Chapter Five
Kelley seriously needed to keep the diner doors locked until opening. If only to prevent any more early-morning ambushes like the one they’d had yesterday.
As it was, Pauline breezed through the back door of the Galloping Fork Diner with more energy than necessary for the predawn hour.
Then the diner owner clapped her hands, startling Hayes and Kelley out of their morning prep routine.
Kelley set a colander of cauliflower in one of the sinks near the cold food station and turned toward her peppy boss.
“I have important news,” Pauline announced. “We will be closing early tonight.”
Kelley dried her hands on her apron and asked, “What’s going on, Pauline?”
Pauline tapped a polished fingernail against her chin. “Last night, I came to the conclusion that there is no time to waste. We must fast-track things and that means getting the ball rolling today.”
Kelley shared a confused look with Hayes. The cook shrugged as if Pauline’s declaration was nothing out of the ordinary and continued cracking eggs into a large stainless steel mixing bowl.
“I’ve got a professional cleaning crew coming in later this evening and a photographer will be here tomorrow,” Pauline explained then gave Hayes an apologetic look.
“The kitchen will need to remain pristine all day tomorrow. That means if it can’t be cooked on the grill outside, it can’t be served. ”
Hayes released the whisk in the bowl of eggs and shook his head. “That’s impossible.”
“But necessary. We must present this place in the best light to attract the best buyer.” Pauline fanned her arms out in a wide arc as if releasing her vision. “It has to be immaculate in here.”
“Perhaps we should close tomorrow,” Hayes suggested.
“What about our customers?” Pauline asked. “We can’t upset them.”
“Bringing in a buyer from the outside will upset the folks around here even more,” Hayes warned, then lifted his eyebrows. “Especially when you got a potential buyer right in your own backyard.”
“Hayes? I didn’t think you were interested. You didn’t mention anything when we spoke yesterday.” Pauline’s smile stretched and she snapped her fingers. “Please put something in writing and I would be delighted to discuss it with my team.”
“Not me,” Hayes replied and slipped his gaze toward Kelley.
Kelley gave him a small head shake.
“Oh, that’s too bad. It would have certainly streamlined things on my end,” Pauline said pleasantly. “But I get it. The kitchen is where you shine. Mama T always told me it’s best when we know our lanes and stay in them.”
Hayes rolled his eyes at Kelley and headed for the back door. “I’m going to step outside for my break.”
“Don’t forget to check the grill,” Pauline called after him, then she strolled the length of the kitchen and paused at the prep counter. “We don’t have cauliflower on the menu.”
“That’s not for the diner service,” Kelley said hastily. “It’s for the Blackwell menu.”
Pauline pursed her mouth and said, “Well, this can’t be here.”
“It will be put away before we open this morning,” Kelley said, her words reassuring. “The cleaners will not need to deal with it, either.”
“No, I mean it can’t be here at all,” Pauline stated flatly then she spun around and scanned the kitchen as if searching for more items that did not belong.
“I thought you were okay with the catering.” Kelley crossed her arms over her chest and said, “We talked about this last night.”
“I am.” Pauline aimed a brief smile at Kelley and then continued her inspection. “What you do on your own time in your own kitchen is your business.”
Her own kitchen. That had not been part of their conversation last night. There had been no mention of Kelley cooking at her own place between talk about Kelley’s supposed win-back-her-ex-husband plot and Pauline’s need to spread her wings beyond Gold Finch county lines.
“It’s just that your business can’t be in my business because then the rest of the staff might want to conduct their other side hustle businesses here, too.” Pauline met Kelley’s stare and continued, “I can’t have that. You understand, right?”
Kelley ran her hand over her mouth to keep from openly gaping at her boss.
Hayes returned, glanced between the women and hightailed it over to the walk-in refrigerator where he disappeared inside.
“Besides, if word gets out about your catering side hustle and you get more local customers, well, how will that look to your people in New York?” Pauline asked, her tone sounding perplexed.
She gave her arms a slight flutter as if preparing to fly and continued, “Remember we agreed that we’re following Mama T’s sage advice from now on. ”
Kelley was beginning to understand that her boss, it seemed, was holding firm to the belief that Kelley belonged somewhere else, too—in New York City to be exact.
But Kelley wanted her next move to be a fresh start, not a rebound back to the place she’d left behind.
After all, this time her ex was not calling the shots and Kelley was not deferring to him as if he knew best.
