It was out of loyalty that Gabi’s staff had pushed themselves these last two and half weeks, but would they have the stamina to keep it up during this critical time? Gabi could see the staff was already dragging. She sighed. Maybe Corey was right. Maybe she had been pushing too hard. Passing by the calendar, she stopped and counted out the four remaining days until the grand opening with the new menu.
Forcing more air from her lungs had a calming effect on her, until she thought about him. Damn that Corey. He knew how important this was to her. How could he do this to her, especially when things had been going so well? She shook her head in disbelief and removed the loaves from the oven. She’d already spent too much time thinking about him. As soon as the loaves of bread cooled down enough for her to wrap, she’d place them in the freezer and wander off to bed.
Gabi jumped up from a sound sleep when the brightness of the light shone on her face. Her heart pounded frantically from fear that she might have overslept. Fighting to keep her eyes open, she glanced around the room, and realized she’d been sleeping on top of the covers with her clothes on and lights on. She’d plopped down on the bed for a few minutes to rest, intending to take a shower first, but obviously passed out from sheer exhaustion. Gabi groaned when she noticed it was only three o’clock in the morning.
She stretched her arm to reach for the light switch on the wall and shut out the light. Easing back down, she pulled the covers snuggly over her shoulders. She didn’t wake until she heard loud pounding on the downstairs door; she sat up abruptly wondering if it was a bird or something. Peeking out the window, and she saw it was Lucy, Cassie, and Jamie. She practically galloped down the stairs and opened the door.
“Oh goodness,” Lucy said, bursting through the door. “We thought you’d be up by now.”
“Mother, she’s been working her butt off.” Cassie threw her hands up and shrugged.
“This is beautiful.” Lucy’s elevated voice bounced off the walls.
Gabi shushed her and pointed to the rooms. “I have guests.”
“Ooh, I’m sorry. Damn, I should have remembered that. Sorry, sweetie,” Lucy said, reaching out to give her a hug.
Jamie greeted Gabi. “Sorry we’re so early,” she whispered. “Lucy was worried about you and bugged us until we got into the car.”
“That’s okay. I’m glad you’re all here. I passed out on my bed last night, clothes and all.”
“Well, go take your shower. We’ll make the coffee. Lucy stopped at Soranno’s Bakery and bought you some goodies.”
“Oh, yum.” She shut the door. “Okay, ladies, show Mom around while I take my shower.” She mounted the stairs right behind them and disappeared.
Twenty minutes later and she was down in the dining room, listening to Lucy rave about her place. She smiled, excited the troops had shown up—not necessarily quite this early, but she knew Lucy all too well. Gabi walked around the table and hugged each one of them.
“Thank you for coming. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”
“We know, but we also know you’d do the same for us too.”
“Here,” Lucy said, shoving the box of donuts over to Gabi. “You eat. You’re getting too skinny.”
Gabi picked one up while Cassie grabbed the coffee and poured a cup for her.
“So, tell me how you two pulled this off, Jamie,” Gabi said. “I’ll bet Mama Carlucci was upset you were leaving your post for five days.”
“No, actually, they’ve been telling me to take a vacation. Of course, Mama Carlucci wanted me to go away with her son,” she laughed. “She said I needed someone to take care of my little girl and he was the perfect man to do that. They said I could go if I promised to return.” Jamie shrugged. “We have a pretty solid crew, so they’ll be fine without me.”
Gabi bit into the donut and moaned. “What about Bailey? Who’s watching her?”
“Her surrogate grandpa is watching her. He’ll keep her plenty busy,” Lucy said.
“How adorable.” Gabi looked from one to the other and shook her head, “Boy, how I’ve missed these,” she said, holding up the jelly donut.
“Then you should come home to New York, where you belong. This living in the wilderness is for the birds,” Lucy quipped. “It’s beautiful and all, but geez, there’s nothing out here.” Her hands flew in the air in gesture. “And you’d have a number of chefs to choose from if someone like that stupid jaboney walked out on you before the most important business day of your life.”
