A Daughter's Homecoming, page 15
Great. That wasn’t the first image that popped into his mind when he thought of spending time with her. But he respected her enough to hear her out. He bobbed his head to nudge her along.
“If you do go ahead and follow through with all those plans, then what will you live on? Last time I checked, dog food’s not exactly the kind of gourmet pickings you like to eat.”
He shrugged. “I know I’ve trained my palate to prefer better things, but I can do okay with just about anything.”
“You’re not being realistic. How about if I draw up a business plan for you, so you can see what you really need? That way you’ll know for sure you can pull it off.”
No objection there. “Go ahead and draw up the business plan. It’s a good idea.” He took his own deep breath and plunged ahead. “But I’ve decided I’m going to go ahead with it.”
Gabi shook her head. “I was afraid you were going to say that, so I’m going to step where I know there are more land mines than in the dogs’ outside runs.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You promise to hear me out? Without arguing or anything?”
He narrowed his eyes. “I’m not sure I like the sound of that, but okay. Go ahead.”
“I think you need a job to support yourself if you’re going to invest everything you own in a private animal shelter. Make Claudia your private shelter manager—which she already has been under your direction but without the title. Then make Oscar the head of the volunteers. Finally, load up on help from all the foster families and your team of volunteers. That’s what might give you a fighting chance to make it work. But, first, you need a steady income.”
He hated where he knew she was going, but he couldn’t disagree with her. He knew he was taking a huge risk with this investment, one that had more than a few overtones of recklessness, but she was offering him a rope to hang on with. “I suppose you’re going to offer—”
“I’m going to ask you again to do us both a favor,” she said. “Please solve our joint dilemmas at the same time. You need income, and I need a chef. I need someone to run a successful restaurant, and you know how. You already have two trained employees who can manage the shelter, and while you’re dealing with the remodel, you can earn a living. Make sense?”
How? How had he come to this point?
How could he possibly consider stepping into a commercial kitchen again? Hadn’t he promised himself he’d never do that again? Hadn’t he already failed at it once? Did he really want to risk going through that nightmare again? And this time, with someone else’s restaurant? With others depending on him? An older couple, one of whom needed the income for his health? He also had to consider the woman who was putting all her trust and faith in him. How would he forgive himself if he let Gabi down?
But what else could he do? He couldn’t walk away from the animals...or her.
He met Gabi’s gaze. “I hate to agree with you, but it does make sense. I’ll do it, though, on one condition.”
“Unless it has something to do with tarantulas or piranhas, I’ll take it.”
Zach couldn’t stop the crooked grin. “I’m not crazy about fat, fuzzy spiders, either, and toothy fish strike me as just wrong.”
She laughed. “Okay. So what’s this condition of yours?”
“Temporary. That’s all I’m agreeing to. I’ll take the job on a temporary basis. We’ll talk again in...say, three months.”
She cheered, then shocked him when she threw her arms around him. For a moment, a very long, enjoyable moment, they stood still, as though frozen in the warm, affectionate tone of her gesture. He slipped his arms around her and took in her smile, the sparkle of her eyes, the soft, appealing curve of her lips. He wished it could always be like this between them, and even more.
A shot of reason struck him in the heart, and he unlaced his fingers at the back of her waist. He laid his hands on her shoulders, unwilling to break the contact, no matter how much he knew he should.
Her cheeks tinted a rosy tone, and he knew without a doubt the time had come to step back. He did so with a deep sigh.
“Deal!” she said, her voice only a tad weaker than he’d grown to expect.
“Sold!” she added, this time in the stronger way he knew. “I told you I’d take whatever you were willing to offer. Temporary it is...until you see it turn into permanent. You’ll see!”
Yes, they would indeed see. And he prayed God’s protection over both of them. On the business end, as well as the personal one. Working together posed yet more danger than the loss of a job or even a career.
He was losing his heart to this woman.
And he didn’t think he was going to do anything to stop it.
* * *
Three days later, the major changes had been set into motion. Claudia had taken over the reins at the shelter with Oscar as a willing and happy partner, and the difference in the man’s attitude was a bonus. He now walked with a lighter step, and his smile reached his eyes. He looked about fifteen years younger.
At Tony’s—well, Antonio’s now, since it was closer to becoming a reality—Gabi had canceled all her postings for a new chef and a restaurant manager. Zach had turned in his resignation to the town council, accepted his tiny two-month salary severance and returned to the career he’d promised never to revisit.
He’d composed an ad for a sous chef, and as soon as it went up on the internet, the phone began to ring. He’d handled those interviews, and his new assistant was set to begin work the coming Monday. In the meantime, Gabi had made the rest of the choices for redecorating the dining room, and she’d devised a plan for how to accomplish the changes without causing too much disruption. After all, they couldn’t afford to close down and do it all at one time.
The night before, Hannah McRoberts had helped her tile the outside of the front counter, where customers were greeted, and the glowing Italian glass tile she’d found on clearance now gave the entry a contemporary, elegant look.
