Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jamie rolled out of bed a little before seven a.m. He still felt full from the night before. I’m so glad I only had two margaritas. It’s bad enough having a food hangover; I can’t even think of what it would be like to be hungover from alcohol and food! He groaned as he pulled on his jeans.
He remembered, before falling asleep, that he had to go to the grocery store so he could cook the brunch he’d promised. However, if everyone feels as full as he does at this minute, no one will want to eat.
He was about to unlock his car when Salzy came out of his apartment. The man rubbed his eyes, the sun shining in his face. He spotted Jamie and waved.
“Where ya going?” Salzy asked as he trotted over toward Jamie. “It’s early.”
“No shit, Sherlock,” Jamie said more harshly than he’d intended.
“Wow. Who pissed in your Cheerios?”
“Sorry.” Jamie sighed heavily. “I think this past week is catching up with me.” He rested both hands on the roof of his car. “I’m going to the store so I can make brunch.”
“Want me to go with you?”
“You can if you want.”
“Sure, I’ll come. I can help carry bags when we get back.”
“Thanks.”
As they pulled out of the parking lot, Salzy looked over at Jamie.
“No offence or anything, but you kinda look like shit.”
Jamie chuckled once. “Thanks. I kinda feel like shit.”
“Want something to cheer you up?” Salzy was grinning like the cat who just caught the canary.
Jamie rolled his eyes after looking over at him. “What?”
“I think that Mike has a thing for you.”
“What?” Jamie’s head turned so fast he heard his neck pop. “That’s just nuts! There’s no way.”
“Say what you want, but I think he does. I saw the way he was looking at you last night. It was a lot more than just looking friendly.”
“You’ve got a screw loose, or... something.” Jamie’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “There is no way that man is gay.”
“Maybe bisexual then. But... he was certainly looking at you last night like you were... I don’t know. Ice cream that he wanted to lick.”
“Okay, that’s just stupid.” Jamie glanced over at Salzy and then back at the road. “You’re stupid. No. Can’t be.”
“I think so.” Salzy snickered. “And the way you look at him? Man, it’s like he’s an all-you-can-eat buffet and he’s the main course. I saw the way you were looking at his butt!”
“Shut the hell up.” Jamie’s voice sounded forced, even to himself. “No way.”
“I say, yes, way.”
Jamie pulled into the parking lot of the major grocery store. When he turned the car off, he turned to Salzy. “I don’t think so. I think you’re crazy and that’s all I’m gonna say on the matter. Consider it closed.”
“Yeah...we’ll see.”
The two men got out of the car, Salzy whistling “Love Is In The Air.” Jamie gave him a nasty look and hurried into the store.
Joesph was coming down the stairs as Jamie and Salzy returned to the diner.
“Morning.” Joesph yawned. “You two were up early.”
Jamie held out the bags he was carrying. “I had to get supplies for brunch. There’s literally nothing in the diner to cook.”
“I have to say, I’m not all surprised. This place is a lot busier than I thought it would be. The place was packed all day yesterday.”
Jamie struggled with the keys to get the back door open. Joesph took the keys from him and got it unlocked and then took two bags from Jamie.
“Walter and I both said it was the busiest it’s ever been, and that’s saying something.”
“Have you considered expanding the dining room?” Joesph put the two bags on the bench Jamie made biscuits on.
Jamie stopped. “Uh, no.” He shook his head. “I don’t think I’d even want to do that.”
“Why not?” Salzy asked as he put the bags on the stainless-steel bench top.
“It would mean having to expand the kitchen, and I really don’t want to do that.” He sighed. “I’ve been thinking a lot about that and the only thing that I might consider is utilizing that space back there. It’s been nothing but a dumping ground for years.”
He pointed to the back wall where the small windows were. The only thing against that wall was shelving that held old pots that they almost never used and that one small table and a broken-down freezer that needs to go the scrap heap.
“And do what?” Salzy asked as he took out the three dozen eggs and set them down. “You want these in the walk-in?”
“No, I’m going to use them.” He walked around the bench, the shelves next to it and the waffle station, that hadn’t been used in a long time. “I was thinking...” He pointed again. “I was thinking of a pastry station.”
“Pastry?” Salzy’s mouth hung slack. “Like what?”
