Chapter 12
JACK
‘Surprise.’
The first thing I saw when I entered the restaurant just after eleven the next morning was Hannah beaming at me from behind the bar.
She wasn’t wrong. It was a surprise, seeing her standing there.
Normally she avoided it and the kitchen, preferring to stay upstairs or at a table as if she were just another patron instead of the person who owned the place.
‘Hey,’ I greeted her, slinging my keys and phone onto a little shelf underneath the bar. ‘Sleep OK?’
‘Better than you, by the look of it. You have bags under your eyes bigger than the ones I flew in with.’
‘Warm night,’ I replied, by way of explanation. ‘The wood in the cabin really holds the heat in.’
‘I don’t seem to have that problem upstairs,’ she said smugly, then quickly added when she saw my expression. ‘I’m just saying.’
‘Yeah, well don’t.’
‘You’re touchy this morning. Something wrong?’
A memory of Taylor’s face in front of mine flashed through my mind. The way her lips had parted under my gaze, as if she’d wanted me to kiss her. I’d been so close to doing it too, but in the end something had held me back.
‘No. Just tired. Like I said, rough night.’
‘OK.’ She looked as if she didn’t believe me, but knew better than to push it. ‘Where do you want me?’
‘Sorry?’
‘To work. I’ve got my comfortable shoes on and I’m ready to learn the ropes.’ She did a little pirouette and ended with a flourish of her hands. ‘Keen to dive in and do my bit.’
I stared at her. ‘Seriously?’
She nodded. ‘You were right last night. This is my business. I have to figure this stuff out if I’m going to make it work. If we’re going to make this work.’
‘You’re sure about this?’
She nodded. ‘Of course.’
‘It’s not that I don’t want to believe you,’ I said cautiously. ‘But it wouldn’t be the first time you’ve said you’ll stay and when things get hard you run back to the city.’
Annoyance flickered briefly across her face. ‘I can’t promise to stay here forever, but for now, I’m all in.’
‘No one can promise forever; we both know that.’
She looked briefly stricken at the reminder.
‘Sorry,’ I said quickly. ‘I didn’t mean to upset you.’
‘It’s OK. After everything you’ve done for me, I suppose I can forgive you for the occasional thoughtless comment.
’ She clapped her hands together. ‘But let’s not dwell.
I woke up this morning determined to be a good girl and listen to what you’ve said and take charge of my own future.
I can’t lose that determination in the first hour, can I? So, where do you want me?’
‘I guess you could shadow me for a while, get a feel for how things work around here. The good news is that you have the best staff anyone could hope for. Hell, they could probably run this place by themselves if they had to.’
She put her hands on her hips. ‘Then what am I paying you for?’
‘Good question. I’m not complaining though. This place has been just what I needed.’ I smiled ruefully. ‘I didn’t even know how much I needed it until I got here.’
‘I guess I can see why Alex always talked about moving here and running a restaurant,’ she agreed.
‘All this nature, places to hike and fish. He would have loved it. Me? Not so much. I like the idea of this place, but actually living here? I’m just not sure the whole small-town vibe is really my thing.
I prefer being surrounded by buildings and people and noise.
’ She saw my mouth open and quickly continued.
‘But… like I said. I’m prepared to give this a go.
Who knows, maybe this place will make a small-town girl out of me yet. ’
‘Hey, bigger miracles have happened, right?’
‘If they could just get some decent clothing boutiques.’ She sighed.
‘Seriously, there are three dress stores in this town and not one of them sells anything even remotely like you’d find on Fifth Avenue.
They’re all a decade behind, at least. I guess I’ll just have to make do with online shopping. They do get mail here, right?’
‘Sure, comes over the hill on horseback, but it gets here eventually.’
‘Oh my God.’ She laughed. ‘That actually wouldn’t surprise me.’
For the next couple of hours, she stuck with me, clearing tables, taking orders, preparing and delivering drinks. She even dealt with a customer complaint, calming an irate woman with a free cocktail and a ten percent discount off her bill.
‘You’re a natural,’ I told her after the restaurant had mostly cleared out again. ‘Honestly, I’m impressed.’
‘I’m impressed with myself,’ she admitted. ‘That was kind of fun.’
‘Water?’
‘God no.’ She pulled a face. ‘After that shift I deserve a wine.’
‘You handled that complaint well.’
‘Of course I did.’ She smiled. ‘Have you forgotten how charming I can be?’
‘Hannah.’
‘What?’
I lowered my voice, checking to make sure none of the staff were within earshot. ‘You know what. The flirting, it’s not appropriate.’
‘It’s not flirting.’ She pouted. ‘It’s banter. And it’s always been like this between us. Even when Alex was alive. I don’t see why that has to change.’
‘It just does.’ I rubbed a hand through my hair. ‘Everything is different now.’
‘You think I don’t know that?’ she retorted, her eyes flashing. ‘I’m the one who had to bury my husband. The man that you promised me you’d look after.’
The words stung. ‘You blame me.’
Instantly her anger deflated. ‘No, of course not. I’m sorry, it’s just been a long day. I don’t blame you. I need you. You’re the only constant I have left. I just… I miss him. I miss him so much it hurts.’
‘I know. I miss him too.’
She rubbed her face with the back of her hand. ‘I just want things to go back to the way they were.’
‘If only the world worked like that.’
She looked up at me and the expression on her face broke my heart. ‘Promise you won’t leave me too?’
I swallowed hard, remembered the promise I’d made to Alex as he died in my arms.
‘I promise.’
The chef, Kevin, poked his head out from the kitchen. ‘Jack, phone call for you,’ he said. ‘It’s Connie from the police department,’ he said. ‘A hiker’s gone over the cliff at Sailor’s Bluff.’
The harsh cliffs and rock faces at Sailor’s Bluff flashed into my mind. ‘They still alive?’
‘Yeah, for now. Condition unknown at this stage, but apparently they’re in danger of being swept off the rocks by the tide. Connie’s rallying the troops.’
‘Will you be OK on your own for a bit? Lucy will be back from her break soon and Fiona’s shift starts at three.’
‘Go,’ she said. ‘I’ll be fine.’
I reached behind me to untie the apron I was wearing. ‘Tell Connie I’m on my way.’