Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
The next afternoon at a quarter to two, Yvonne entered the café holding the card Suzie had given her. A confident-looking dark-skinned woman in a beautiful red dress greeted her. “You’re just in time for lunch. Table for one?”
Yvonne shook her head. “Umm, no, I’m sorry, but I’m looking for Suzie. It’s about the job.”
The woman squinted. “I didn’t know Suzie had planned a job interview.”
Yvonne shook her head again. “It’s not really a job. I’m supposed to…”
“Oh, good, there you are, Yvonne!” Suzie’s voice had them both turning her way. “I see you’ve already met my partner, Sonja.”
Yvonne started to laugh. “Well, not exactly. I was trying to explain why I came in.” She held out her hand to the woman, who must be Sonja. “I’m Yvonne Van Dijk, Wilma McGruder’s niece.”
Sonja took her hand and opened and closed her mouth a few times. “Oh, Yvonne!” she exclaimed as the puzzle pieces clicked. “You’re going to help us out on Friday. Good to meet you.”
Suzie ushered Yvonne to a small office at the back of the café. Sonja would join them after the lunch crowd had cleared out, and the servers could deal with the few die-hards.
Suzie explained how she and her husband Connor had bought out Sonja’s former partner in The Savory Table.
“I love to bake and try new recipes, and Sonja wanted to expand and add breakfast to the menu. When I met Sonja at the mun—” Suzie amended, “When I met Sonja, I was working in a lab developing new products for a company that makes frozen food. Sonja gave me a chance to become a partner. So, with the added sweets, The Savory Table isn’t a great name, and my Connor came up with the new name, The Sweet and Savory Table. ”
Yvonne smiled at Suzie’s excited explanation. It was apparent to her Suzie loved her job. “And what is this party?”
Suzie slapped her forehead. “Here I go prattling on. Friday night, we’re celebrating the new name with friends, family, and regular customers. As I told you yesterday, one of our servers injured herself. Will you help us out?”
Yvonne had taken an immediate liking to Suzie and found her enthusiasm contagious. “Sure, I will, but what does Sonja think? You don’t know me.”
“Sonja thinks you’re a gift from heaven.” Yvonne jumped at the voice coming from behind her. She turned in her chair with her hand to her chest.
“That was a very sadistic thing to do,” Suzie reprimanded her partner.
“Nah, I leave that to Connor.”
Yvonne turned back to Suzie, who had turned bright red, and cocked her head.
Do Suzie and I have something in common?
She studied the woman carefully, as if she could see on her face if Suzie might be a masochist like herself.
Even so, it would be strange for Sonja to know such an intimate detail about her business partner.
Yvonne dismissed the idea. Girl, your imagination is running away with you.