The day will go quickly. Before you know it we’ll be ready for after-work drinks.”
“Ugh… I don’t know about that.”
Funny how what she didn’t think was possible at eight-thirty in the morning, seemed like a good idea at the end of the day. By six, Jill and Billy, along with Tony, Nicole and a half dozen others from the office were at their favorite bar around the corner. It was a tiny place, just below street level in an elegant old hotel. They loved it because when they first opened the office, it was where they celebrated at the end of their first day, and they’d been coming back ever since.
The bar was small but plush, with soft leather-cushioned chairs, a polished cherry wood bar, and it was dark. The lighting was low, the drapes were deep burgundy and black suits dominated. From where they sat, taking up the corner of the bar, Jill could see people scurrying past on their way home from work. Well, she could mostly just see their feet, but she’d always loved the view, catching glimpses of some pretty spectacular shoes.
As usual, the hours slipped by even though Jill wasn’t drinking. She was too tired and admittedly still a little hungover from the extra drinks she’d had the night before. Soda water and lemon with a splash of pomegranate juice was her drink of choice. By nine, everyone else from the office had moved on and she and Billy were dining on burgers and fries. Jill rarely ate burgers, but sometimes they hit the spot.
“Nothing like a greasy burger to soak up any lingering alcohol effects, eh?” Billy said before taking another bite.
“It’s not fair that you don’t seem the least bit hungover.” Jill was working on her fries. They were dusted with olive oil, salt and rosemary, delicious on their own, but better still with ketchup.
“You’re just jealous. Tell me, why is it that you haven’t had a single bite of that burger yet? You always eat your fries first.” Billy was just about done with his.
Jill smiled. “Are you still hungry? I’ll be lucky to finish half of this.” She put half of her burger on his plate. He often finished what she couldn’t eat.
They chatted easily as they finished eating. Jill had worried that she’d been too flirty the night before, but Billy didn’t seem to think anything of it. It was like it had never happened. And as they laughed and chatted, she realized that maybe she’d been fooling herself. She and Billy were the best of friends and it was clear that he didn’t see her in any other way. She must have been temporarily out of her mind to think otherwise. If anything was going to happen between them, it would have happened by now. She told herself that it was just that she hadn’t dated anyone in so long. And maybe it was time to do something about that. Time to find someone to get her mind off her non-romance with Billy.
Chapter 12
Cory flew out of the Nantucket airport at eleven on Sunday for his conference. Mandy dropped him off at the airport and wished him a safe trip.
“I should get in around four on Thursday.” He kissed her goodbye, and she watched him walk off. There was a spring in his step. He was clearly looking forward to this conference and going to Vegas for the first time.
On the way home, she stopped at the market to pick up some laundry detergent. She hadn’t realized that she was almost out when she went shopping earlier in the week.
When she got home, she went up to her bedroom to throw a load in before meeting Jill and Emma later that afternoon for brunch. Jill was flying back from New York and Emma was picking her up at two. They were meeting after that.
Mandy did the sheets and towels first and when they were in the dryer, she emptied out Cory’s gym bag to add his clothes to the wash. Along with his t-shirt and shorts, a folded bill tumbled out. She picked it up and stared at the name on the envelope. It was a cell phone bill addressed to Scott Lawson. The address was Cory’s office, but he was the only Lawson there. And the cell phone number was unfamiliar. Scott was Cory’s middle name, though. It didn’t make sense.
She felt her chest tighten and the beginning of a panic attack building and sat down for a moment. She took a series of deep breaths and tried to will the feeling to go away. She hadn’t had a panic attack in years, but she couldn’t think of any good reason why Cory would need a second cell phone, or a different name on the bill. She set the envelope on the bureau and planned to ask him about it when he got home.
Emma and Jill were just sitting down when Mandy met them at Black-Eyed Susan’s. They all ordered coffee and didn’t really need to look at the menu. Jill and Emma both got the French Toast and Mandy got the Portuguese scramble with cheesy grits. While they waited for their food, Mandy filled them in on what the consultant had recommended.
