“I might as well tell you, since you are our partner and word is going to be out soon enough anyway. Cory and I are separating.” She didn’t go into why, and Paul didn’t need to know. His heart went out to her as he’d gone through a divorce himself and it was hard.
“I’m so sorry, Mandy. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. I’ve been there.”
She smiled gratefully and he could see that her eyes were slightly red.
“Thank you, Paul. I appreciate that.”
As far as he was concerned, Mandy was better off without that guy, anyway. He didn’t know what Cory had done, but Paul didn’t like his attitude. He’d been in the restaurant a few times before with work colleagues and Paul heard from the waitstaff that Cory was a difficult customer. He was demanding and full of himself.
He spent a lot of money, though—expensive bottles of wine, after-dinner drinks, appetizers and dessert. Paul knew that Cory owned some kind of financial services company and made an obscene amount of money. There were a lot of those types on Nantucket.
Most of them had second homes on the island and visited them just a few weeks a year, but when they did, they expected to be catered to. Many of them hired personal chefs for their stay. Paul had worked a few of those gigs before he landed at Mimi’s Place. It was easy money being on call to cook whatever a rich family wanted—from peanut butter sandwiches to clambakes on the beach and elegant dinner parties. Some of the people were nice, but others were difficult and full of themselves, like Cory. Mandy seemed too down to earth and nice for someone like that.
“Okay, so I think we’re all set then?” Jill asked.
Mandy nodded. “I’ll start working on a plan for the event and run the details by you all in a few days.”
“And I’ll let you know some menu ideas soon, too.” Paul was looking forward to trying some new things and was excited to create a menu that would showcase what customers loved about Mimi’s Place along with some fresh new dishes.
Chapter 14
The next night, Jill worked the evening shift and was surprised when Macaulay Connor, the consultant Cory had hired, strolled in and took a seat at the bar. His dark brown hair was wavy and a little too long, but she’d always liked that look. As she walked toward him a hint of his cologne drifted her way, and it smelled really good. She set down a cocktail napkin in front of him.
“Nice to see you again. Would you like something to drink?”
He recognized her and smiled. “Hi, Jill. What do you suggest for a local IPA?”
“It’s Macaulay right?”
He nodded. “Yes, but call me Mac.”
“Okay, Mac. We have two local options from Cisco Brewers. Indie Pale Ale or Whale’s Tale.”
“I’ll try the Whale’s Tale.”
She returned with his beer and asked if he’d like to see a menu.
“Yes, I’m starving.”
Jill handed him a menu and ran through the specials. As soon as he heard short ribs, he said, “I’ll have that. It was excellent when I tried it before.”
“Anything else?”
He laughed. “No, one meal should do it tonight.”
Jill put his order in and went to take care of several new customers. The bar quickly grew busy as people started coming in and wanted drinks while they waited for their tables. When Mac’s short ribs came out from the kitchen, Jill set them in front of him and saw that his beer was almost empty.
“Would you like another?”
He nodded. “Sure, thanks.”
She checked to make sure his meal was to his liking and then left him alone to enjoy it. She didn’t like to bother people with chit chat while they were eating. And the bar was busy enough that she didn’t really have time to stop and chat, anyway.
There was a lull, though, when he finished, and she went to clear his plate.
“Did you save room for dessert?” She remembered that he seemed to enjoy all of their desserts.
“I’m pretty full, but it’s hard to pass up the tiramisu here. It’s one of the best I’ve had.”
“It really is good. It should be right out.”
Jill returned a few minutes later with his dessert and no one else needed her, so she decided to linger.
“Your job sounds great, getting paid to go out to eat at all different restaurants. How did you get into that?”
He grinned. “It doesn’t suck. I grew up working in restaurants, actually. My family owns Connor’s Grille in Manhattan.”
Jill’s jaw dropped. There were multiple locations for Connor’s Grille and it was one of her and Billy’s favorite places to take clients. It was similar to the Capital Grille, but they liked the environment better at Connor’s.
“I’ve been there many times. It’s our favorite place in the city for steak.”
“Thanks! I knew I wanted to do something food-related still. After I got my MBA, I joined a consulting firm that had a restaurant practice and it was a good fit.”
“My sister went through your report with us and there were some great suggestions. I knew you were finished, so I was surprised to see you here. Do you have another project on Nantucket?”
“No, but Nantucket is one of my favorite places, so I’m staying the rest of the week to take some vacation time and relax. It’s a nice time of year, not too crowded.”
Jill thought for a moment. “I suppose you’ve already done the touristy things like the whaling museum?”
“No, actually. I’ve never gone there. Is it worth going to?” The whaling museum was near the pier and was one of Jill’s favorite places to bring people when they visited Nantucket.
“You really should go. I take everyone that visits there and they always love it.”
“Maybe I’ll do that, then. What other restaurants would you recommend while I’m here?”
Jill didn’t have to think about it. “Definitely Millie’s if you’re in the mood for something sort of casual, but really good. It’s fresh California-style Mexican. Great fish tacos. And for breakfast, Black-Eyed Susan’s is always good. Those are my two favorites.”