Jamie moved back to the table and unpacked the bags. “I was looking back at the books the other day and noticed that we regularly run out of pies and cakes, and for certain, biscuits. If there was a bigger, more dedicated place to make all that stuff, we wouldn’t run out.”
Joesph walked towards the wall. “I can see that.” He turned back towards the front of the dinner. “Could you push back your... what do you call it? Station? Where you are now?”
“Uh, yeah.” Jamie looked. “It could go back two feet, I’d say. That would still leave enough room for someone to walk by, and I wouldn’t have to move.”
“What do you need to make that happen?” Joesph waved his hand at the area.
“Well, I’d need a stainless-steel type table, much like this one, but half again as big.
Some shelves for pans and mixing bowls. Maybe a big stand mixer.
” He considered it a moment longer. “And an oven.” He pointed to the stand-alone oven that he baked biscuits in, and Dexter used sometimes for meat loaf if the other oven was being used.
“I have an idea.” Joesph pulled out a notepad from his back pocket. “If I have the dimensions...” He looked up and smiled. “I’ll work on getting that done now, unless you need me to do something else.”
Jamie shook his head. “Just remember, please, that all this stuff costs money. At the rate things are going, I’m not sure there’s enough to do everything.”
Joesph nodded. “I know. I’m doing what I can to keep the costs down.”
“Thanks for that.”
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Joesph looked up and smiled at Jamie. “I invited Mike to come and have a look at that wall and have brunch with us.”
“Oh hell.” Jamie rolled his eyes. “Not you too.”
“What?” Joesph feigned an innocent look.
“Mornin’ all. Another beautiful day in paradise.” Dexter had a big smile on his face. “You wouldn’t believe the grief I got from my cousin when I told him about our vacation.”
“Why?” Jamie looked puzzled.
“He’s afraid that his employees will start thinking they deserve a paid vacation.” Dexter laughed. “I told him that when all his employees worked here as long as most of us here, he should think about it. I thought he was going to blow a gasket!”
“Mornin’,” Walter said as he entered the kitchen. He looked around. “I’m looking forward to all the renovations, but I’m also a little sad. Sometimes it’s hard to let go.”
“It’s Alaska, so of course I’m going to take my heavy coat.” Florence flounced into the kitchen, Hazel right behind her.
“Okay. That’s a good point. Mornin’ everyone.” Hazel looked flushed. “It’s a beautiful day.”
“Well?” Florence snapped her gum. “What’s the game plan?”
Jamie frowned at her. “You resemble a cow chewing cud.”
Walter laughed and asked what he could do.
Florence narrowed her eyes at Jamie. “I’d slap the snot out of you if I didn’t love you, but you just keep on. I remember when you were this high,” she said, holding her hand just above her waist, “And if you think I don’t have dirt on you, you’d be wrong. Very, very wrong.”
Jamie had the decency to blush. “Okay, okay.” Hazel laughed at that.
“Walter, you’re with me. Salzy, why don’t you put those boxes together that you got the other day. Dexter, you and Timmy start on packing up as much of the kitchen as you can.”
“Morning,” Minnie said as she came in, Timmy close behind. “I’m not late, am I?” She looked around the room.
“No. Just in time.” Jamie thought she looked a lot better than she did yesterday. “I was just—”
“He was just barking out orders,” Florence said with a snooty look on her face, barely containing a smile.
“I’d like you ladies to start on the dining room. Packing up everything.”
Everyone nodded and started.
“Oh, remember I’m cooking brunch, so leave enough stuff for us to eat off of.”
“Walter, if you start cutting up potatoes, onions, and green peppers, they’ll be ready for me. I’m making potatoes O’Brien.”
“Yum,” Salzy said. “I love those.” He looked up from the tape dispenser contraption he’d gotten with the boxes. “Are those going on the menu?”
“Good morning.” Mike entered, letting the screen door close softly behind him.
Jamie felt his eyes roam over the big man. He was wearing khaki shorts. Tight khaki shorts and a green T-shirt with Army printed on it. It was tight showing off his trim and what appeared to be a very fit body. Jamie felt like his mouth was full of sawdust.
“Morning, handsome,” Joesph appeared from the staff break room.
That seemed to break Jamie’s trance. He rolled his eyes. “Joesph, you may need a towel to wipe all the drool off your chin.”
Florence cackled. “And you said I flirted. Oh brother...”