“I know,” Gabi said in a low voice. She felt her stomach churn at the mention of Corey. “I couldn’t afford to open a business in New York. That’s why I came here. The nice thing is the previous owner is holding my loan. After I’m successful here, maybe I’ll sell the business and move back to New York—if that happens, I’m going to owe you guys big time.”
“We’re here because we love you, and besides, this is going to be fun for us,” Cassie said. “Okay, so what are our assignments?”
“Lucy wants to be hostess, right?”
“Oh, yeah,” Lucy said. “I like to be in the where the action is in the front of the house. Let me charm these customers. You know, I used to do that for Michael in the deli. You leave it to me, kiddo. I’ll have them eating here on a regular basis.”
“I know, Lucy.” Gabi grinned at her spunkiness. “I’ve missed you, Miss Lucy.”
“Me too,” Lucy said, giving her a tight squeeze.
“And since Jamie’s been doing this every day, I thought Jamie could be the sous-chef and Cassie, the expeditor.” Gabi glanced at Cassie’s face. “No?”
“You want me to have the most stressful job in the restaurant?”
“Well, I figured with your New York temper, you could get these kids hustling. You should also know they don’t have much experience. They’re wonderful, they’re loyal, and I don’t know what I’d do without them, but they are a little slow.”
“Okay, I can handle that… and stop worrying… I’ll be nice. I see that look on your face.”
Gabi released a nervous chuckle. “I trust you. But like I said, they’ve supported me through all of this by putting in extra long hours, not taking their days off, and I wouldn’t—”
Cassie’s hand went up. “You don’t need to worry.”
“Okay. Thanks. Stephanie, the girl at the motel you’re staying at, is coming over to wash the dishes.”
“Wow! That’s really nice of her.”
“Where’s the new menu?” Jamie asked.
Gabi got up and grabbed three menus and put them in front of each of them, then stood back waiting to get their reaction. She loved the expressions and listening to the oohs and ahhs. “So what do you think?”
“Beautiful!” they said in unison.
“Well, let’s hope it works. I’m hoping this is just the shot in the arm I need to realize the full potential of this place.”
“So tell me, Gab,” Lucy said, “any prospects in the romance department?”
She cringed hearing Lucy’s question. She’d always been a full-disclosure kind of gal with Lucy, because the woman could see right through a fib, but she couldn’t tell her about Corey right now.
“Hey, we’d better get started,” Cassie interrupted. “We have lots of work to do.”
Lucy’s threw her hand in the air. “I come all the way out here and I don’t even get any of the good stuff?!”
“No time right now, Ma. We have a lot to do,” Cassie said, squeezing Gabi’s hand.
When the restaurant staff arrived, Gabi introduced the newcomers. “Our New York rescue squad,” she said.
“Phew,” Steven said, blowing out air. “Thank you.”
“Okay,” Gabi said to them, “let’s walk around the kitchen so I can explain what each station is responsible for and how I’d like it to work throughout the weekend. Are you ready?”
Gabi shut the lights out in the kitchen, and everyone released a sigh. “I hope you have something to drink upstairs,” Cassie s
aid as they headed upstairs to Gabi’s suite, “because I think I’m going to pass out.” She latched onto Lucy’s arm. “How you doing, Ma?”
“Me? I’m doing fine, but why are you having trouble with exhaustion? I’d think at your age, you’d be galloping up these stairs.”
“That’s only because your pace is a lot slower in the store,” Jamie offered as a response. “You don’t have to be frenzied all day like we are.”
Gabi unlocked the door and they entered, each finding a place to sit. Gabi walked to the small refrigerator and pulled out a bottle and poured a drink for everyone, then walked to the sitting area and set down the tray. “Are you hungry?” she asked, returning to the small kitchen and pulling out a tray with sliced cheese. She reached for the crackers on the counter and brought them out in the box. “I had planned to be more formal, but tonight, you get what you get. Have at it.”
