Backrush

by Jana DeLeon

  Before she could change her mind, she punched in the code and waited for the beep to signal that she could leave. She stepped outside and locked the door. Luke was waiting by his truck and came around to open the passenger door for her. She was certain he heard the alarm arming, but he didn’t mention it.

  He walked around to open her truck door, which she thought was charming, and she hopped inside. Warren had never opened her car door, but then to be fair, his driver had opened the door for both of them. She buckled her seat belt and they headed out. As they crossed the long bridge that separated the island from the mainland, Alayna couldn’t help but smile. When she’d crossed this bridge in the other direction, just days ago, she’d been in a completely different state of mind. It was amazing how time could change things.

  And a death.

  She pushed those thoughts aside. No matter how angry she was with what Warren had done and all that it had cost her, she didn’t like to dwell on the fact that her freedom had come at a steep price for another human being. Some would say he deserved it, but Alayna didn’t feel that way. She did, however, believe that his actions held consequences. He’d just paid the ultimate price for his crimes.

  “Look at the birds,” Luke said, pointing to pelicans diving in the Sound.

  “Looks like they’re picking up lunch,” she said.

  “Seems like a good idea,” Luke said. “Are you hungry?”

  “I could eat,” she said.

  “Then direct me to a good lunch spot,” he said.

  “Oh, well, I haven’t been here in a long time, but the Dock always had good seafood po’boys and the best crab salad.”

  “That sounds great.”

  She gave him directions and ten minutes later, they pulled up to a small weather-beaten building sitting right on the Sound. The buildings around it were new construction, but the Dock had remained intact.

  “Looks like the rest of the neighborhood sold out,” Luke said.

  She nodded. “Bea said it’s happening everywhere with a water view. People who had businesses thirty, forty years are retiring and cashing out to the big money investors with their fancy chain restaurants and stores.”

  “That’s a shame. I mean, I’m not saying all chain food sucks, but the mom-and-pop places are usually better.”

  She nodded as she climbed out of the truck. “Chains have their place in the ecosystem just like fast food and hot dogs at convenience stores, but I wish there were more family restaurants sticking around. Still, it’s a lot of work and finding qualified help is always a challenge. I don’t blame people for wanting out after decades of juggling all those balls, especially if a big corporation offers them enough cash to head into retirement early.”

  Luke nodded. “Yeah, that would be hard to refuse. And I suppose if they got bored afterward, there’s nothing stopping them opening another place.”

  “A lot of people do. It gets in your blood.”

  They walked inside and Alayna smiled. The place hadn’t changed one bit. The same rustic furniture was still crammed in the small space and the nautical decor still hung on the walls. The smell of fried fish and shrimp filled the air and made her stomach grumble. A server collected a couple menus and asked if they wanted to sit inside or out on the deck.

  “The deck sounds great,” Alayna said, and Luke nodded.

  The server sat them at a two-top near the railing and Luke looked out over the Sound.

  “This is a great view,” he said. “If the food is half as good, I can see why the place has been here so long.”

  “Alayna?”

  A man’s voice sounded behind them and Alayna looked over to see an older man with silver-and-black hair approaching.

  “Hobart,” she said and smiled as she rose to give the older gentleman a hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

  “You too,” Hobart said. “It’s been a long time.”

  “It has. This is my friend Luke. I promised him the best po’boys on the mainland.”

  Hobart shook Luke’s hand. “That’s not a promise I take lightly coming from this one.”

  “How is Sean?” Alayna asked. Sean was Hobart’s son and his only child. He was five years younger than Alayna.

  “Doing great,” Hobart said. “He’s the head chef here now.”

  “You stepped out of the kitchen?” Alayna asked.

  “I’m easing into retirement,” Hobart said. “Got a lot of years standing at that grill. It’s time for a new generation to step up. He went to that same culinary school you went to.”

  “That’s great,” she said.

  “I guess so,” Hobart said. “Didn’t need it, mind you. He could cook our menu in his sleep. Now that he’s been to school, he’s got ideas.”

  Alayna smiled. “That happens. But I’m sure he won’t let your regulars down.”

  Hobart nodded. “He’s smarter than that. Got a good head for the business side of things and a lot of people don’t. Have you moved back or are you just visiting?”

  “I’m back,” Alayna said.

  Hobart frowned. “I heard about that business in New York. I know Bea is thrilled to have you back, but I was really sorry to hear about your trouble.”

  Because she knew he was sincere and not looking for gossip, Alayna gave his arm a pat. “I appreciate that,” she said. “But I’m putting it behind me. Time for act two of the Alayna Scott show.”

  “You thinking about starting something up here?” Hobart asked.

  “It’s crossed my mind,” she admitted.

  “It would be nice to have something ritzy,” Hobart said. “I mean, I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but sometimes, a man wants a place to take his wife that doesn’t allow flip-flops.”

  “Ha,” Alayna said. “Well, if I move forward, it will definitely be the kind of place where people wear fancier shoes.”