“He had a lot of positive things to say. The food and service were both solid. He liked just about everything that he tried, but he did suggest that the menu itself could use an update to make it more fresh and modern.” Jill and Emma both nodded. None of them were surprised by that.
“He also suggested we give the restaurant a ‘face-lift’.”
“That sounds expensive.” Emma took a sip of her coffee and it was clear she was worried about the money.
“What would that entail?” Jill asked.
“I don’t think it would necessarily be too expensive. New carpet, definitely. What’s there is worn and needs replacing. And a fresh coat of paint on the dining room walls.”
“It does look a little dingy,” Emma agreed.
“He also suggested that we hang some new artwork, maybe on consignment from local artists.”
“Oh, that’s a great idea. It would keep costs down too,” Jill said.
“Right. I thought that was a great suggestion.” Mandy paused before continuing because she knew the consultant’s next one wasn’t going to be popular.
“He also suggested that we look for ways to cut back on staff. Maybe not have as many servers on and see about less help in the kitchen too.”
Jill frowned. “What do you think about that idea?”
Mandy laughed. “I hate it. And I think Grams would have hated it, too. We don’t have to take all the consultant’s suggestions. Of course Cory would be all for cutting staff. He guessed that would be one of the recommendations.”
“I don’t think we should make any drastic changes with the staff either. What else did he say?” Emma asked.
“His other suggestions were marketing related such as implementing more promotions and maybe a loyalty program.”
“How would a loyalty program work? That sounds intriguing,” Jill asked.
“It could be whatever we want. As an example, he suggested something like after ten meals, they get a free entrée. And that we should make sure we get the word out on social media, and see about online advertising, and coupons that we can give to local hotels and bed and breakfasts and of course, an updated website.”
“Those all seem like good ideas. We should probably run all this by Paul too, as he will have a say in everything,” Jill said.
Mandy nodded. “I agree. I figured we could discuss and then meet with him at the restaurant. He might have some other ideas and I have one too.” Mandy had been thinking of ways to get the word out more about Mimi’s Place and had an idea she was excited about.
“What are you thinking of?” Emma asked.
“Once we replace the carpet, do some redecorating and have a new menu all set, I thought maybe we’d have a big grand re-opening party and invite a lot of the local businesses and our regular customers too. We can do a cocktail hour type of thing, with a cash bar but provide complimentary appetizers so they can all see the place and try the food—and Paul can introduce any new items.”
“I love that idea,” Jill said enthusiastically.
“I do too,” Emma agreed. “And I can help with some of the social media marketing. I was thinking about starting a blog and linking to it on Facebook.”
“That
would be great,” Mandy said and then paused before changing the subject.
“So, there is something else. Not about the restaurant.” She hadn’t been planning on saying anything, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the bill she’d found and she was curious what her sisters would think.
“I was doing laundry earlier and found something odd in Cory’s duffle bag.” She told them about the second cell phone. Emma and Jill exchanged glances and were both quiet for a moment before Emma spoke.
“You said Scott is his middle name? I hate to be negative, but given what I’m going through, there’s only one explanation that comes to mind. Have you considered that he might be having an affair?”
Before Mandy could answer, Jill chimed in. “Have you noticed anything different about him lately? Has he lost weight or started dressing better? And is he away more, late nights, working weekends?”
Mandy sighed. “Honestly, it never crossed my mind, ever, ‘til I found that bill. I thought things were fine, I guess.”
“Didn’t you say you dropped Cory off at the airport earlier today?” Jill leaned forward. “And he’s going to Vegas. Maybe it’s not just a work thing?”
“Hmm. He did seem unusually excited about going. But, to be fair, he’s never been to Vegas before. He’s always been a workaholic, but he is working more late nights at the office. He says he gets more done there.”
“If he’s there.” Jill said what Mandy had been wondering since she’d found the envelope.
“He has been hitting the gym more lately too. I didn’t think anything of it.”
“How are things with you two?” Emma asked.
“We’ve been together so long that I thought things were fine. Good enough. We don’t really do much as a couple and haven’t for years. I focus on the kids and Cory focuses on work.”
“You don’t do date nights?” Jill looked surprised.
The Restaurant Page 9