“You don’t need to entertain us.”
“I know, but that’s the least I can do after what you’ve done for me. I just don’t have the wherewithal right now.”
Jamie threw a kiss in the air. “Okay, let’s talk about today,” she said.
“Yes, let’s,” Gabi said with excitement. “It was very successful… but slow moving.”
“Okay,” Jamie said, “tomorrow we’re going to need to light a fire under the line cooks. They’re slow but steady.”
Noting Gabi’s expression, Cassie reassured her. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to single anyone out. I’ll address them as a whole.”
“They’re nice kids,” Lucy said. “I had fun tonight talking to the customers. I told them all about you, Gabi, and asked them to bring some nice young guys around for you to meet.”
Gabi and Jamie laughed, but Cassie was rolling her eyes. “Mother,” she screeched, “why would you do that?”
“Because Gabi’s the only one who told me to send ’em her way.” She turned to Gabi. “Isn’t that right? You told me to go full speed ahead, that night when you came to see Cassie’s house. Remember that?”
“I do, Lucy. The only problem now is that I’m building a business, so it might not be the best time to get involved.”
“Yeah, it is. If you can find a chef to work in your kitchen who isn’t threatened by a female boss, you can do both. Build the relationship and the business at the same time. That’s a winning combination.”
“If only that were true. Corey had issues working for a woman.”
Lucy paused, as if in thought. “Who is this Corey guy? Where’s he from?” she fired one question after another.
“Maybe you know him. He had a restaurant in New York that went belly up: Le Petit Chateau. Why? You know him?” Gabi’s voice rose in pitch.
Lucy was nodding her head. “I not only know him, I know his mother very well. His last name is Edwards.”
“That’s it!”
“Yeah, his mother is a ‘sister’ member of the Sisters of Italy with me at St. Catherine’s. Hmm.” She glanced around the room. “So this is where he came after he closed his business. I haven’t seen her in a while, but I have to tell you, she said Corey was a mess. Do you know what happened? I mean, why he lost the business?”
“No. He never confided in me.”
“Well, I will, and after you hear what happened to him, you might understand a little better.”
The three women moved in closer to listen to Lucy.
“His business was doing fantastic when he took up with this woman, a Victoria something. She was a food critic for the New York Times. Well, they went together for quite a while. His business was booming, and she wanted to get married, but Corey didn’t. When he told her he wasn’t interested in getting married, at least not for a while, Miss Prissy broke it off. And just to get even with him, she started writing negative articles about his restaurant. Things like someone in the kitchen dropped a cleaning product into the soup, and they still used it. Food was dropped on the floor and not thrown away. Of course, none of it was true, but once it hit the papers, customers stopped coming. He sued her in court and won the case, but by that time it was too late, and his business never recovered. And the mere pittance of money he won went to the attorneys and his creditors.
Gabi blew the air from her lungs and sat back. “Wow. How tragic. No wonder he is bitter. I guess that’s why he’s had this love-hate relationship with me.” She slapped the sofa cushion. “I wish I’d known this before. It might have helped me to understand Corey better.”
Everyone congregated in the kitchen after breakfast. “How is the weather on this beautiful Friday morning?” Gabi asked Cassie.
“It’s beautiful now, but The Weather Channel said we should expect rain.”
Gabi squeezed her eyes shut and released a sigh. “Oh crap!” she said, slapping her hand against her thigh. “What am I going to do if it rains?”
“Don’t you have a backup plan?”
“I did have one. Oh crap,” she gasped, splaying her hands over her forehead. She slapped the table. “I completely forgot when all hell broke loose.” She walked to the center of the kitchen just as Stephanie was walking in the door. She waved to her and reached for her cell phone. “I don’t suppose you know of anyone who rents tents for dining?”
“I was going to ask you if you’d rented a tent for the weekend—it’s just starting to sprinkle.”
“Oh no.” She looked skyward. “What else could possibly go wrong?”