  “You know,” Hobart said, “that outfit two doors down from me hasn’t been able to make it work. I heard they’re closing up. The space wouldn’t work for a high-end restaurant, but I saw the equipment when they brought it in. It’s top-of-the-line. You should talk to the owner. You might be able to pick up some barely used equipment for a discount.”

  “Thanks!” Alayna said. “I’ll go by there after lunch.”

  He squeezed her shoulder. “It’s really good seeing you. I hope you make coming by a habit. It was nice to meet you, Luke.”

  They enjoyed the po’boys, which Luke agreed were the best he’d ever had, and he declared the crab salad just as good. Alayna tried to pay the bill but Luke grabbed it up first, so she insisted on leaving the tip. They waved goodbye to Hobart, who was chatting with a couple inside, and headed out.

  “So do you want to see if that owner with the equipment is there?” Luke asked.

  “I guess it wouldn’t hurt. I mean, it’s not like I have to buy anything.”

  They walked down the sidewalk and Alayna studied the menu that was taped to the front door. It was a decent menu, but there was nothing unique about it. Nothing that would cause people to make a special trip there just to try it. New restaurants had to offer something outside of the norm to get regulars to change up their routine.

  The lights weren’t on in the dining room, so she knocked on the door. She was just about to decide that no one was there when a middle-aged man wearing a ball cap and wiping his hands with a rag came out from the kitchen. He spotted her and frowned but as he stepped closer, he gave them both a once-over, then opened the door.

  “Hello. My name is Alayna Scott,” she said, and extended her hand. “I was talking to Hobart at the Dock and he said you might have some kitchen equipment for sale.”

  The man nodded and waved them inside. “I’m Michael. I haven’t gotten around to listing it yet, but I need to. I gotta recoup some of the money I poured into this place. You thinking of opening a restaurant?”

  “Yes,” she said as they walked back to the kitchen. “I’m just at the planning stage, but as you know, kitchen equipment i
s one of the biggest costs, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask you about yours.”

  Michael waved his hand around. “It’s all got to go. I’ve got about a hundred grand in it, including the walk-in freezer tucked around the corner.”

  Alayna took in the high-end equipment and tried not to smile. Hobart had been right. The equipment was top-notch, and it was barely used.

  “How much were you looking to get for it?” she asked.

  Michael shrugged. “I know it devalues a lot once it’s installed and turned on, but I was hoping to get maybe sixty-five. I figure I could push for higher, but it would probably take longer to sell. The only thing going up around here seems to be chains and they have their own equipment suppliers.”

  “That sounds really fair,” she said. “Can I talk to my investor and get back with you?”

  “Sure.” He pulled out his wallet and handed her a card. “That’s my cell number. Just give me a call if you’re interested. I was going to list it on one of the online sites in a couple days.”

  “Great,” she said, and tucked the card in her purse. “My investor is out of town today, but I’ll get with her as soon as she returns tomorrow.”

  He nodded. “Good luck.”

  They headed out and Michael locked the door behind them.

  “I take it that’s a good deal?” Luke asked as they climbed in his truck.

  “It’s an excellent deal,” she said. “The equipment has barely been used. He could probably get eighty for it, but he’s right that it might take longer to find a buyer at a higher price.”

  “So you’re going to talk to Bea?”

  She stared out the dashboard for several seconds, then blew out a breath. “I think I am.”

  He grinned. “That’s awesome. I can’t wait to see you in action. You’re going to be a star. I just know it.”

  “I’ll settle for making a good living and getting Aunt Bea’s money back to her.”

  “I have a feeling you’re going to be the best investment Bea ever made.”

  Alayna felt a rush of warmth and also worry at his compliment. “She’s always said that. I’d just like for it to finally be true. Even though she tries to hide it, all of my stuff has been really hard on her. She deserves a break.”

  Luke reached over and squeezed her hand. “You both do.”

  Nelly tugged on Bea’s arm, trying to get her to hurry up and cross the street. They had arrived in New Orleans thirty minutes ago, full of energy and hungry enough to eat a horse. They’d made a quick check-in at the Marriott, which put them central to the casino and the French Quarter, and now they were heading to grab lunch at Crescent City Brewhouse.

  “If you don’t hurry, we’re going to be waiting for second shift to get a table,” Nelly said.

  “If we load up on NOLA food, we’re going to be calling Uber the rest of the trip.”

  Nelly waved a hand in dismissal. “We only need to hurry for lunch. After that, we can stroll leisurely everywhere we go. Besides, we’re not here to shop. When we leave here, we’re headed to the casino where we can sit on a stool and servers will bring us drinks. When we run out of money or can’t walk properly, then we’ll call Uber to get back to the hotel. Room service for dinner.”

  Bea laughed. “You’ve really thought all of this out.”

  “We don’t get away often. I’ve had plenty of time to dwell on it.”

  “Maybe we can change that,” Bea said. “At least in the winter, anyway. It won’t hurt for me to close the bookstore for a day here and there.”

  “And now that Alayna’s back, you have someone to check in on Shakespeare.”

  “I could have had one of the other poker girls stop by.”

  “But you never did. Just admit it, for all your grousing, you don’t want just anyone seeing to the cat.”