Later on that night, she planned to paint the walls a coordinating soft grayed aqua, reminiscent of the ocean—in their case, the Sound. She’d already ordered a collection of prints on canvas for the walls, all of them depicting scenes of Italy but done in a contemporary style. The polished concrete floors worked well with her new vision, and the old beamed ceilings added the kind of vintage touch that benefited most designs.
She’d extracted promises of secrecy from all her helpers, since she wasn’t ready yet to let her parents see their progress.
And there was plenty left to do before they reached that point. She still had to wait for the lighting order to arrive. A handful of lantern-shaped pendants, all in polished chrome, would replace the bright red-and-green metal lampshades that had done their duty over the tables for as long as Gabi could remember. She would paint the tables themselves an enamel-black with a glossy finish, and the booths were set to be reupholstered in about a week.
The plan was for a clean, simple and sleek atmosphere so that diners could focus on the exquisite food. Chic was the word she kept in mind.
Gabi couldn’t wait until she’d finished the transformation. In her mind, it would match the wonderful scents that were flowing from the kitchen. Zach had begun to test the recipes Gabi had found in Mama’s old handwritten notebooks, and they’d agreed to taste the results of his latest efforts before the lunch crowd hit.
Lured by the promise of the delicious dishes to be tested, Gabi walked to the kitchen and paused in the doorway, admiring the newly reorganized space, not to mention the handsome man in charge. Zach had come in like a whirlwind and left her with the impression of a meticulous and picky head chef.
“What’s on the menu?” she asked.
“Your mom’s old family recipes are fabulous,” he answered without looking up from the stove. “I only made some minor tweaks, and they’re turning out excellent. We’ll be having her spinach and ricotta gnocchi, a chicken with tomatoes and shrimp, and I couldn’t resist her recipe for a fresh orange granita.”
“Question for you, though. How does that menu hit the budget?” she asked.
“That’s the best part. Aside from the shrimp, everything is reasonably inexpensive, and only requires for the ingredients to be sourced fresh. As far as the shrimp, a few go a long way—again, as long as they’re—”
“Fresh...I got it.” She stepped closer and took a look at the plates. “I didn’t think I was late, but you’ve already served the chicken and the gnocchi.”
“You’re just in time. Like how it looks?”
“You’re right. It all looks great. But where’s the granita?”
“In the freezer waiting until after the meal.” He poured a thin drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil over the green and creamy white gnocchi. “So you’re the kind that goes for dessert first, then?”
“Who can resist an Italian ice confection in the summer?”
He shot her that mischievous grin she’d begun to anticipate. “That’s the plan for the customers.”
Gabi took a moment to admire the neat orderliness of the room, the beautiful servings on the tray, the towel-draped lumps of pizza dough on the floured counter, ready to be stretched and placed on pans. Then she saw the smile on Zach’s face. “You look happy,” she told him. “I think you’re right where you belong, and doing what God meant for you to do.”
His cheerful expression vanished, and Gabi wished she hadn’t been so quick to bring up the point. It could have waited until after their relaunch of the restaurant or until the cash register brimmed with their increased profits. But she hadn’t been able to keep the words from slipping out, especially when they only reflected the truth.
“Don’t be so quick to declare victory,” he finally said, returning to the tray he’d prepared. “We haven’t even served the first meal, and we don’t know what the customers will think when the new dishes appear on the menu.”
“I’ve only heard compliments on the new tile.”
“That’s because it’s tile,” he groused, discounting the impact. “It doesn’t affect their taste buds or their pocketbooks. Wait until you really mess with those. The effect will be measurable then.”
She gave him a wry look. “Ye of little faith. I have complete confidence that we’re on the right track here, and soon you will, too.”
“I guess time will tell.” He picked up the tray. “Let’s eat, and see what you think, boss.”
Once again, Gabi sang his praises as she raved over the food. “You really do know your way around a kitchen.”
“That’s never been the issue,” he said, his voice quiet. “It’s more a matter of the risk involved in the restaurant industry. Years of work and sacrifice were blown because of one single shipment of bad greens. And that doesn’t even consider the poor people who got sick. It’s not worth the risk to me.”
“Look at how long my parents have been in business,” she countered. “Nothing like that’s ever happened to them.”
“They’ve been lucky—blessed.”
“And so will you. I can feel it.”
“Maybe what you’re feeling is a hankering for the granita.”
She swatted him with her napkin. “That was bad, but bring on the granita. If it’s as good as the meal, I can’t wait.”
He cleared away their dishes and quickly returned with the new cut-glass dessert cups. “Go ahead.”
She picked up a spoonful and let it melt on her tongue. “Oh, yum!” She closed her eyes in appreciation. “It’s so good. Sweet but tangy and wonderfully crunchy, too.”
“It’s too bad you don’t like it,” he commented with a wink.