“Stop worrying,” Stephanie said. “I’ll call around. You go do what you have to do. I’ll get someone here.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Stephanie. You’re saving my life again.”
“Yeah, say that when you see the tent going up.”
“Thanks, Steph.” Making her way to the kitchen, Gabi suddenly wondered if Stephanie had met Lucy, but their acknowledgment of each other confirmed it.
“By the way,” she called after Gabi, “I’m officially free. Today was my last day at the motel.” She made a pouty face.
“So then it’s a good thing you have another job.”
“For sure. Can I use your office to make the calls?”
“Yes. By all means.” Gabi walked to the center of the room. “Can I have everyone’s attention? First, I really want to say a huge thank-you to all of you. If it wasn’t for you, I’d never be able to pull this off. I’ll never forget your loyalty.” She inhaled a deep breath and blew it out. “Okay, let’s go over today. We need to be fully prepared by four o’clock this afternoon. Make sure you have everything prepped to make the dishes. Jamie is going to be the sous-chef today, which means she’s in charge of the entrées. Cassie will be the expeditor and she can be tough. Just remember, focus on the task at hand, and no shortcuts. I’ll be working at my regular station and helping wherever I’m needed, so let me know if you need a quick assist. Lucy will be doing the same thing she did last night, which is charming the customers, and Stephanie will be our multitasker today and tomorrow.”
Gabi grinned. “So, take a deep breath before the rush, and direct all your questions to me and Cassie. Make sure you have everything ready for the onslaught. Tonight will be a sampling of how busy we’re going to be tomorrow night, so consider this like a dry run of sorts.”
Gabi meandered down the hall to the office to see how Stephanie was making out with the tent situation. She stopped at the open door and saw the troubled look on Stephanie’s face and gave herself an internal chastising, unable to believe she’d forgotten to order the tent. No excuses, she told herself. Although she’d said she wasn’t thinking about Corey, her subconscious mind must have been working harder than she thought, especially if she hadn’t been paying attention to the logistics of her business. She stood and listened as Stephanie begged and bargained with everyone she called. It wasn’t until Gabi finally saw a smile on Stephanie’s face that she knew it was good news. Relief bubbled inside.
“We’re good to go. They’ll be here in an hour.”
“How is it that you always
come through when I’m having a crisis?” she said. “Thank you so much for always having my back.”
“It’s my pleasure. Seriously, I love doing stuff like this. So when and where do my chores begin?”
“We’ll have a lot of utensils and pots and pans soon enough. Just keep an eye on the sink. It’ll fill up pretty quick. But the real rush begins when the customers arrive. And I may need you to be a runner. The first gang comes in at six o’clock.”
“What do you have for me to do in the meantime?”
“I would like you to come with me when I inspect the rooms upstairs, and take a look at the reservation book and the chit for things needing attention.”
“Okay. Let’s do it.”
They walked down the hallway and up the stairs. Stephanie’s predecessor, Estelle, had left a note for Gabi with a “to do” list. Gabi handed the list to Stephanie.
“Want to go to the dining room or your office to discuss this list?”
Five o’clock, and Gabi’s nerves were beginning to send pinching sensations through her legs. Although last night had been busy, today would be the true test of whether or not she and the staff could get through the night without a major catastrophe. She’d checked earlier to make sure everyone was ready with the garnishes, and had the vegetables peeled, poached, and ready for the last-minute cooking cycle. Desserts and breads were ready and waiting for service. Jamie smiled when she noticed Gabi pacing back and forth.
“We’re fine. Stop pacing. You’re making us a wreck.”
“Sorry. I just want to be sure I haven’t forgotten anything.”
Lucy entered, with Cassie right behind her. “Our first customers are walk-ins.”
“How many?” she asked, her heart thudding in her chest.
“Party of six.”
“Oh, boy. Okay, people, we’re going to be pressed for time here with the next reservation.” She turned to Lucy. “Please check with Dan before you give another table away.”
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