They own the Farm Store. Did you know that?”
“I think they owned it back when I went to school at River Vista High.” Angie furrowed her brow. “Don’t you have a daughter?”
“Tina. Our daughter was in your class, I believe.” Missy’s voice sounded tight and her nose twitched like she smelled something rotten.
Herbert looked up at Angie. “I remember you. You’re Margaret’s granddaughter. When Missy got these reservations a month ago, I wasn’t sure I wanted to come. I like places a little less stuffy, like Cracker Barrel. You never need a reservation there. But I told her we’d come, if she insisted. I’m sure if you’re Margaret’s kin, the food is going to be amazing. That woman brought the best potato salad to the church picnic I’d ever had.”
Missy glared at her husband, but he waved her off.
“Now, Mother, I’m not saying your food is bad, but boy, Margaret could cook.” He patted Angie’s arm. “I’m sure you have more important things to do than listen to an old man talk, but Margaret Turner was one of a kind. She’s sorely missed around here.”
“Thank you for saying so.” Angie felt the tears form behind her eyes. That had been the hardest thing about coming home, all the memories of Nona. “I hope you enjoy your meal.”
She stepped away from the table with Felicia, who led her over to the bar. “What the heck was that? I swear Missy Stockwell was trying to burn a hole through you with her eyes.”
“She saw me getting out of Estebe’s car yesterday and told Ian I was cheating on him.” Angie saw no reason to hold the truth back from her friend.
To her surprise, Felicia laughed. “Boy, she doesn’t know you at all, does she?” She added a garnish to one of the drinks waiting for a server to pick up the tray. “Although I did tell you that it felt like a date.”
“It was not a date. We went out to visit a farm that hopefully will work out as a regular supplier for the restaurant.” She straightened her chef jacket. “Ian understands business. Why don’t you?”
“Oh, I understand business.” Felicia frowned at the bartender, who had forgotten the garnish on a second drink. “I just also understand men.”
Angie held up a hand. “Whatever. I need to get back into the kitchen, where things make sense. You people out here are all about rumors and innuendos.”
Felicia called after her. “Just because it’s not true doesn’t mean it’s not a good story.”
Going back into the kitchen, Angie relaxed and started expediting the tickets. By the end of the night, her body ached and yet she felt amazing. She loved working at the County Seat. Her kitchen team worked as a real team, pitching in wherever they were needed. She had been lucky in her hires. One bad apple did spoil an entire bunch. She sank into a chair at the chef table with a plate of trout and mashed potatoes. Matt and Nancy joined her with their own plates. But Estebe stood over at the dishwashing station, helping Hope finish up the last of the evening’s cleanup.
“Come on over and eat. We can finish those up after the meal,” Angie called over.
Estebe shook his head. “We’re almost finished. We’ll be right there.” He looked at Hope. “I’ve made you a special plate. We’ll test your palate as you eat.”
Angie turned toward Matt and Nancy. “Great job tonight. You guys look like you have been cooking here for years.”
“Nancy makes it easy,” Matt told Angie, causing Nancy to blush at his words. “It’s hard for me to remember tickets, but she just tells me what to do next and I don’t get frustrated.”
Nancy quickly changed the subject and told a story about a past job where the owner thought he knew how to cook, but his plates kept coming back with complaints. “So finally, he throws up his hands and announces to the kitchen, if they don’t like his food, he’ll just go mind the bar.”
“What did you say?”
Nancy shrugged. “The staff had the good sense not to cheer until he actually left. Then I took over expediting and we pumped out the tickets. I started looking for another gig as soon as I got home, and that’s when I saw your ad. Luck comes to those who are open to change.”
“And work hard.” Estebe and Hope had joined the group at the table during Nancy’s retelling of the story. He glanced around the table, his fork in hand. “What? You only get lucky when you’re working your backside off. And then it doesn’t always come to you. I’ve known many people who are successful when they shouldn’t even be able to do a simple task. Luck doesn’t always happen.”
Angie wondered if he was thinking about his cousin. “Well, here’s to another successful night where we cooked our behinds off and the customers loved the meal.”
As the group disbanded for the evening, Angie went into the dining room to check in on Felicia. “How’d it go out here?”
“Besides having a bartender I had to watch constantly because he was too proud to look at the drink book Jeorge developed for training? I guess okay.” Felicia rolled her shoulders. “I’ll be glad when Jeorge gets back from Mexico. I don’t think I’m ever approving vacation requests for him again.”
Angie grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. “Is the new guy scheduled to work tomorrow?”
“Unfortunately, yes. I can’t get a new temp that quickly, and the guy said he understood when I went through all the drinks just now with him.” Felicia covered a yawn. “I’m beat and going up to bed. Unless you need to talk about something?”
“Nope, just checking in. Let’s plan on having a late lunch together tomorrow and we can talk about the business stuff. I feel like things are going well, but let’s look at the numbers when you’re not so tired.”
“See you then.” Felicia headed upstairs, turning off lights as she went.
Angie made sure the front doors were locked, then left through the kitchen door that opened out onto the small parking lot behind the building. Locking the door with her key, she turned and stopped short when she saw the shape of a man standing by her car. There was only one light in the parking lot. The music from the live band from the bar down the street echoed in the alley. Country rock. Angie searched her mind for the name of the original band but came up empty. She stared at the man, turning her keys over in her hand and wondering if she had time to turn around, unlock the kitchen door, and get back inside before he caught up with her.
“Are you all right, Angie?” Estebe’s voice called out from the darkened lot.
She took a deep breath and forced her hands to stop shaking. The man by her car worked for her. She really needed to get more light out here, especially since she apparently was prone to jumping to conclusions. She started down the few steps. She tried to keep the tremor out of her voice as she lied. “I’m fine. I was just trying to remember if I turned off all the stoves.”
“I checked the stoves before I left the kitchen. I walked Hope out to her car and then waited for you to leave so you would be safe as well.” He nodded to her car. “I’ll wait for you to get in and get it started, then I will head home. I have a few things to get done tonight.”
“You don’t have to wait