  “Maybe,” Bea said, not quite ready to agree.

  “Hey, when tourist season is over, we should plan a girls’ trip for the Jokers. Take a couple days and really do the town.”

  “I have a feeling the town may do us, but that’s not a bad idea.”

  Nelly, who had been walking at a good clip, slowed and pointed across the street.

  “Isn’t that Tom?” she asked.

  Bea looked over and saw a woman open the main entrance door to a condo complex. Then she reached out and hugged the man before he stepped inside.

  “I can’t imagine it is,” Bea said. “Birdie said he was going to visit that Army buddy of his today.”

  “The one she doesn’t like?” Nelly asked.

  Bea nodded. “That’s why Tom visits him instead of inviting him to their house.”

  “Ha. There’s no moss on Tom. Well, I guess it’s just one of those things. You know, they say all of us have a doppelgänger somewhere in the world.”

  “Really? That’s interesting.”

  Bea forced a smile but inside, she was at war. It was definitely Tom. She recognized the hat he was wearing because she’d been with Birdie when she bought it. And she knew the way the man looked from behind and the way he stood. But she didn’t know the woman.

  The much younger woman.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Alayna had already popped into the bookstore to feed Shakespeare on the way to the mainland, but she asked Luke to stop by again on the way back so she could attend to his litter box and play with him for a while with a fake mouse on a string. When he’d had enough, he climbed on top of one of the display cases and Alayna grabbed the keys for the second floor.

  “Want to take a look upstairs?” she asked.

  “Absolutely!”

  They headed to the second floor and Alayna let them inside. Luke walked around a bit, taking in the area, then nodded.

  “This is great for fine dining,” he said. “All that exposed brick is perfect and those windows across the front…with the building across the street being only one story, you’ve got a great ocean view.”

  “I agree. It’s the perfect space for upscale but without being stuffy.”

  “But do people have to come through the bookstore to get up here? How would that work?”

  “There’s an entrance on the back of the store where the parking lot is. See?”

  She walked over to a window on the back side of the building and opened the blinds. Luke peered outside.

  “That’s a good-sized balcony at least,” he said. “But what about ADA laws and that sort of thing? Do they apply on the island?”

  “They apply everywhere, but in this case, it would fall under the impractical structure caveat, so nothing has to be done. However, Bea said there’s a place on the mainland that makes outdoor elevators specifically designed to hold up in salt air. She’d been thinking about adding one anyway so she could get a higher rent for the space. From what I understand, they could install it right at the end of the balcony.”

  “That’s cool.”

  She nodded. “I’d never heard of such a thing but then I guess I’d never had the need to check, either. So anyway, kitchen along the east side wall where there aren’t any windows because I don’t want to waste any of them.”

  She walked the space and described her vision to Luke, who not only paid attention but asked questions as they went. When she was done, he smiled.

  “I can see it just like you described,” he said. “This place is absolutely perfect. Please tell me you’re going to go for it. For sure, I mean.”

  Alayna glanced around and blew out a breath.

  “Look,” Luke said. “This building is perfect, and your aunt already owns it—free and clear, right?”

  She nodded.

  “And the kitchen equipment you looked at today was well below what you’d have to pay for it new even though it is practically new. I don’t know what the build-out would cost, but it sounds like Bea has the capital to make it happen. You have the hometown girl advantage, the perfect location and space, a good deal on equipment, and the talent to power two hundred restaurants, much less one. The univers
e is talking to you. Everything just fell into place.”

  “I…I guess I’m afraid it’s all an illusion.”

  He frowned. “Like before?”

  “I guess so. Logically, I know this isn’t the same—not even close—but those nagging thoughts are still in the back of my mind. That it’s not meant to be. That I don’t deserve it. That I’m not good enough.”

  He put his hands on her shoulders. “I understand why you would feel that way, but you’re wrong. You do deserve this. You’ve earned this. You have the talent to pull it off and make something really good for yourself and for Bea.”

  Tears pooled in her eyes and she sniffed. Was he right? She wanted to believe so much that he was, but her old friend, doubt, cuddled up against her so easily. It was hard to shed.

  But that’s exactly what she needed to do.

  She pulled herself up straight and nodded. “You’re right. I can’t let the nightmare I lived ruin the rest of my life. I got past my parents’ death and thrived. I can do it again.”

  He smiled. “That’s what I want to hear. And Bea is going to be thrilled. I can’t wait for you to tell her.”

  “Me either. Well, now that I’ve had a mini-setback and an almost-cry, what do you say I cook up some grilled scallops and shrimp and toss them into a pasta.”

  “Will there be garlic bread?”

  “It wouldn’t be a meal without it.”

  “I am your willing slave. Whatever you need—dishes washed, floors mopped, I’ll even do windows.”

  She laughed. “I don’t think that will be necessary. Maybe you can just open the wine and pour.”

  He took her hand in his and they walked out of the upstairs space. Alayna couldn’t believe how much her emotions could swing in such a short amount of time. But she knew one thing for certain—Luke Ryan was a positive force in her life. And she really wanted to keep him there.