She ignored him and had another scoop, savoring the flavor and the moment. She was having fun with him, so much fun. She wished their times together could be like this more often, but then it would make leaving that much harder to do.
Still, she wished she could stop time right then, so their easy conversation and companionship could just go on and on and on.
At least she could still relish what they shared together, so she smiled and dug into her granita with even more gusto. But before she’d had more than a third of her serving, her cell phone rang. A glance told her it was her boss, and although she was tempted to ignore the call, she didn’t think she could continue to avoid him much longer.
“Hello, Damon,” she said a moment later. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zach try to appear uninterested, but she knew he was listening to her every word.
It didn’t matter. She wouldn’t have anything private to say, since these phone calls always related to the job and her dwindling vacation time. With a sigh, she sat back and let Damon relate all his grievances with the business world, and, eventually, he wrapped up by telling her his tale of woe should show her how much he needed her back at her desk the next day.
“Is that all?” she asked after he fell silent.
“All?” he said with a sputter. “Everything I’ve told you is awful. I need you here. We can’t function without you.”
Gabi laughed. “That’s not what I heard from some of the others in the office. You do realize they have phones and stay in touch with me, right?”
He fell silent once again.
She went on. “I realize everyone’s taken on a few of my accounts, and you have, too, but it’s not like the place is falling apart. And this isn’t something that’s ever happened to me before. I’m not taking advantage of you. I’m doing the best I can to take care of my family.” Gabi took a deep breath and twirled one of her curls around her finger. When Damon paused for breath, she forged ahead. “And I’m handling the work you asked me to do, as well. You did get the last set of files I forwarded, right? I believe I have an email from you telling me what a nice job I did.”
The silence continued.
Since he didn’t seem to have anything with which to counter her comments, she fell silent, too. Then, when he spoke again, he surprised her with the gruffness of his tone.
“I do understand your situation has been a tough one, and unusual, but I need you to see mine, as well,” he said. “You finished the large assignment I gave you, and you did do a great job on it....”
“But...?”
“But you can’t service client accounts while you’re in Washington State, and the office does need a manager. I’ve been able to get some subs to help out, but it’s not fair to the company, to your coworkers or to me for this to go on much longer. And it’s not fair to you, either. If your family needs you there, Gabi, you really have to think about moving back.”
He’d stunned her, and she had nothing to say.
He went on. “I need to know when...or if...you plan to come back. I can’t keep this up much longer.”
She hadn’t heard Damon like this in years. She’d been afraid they would reach this point, and now they had. But she couldn’t leave. Not yet. She had to make sure things were at least ready to hand over to Zach before she went back to Cleveland.
At the same time, she couldn’t lose her job. “I have vacation time left, Damon. It’s only right for me to take it when I need it.”
“I agree. How much do you have left?”
“Thirteen business days, but I also have about a week’s worth of comp time. Remember all those trips I took for you? There were a number of weekends I used to make things easier for you.”
“Fair enough. That’s a whole lot of time there, Gabi, and I’ll give you three more weeks off to take care of your personal matters. But that’s it. Three weeks, or you’ll need to find another position.”
As Damon hung up, she had to agree he’d been more than fair. Over the five years she’d worked for him, he’d let her accumulate all the unused vacation time that she’d accrued, as well as sick leave and the comp days she’d earned from working weekends. Now that her legitimate time off was nearing the end, he had the right to call her back to work.
She just hoped the restaurant would be ready by then.
As far as Mama and Papa went... Well, they’d never be ready.
And she didn’t dare look up and see the expression on Zach’s face. She knew what she would find there if she did.
Chapter Twelve
“What do you mean, you can’t take Papa to the doctor’s appointment?” Gabi asked.
On the other end of the conversation, her mother’s voice trembled. “Gabriella, I— No. I cannot take your Papa. Not now.”
Gabi rubbed the dull ache at her brow. “But why not? You were there when he made the appointment, and knew this day was coming. Now you’re running late, and you need to head down to the doctor’s office right away.”
A pause. “You know I don’t like traffic, and it’s middle of day, plus downtown’s only traffic and more traffic. Please, please come with us like you have since you came home.”
Oh, no. Not today. “Mama! We’re having the opening with the new decor at Tony’s tomorrow, and Zach and...well, everything. I still have too much to do today, so I can’t leave right now to take Papa for his follow-up appointment. Besides, you’re perfectly able to take him yourself.”
“I—I know, but...” Mama squared her shoulders and tipped up her chin. “Bah! All that nonsense at Tony’s—it’s for nothing. Lyndon Point needs a pizzeria, and they have one. Fancy food’s for Seattle or Edmonds or—or Queen Anne.”
Ever since Gabi had let it slip that she had gone ahead and begun the overhaul of the restaurant, her mother had missed not one opportunity to oppose the entire project. At least Gabi had been able to keep her away up to now. She did want to surprise her parents, and she had sent up numerous prayers for the surprise to strike them as a good one.