She set his check down when he finished his dessert. “Here you go.”
Mac fished his wallet out of his back pocket and threw a credit card down. She picked it up and returned a minute later with his credit card slip and card.
“It was really nice to see you again. Enjoy the rest of your vacation.”
Mac looked thoughtful as he picked up the pen, quickly scrawled his signature on the charge slip and added a very generous tip.
“I don’t know what your schedule is like, but is there any chance you might want to show me around the whaling museum tomorrow and grab a bite at Millie’s after?”
Jill was surprised and pleased by the invitation. She thought about her schedule. She wasn’t working the next night and could finish up her recruiting work a little early.
“Sure, I’d love to. I’m off tomorrow night, but I do have my consulting work during the day. I could finish that up by around three or so.”
“Great. Let me know your number and I’ll touch base with you tomorrow afternoon.”
They exchanged cell phone numbers and as Jill watched Mac leave, she realized she was still smiling and very much looking forward to playing tourist with him.
The next afternoon, Jill was rushing to finish up early when her phone rang and it was Billy. She glanced at the clock and it was almost two-thirty. She’d talked to Mac an hour earlier when he called to confirm and they made plans to meet in front of the whaling museum at three. It was about a ten-minute walk from Grams’ place, and Mac was staying nearby at the Jared Coffin House.
“Hi, Billy. What’s up?”
“Nothing in particular, just calling to check in and hear your voice. How’s your day going?” Jill could picture Billy in his office, leaning way back in his chair with his feet on his desk.
“It’s good, busy. I talked to a few good candidates this morning and already got two interviews set up fo
r the new search.”
“Nice! You sound busy. Am I interrupting anything?”
Jill glanced at the clock again. She had about ten minutes before she needed to leave and she wanted to freshen up a little, add some lipstick and brush her hair and teeth.
“No, not really. I’m just heading out shortly so I can’t talk long.”
“Oh, where are you off to? Got a hot date?” She smiled at the teasing laughter in his voice.
“Actually, I do. You know that consultant I told you about that came into the restaurant a few times and wrote up a report for us on ways to improve? Well, he came in again last night. We got to talking and I’m going to play tourist with him and show him the whaling museum.”
“Oh! He doesn’t live on Nantucket?”
“No, he’s just here for the rest of the week on vacation.”
“So, you probably won’t see him again after that then?” Billy sounded pleased that Mac wasn’t going to be around much longer.
“Probably not. But he does live in Manhattan, so you never know.”
“No kidding?” Billy was quiet for a moment before adding, “Well, have fun then. Say, we need to firm up a date for me to come out there. I’m still thinking maybe next weekend, if that works for you? Or the weekend after?”
“Next weekend works. Why don’t you come Thursday night? We can work from here Friday and then you can fly back Sunday night.”
“Perfect. Well, I better let you go get ready for your big date. Talk to you later.”
“Bye, Billy.”
As Jill hung up the phone she smiled thinking about how surprised Billy sounded to hear she had a date. She really hadn’t dated in a long time, so it was understandable. She was glad they’d set a date for his visit. It would be fun to play tourist with him, too, and she knew her sisters would be glad to see him.
Mac was waiting for her outside the whaling museum and smiled when she walked up.
“Thanks for agreeing to do this with me. You’ve probably been to the museum a million times.”
Jill grinned. “I haven’t been yet this year. And it’s always more fun when I’m going with someone that has never been before.”
They went in and spent the next hour and a half roaming the several floors of the museum. Mac was suitably impressed.
“I have to admit, this was better than I expected. There’s a lot to see here.” The museum was full of interesting history and replicas of ships, whales, scrimshaw and so much more.
It was just after five when they finished up and walked outside.
“Can we walk to Millie’s?” Mac asked. “If not, my rental car is right here in the lot by the grocery store. I was running an errand earlier.”
“We need to drive there. It’s not too far, and right by the ocean.”
Mac led the way to his rental car, a red Jeep Wrangler. Jill directed him, and ten minutes later, they arrived at Millie’s. It wasn’t crowded yet as it was still early and they went to the upstairs bar area, where the views were better and settled at a high-top table.
Jill ordered a margarita on the rocks and Mac another local beer, this time Cisco’s Indie Pale Ale. They both ordered the fish tacos and shared an appetizer of guacamole and chips. While they snacked on the chips, Mac entertained her with funny stories about some of the other restaurants he’d evaluated. While he talked, she couldn’t help think what a catch he was. He was around her age, mid-thirties, came from a successful family, was smart, funny and handsome. Yet, as they ate their dinner and got to know each other, as much as she enjoyed his company, she didn’t feel much of a romantic spark. He seemed like a really great guy though.
“So, enough about me. When you’re in Manhattan, not running a restaurant on Nantucket, what do you do?”
“I’m a recruiter, a headhunter, in the financial services space.”
“New York is a good place for that. Do you like it?”