Pauline held Kelley’s stare as if expecting a response.
Finally, Kelley nodded in acknowledgment and said, “Right. Mama T did have lots of advice.”
Pauline grinned as Hayes reappeared carrying a jug of milk, then she said, “Okay. I think we are all on the same page.”
“We’re staying in our lanes,” Hayes muttered through his grin. “But I think she’s at a different track.”
Kelley swallowed her chuckle.
“Here’s the order of events. Cleaners today.
Keep it pristine. Pictures tomorrow. Showings this weekend.
And a sale soon.” Pauline brushed her palms together.
Her expression was full of satisfaction.
“We’ve manifested it. It shall be.” A hug for Hayes then Kelley, and Pauline swept out of the diner as swiftly as she arrived.
Hayes got to work finishing the French toast batter and asked, “What’s the plan, then?”
Good question. Kelley said, “We’ll close after the July Fourth committee meeting this afternoon.”
“And then,” Hayes pressed.
And then she would have to make it up as she went. Kelley shrugged.
Hayes set his hand on her arm and said, “You keep cooking here. I won’t tell no one.”
“No. It’s not what Pauline wants, and she owns this place.” And keeping the boss happy ensured a good working environment. Kelley and her ex-husband were not good together because they were not happy. And now all Kelley wanted to be was happy. “I’ll figure something else out for the catering.”
She just wasn’t sure where she would cook.
Her mother relied solely on her microwave and toaster oven these days and hadn’t fixed her oven the last time it broke almost two years ago.
Kelley’s dad and stepmother were in the middle of renovating their first floor and building their dream entertaining space.
Kelley was currently advising her stepmom on the kitchen layout and design.
Just then a shout and thump echoed from the cleaning supply closet. Kelley rushed to investigate.
The busser, Shane, stood in a growing puddle of liquid soap leaking from the broken plastic industrial bottle near his boots. His eyebrows were arched into his hairline. “Sorry. I was getting paper towels for the bathroom and lost my balance.”
“There’s a hose out back to rinse the soap off your boots.” Kelley pointed to the back exit. “I’ll get this, and you can get back to clearing those tables out front.”
Shane nodded and backed himself out of the soap puddle.
Kelley added, “And Shane. Thanks for taking the initiative and helping, even though it’s not part of your job.”
Shane’s shoulders relaxed and he smiled. “Next time, I won’t make more of a mess.”
By the time Kelley got the soap cleaned up, she was needed out front to change out an empty CO2 tank in the soda bar and to cajole the temperamental ice machine into working again.
It was a while later when she walked into the kitchen, thinking she might sneak in a minute to research possible commercial kitchens in the area that might allow her to use their space for a small fee.
“Heads up, Kelley.” Hayes stopped her and aimed his spatula toward the hallway. “You got company waiting for you in the office.”
Who now? Kelley headed to the office only to discover Laura-Beth inside. Her big sister’s arms were braced on the desk, and her attention was fixed on a large piece of poster paper spread across the top like she was a general planning for battle.
Laura-Beth spared Kelley a brief glance as if irritated Kelley was late to her meeting, then said, “Good. You’re finally here.”
“But you’re not supposed to be in here.” Kelley motioned to the sign on the door. “It’s employees only.”
“Well, that’s you. And if I place an order, then I’ll be a paying customer with the shift manager.
” Laura-Beth drummed her fingers on the metal desktop and kept her focus on the colorful sticky tabs dotting the poster paper.
Finally, she added, “I’ll take the ultimate breakfast sandwich on sourdough. Hold the bacon and double the avocado.”
“There’s no food service back here, LB.” It was more storage than office space. Not that her big sister was even listening. Sighing, Kelley stepped over to the other side of the desk and asked, “Why are you here, LB?”
“It’s the seating chart.” Laura-Beth spread her fingers and made circles over the poster paper. “We’ve got to shuffle again.”
“We did all that last night.” And well into the early hours of the morning, too. Kelley had prepped food for the Blackwell Stables while on a video call with Laura-Beth and Wes, who was still on the west coast, to help the couple finalize the seating chart.
“Due to recent information I received, we must rearrange seats,” Laura-Beth stated and finally straightened. Her grin stretched wide. “And since it affects you, I thought you’d like to be involved.”
Kelley stuck her hands into the pockets of the apron tied around her waist. “What have you heard?”