Jill smiled. “I do. I love it actually. My friend Billy and I used to work together and left to open our own small firm. I miss the energy of Manhattan and being in the office,” she admitted. “But, I’m enjoying being here too. It’s nice catching up with my sisters. We don’t see each other often enough. Do you have any siblings?”
“I do, one of each. Both work in the family business. My sister manages the office and my brother runs the front of the house at our flagship location. I’m the oldest.”
“Are you always traveling for your job?” Jill imagined he probably was and knew she’d hate that aspect of it. Every once in a while would be fine, but more than that, no.
“I do travel a fair amount, but it seems to go in spurts. There are months where all the clients are local, which is nice.”
“I’m traveling back to New York once or twice a month now, which is more than I’ve done before. I don’t know how you do it.”
He grinned. “It’s really not that bad. And I get to meet interesting people, like you. In fact, if you’re up for it, we could go out again one of these times when you’re back in town.”
Jill did enjoy talking to Mac. He was charming and funny and good company overall. So, she didn’t hesitate to say yes. Maybe she needed to give it more time, give him a chance for the attraction to grow.
“I’d like that.”
His eyes lit up. “Great. Just get in touch whenever you want to get together and we’ll make a plan.”
When they finished eating, Mac insisted on paying and when he pulled up to Gram’s house, he parked and walked Jill to the door.
“Thanks for showing me around today. Millie’s was great, as you said and I’m glad I finally saw the museum.”
“I’m glad you did too, and thanks for dinner. It was fun.”
“My pleasure.” Mac pulled her in for a hug and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
“I hope I get to see you again soon?”
“I’ll be heading back in a few weeks. I’ll get in touch then.”
“Perfect!”
Chapter 15
Mandy was grateful that she had the restaurant to focus on because otherwise, she suspected she would have been tempted to crawl back into bed after dropping the kids at school and stay there. She did give in once, when she wasn’t expected in the restaurant and spent the entire day lounging on her living room sofa, watching classic sitcoms and romantic comedies and eating the things in her freezer that she usually avoided—mac and cheese, and ice cream. She thought she was all cried out, but it turned out she was wrong and had to buy more boxes of tissues. She never knew when it was going to hit her and the tears would fall.
Sometimes it was the littlest thing, like once when she was folding laundry and a picture fell off her dresser. She picked it up, and it was of her and Cory on their wedding day. They looked so young and in love that the pain of it made her gasp, and she had to sit down. When she finally calmed down, she stuffed the picture in a drawer so she wouldn’t have to look at it and finished putting the socks away.
Cory called the day after he moved out to let her know where he’d landed. He’d made one phone call to a local real estate office, and they hooked him up with a stunning, three-bedroom rental in Brant Point, their neighborhood, one of the most desired areas of the island. He’d said it was on the water and had everything he and the kids needed, so he could keep them on the weekend. The location was good though a little too close for Mandy’s liking as it was just a few streets away. But she realized it would be convenient for the kids.
She still hadn’t had the conversation with them, yet. She was dreading it, but knew she had to do it soon. They probably sensed that something was up, as she’d been quieter than usual and Cory had been gone all week. She’d simply told them that daddy was busy with work, which they didn’t question as he was always busy with work.
Cory was all apologies when he’d called to tell her about the rental and again asked if she’d consider taking him back. He seemed surprised that she kept saying no. She knew him though and even though she’d told him it
wasn’t going to happen, Cory was probably going to keep asking, hoping that eventually she’d say yes. That strategy usually worked for him. But she didn’t think it wasn’t going to work this time. Mandy did briefly consider taking him back and seeing if they could move on and try to get past it. But, she quickly dismissed the idea because she knew the trust was gone and oddly enough, she no longer found him even remotely attractive. The thought of being physical with him was repulsive. So, that made it a little easier to say no.
What she was still struggling with was why it had happened. Cory had said it had nothing to do with her, but she couldn’t help think that it had to be partly her fault, that she hadn’t been enough or did something that pushed him away. Maybe they’d just grown apart as Cory’s work consumed him more and more and they began to spend less time together. It was Mandy and the kids all the time, and Cory off doing his own thing. And it wasn’t like she hadn’t tried to get him to do more with them, with her especially. But he rarely agreed. He was either too busy or too tired from work. So, she had to keep reminding herself of that when she worried that she was somehow at fault.
It was hard, though. She’d never felt so alone before. The sprawling house seemed empty without Cory in it. His energy was big, and the house was quiet without him. Her first instinct was to move, to get out, but she knew that was selfish. This was the only home her kids had ever known and she couldn’t take that away from them. She knew that if they divorced, it was going to be stressful for the kids too. Not to mention an unexpected change and she would do whatever possible to ease that stress. So, they weren’t going anywhere.
She decided to tell the kids after she picked them up from school. They came bounding into the car, all excited to tell her about their day. While she was waiting in the parking lot, she’d called in an order for takeout from Millie’s. The kids loved tacos and it would be a fun treat for them and she wouldn’t have to cook. The food was ready when they reached the restaurant and once they got home and were all sitting around the dining room table eating an early dinner, she told them what was going on.
The Restaurant Page 11