LITMIR.BIZ

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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 for me. I’ll be perfectly safe.” She didn’t mention that he had frightened her by trying to keep her safe.

      “A woman shouldn’t be out alone at night.” He stepped away from her car so she could unlock it. Then he opened the door for her. “You don’t have your guard dog to protect you. I don’t mind stepping in for him.”

      He shut the door, then walked to his Hummer that was parked on the street. True to his word, he didn’t leave until she’d pulled out of the parking lot and was back on Main Street. She turned west toward home and Estebe turned east.

      So many people taking care of her. She felt at home.

      * * * *

      Saturday morning, she quickly fed the circus, then sat down to write out the recipes from the trials she’d made on Thursday. Angie wanted to bring at least one of the dishes to her crew and see if they could add a special to tonight’s menu. She’d make all of them for Felicia today for lunch and see which one she liked best. A knock on the kitchen door made her look up.

      Erica stood at the door. She had a notebook in her hand. “Hey, do you have a minute?”

      “Come on in. Can I get you a glass of iced tea?” Angie stood and took her own glass to the counter. When Erica nodded, she poured a second glass over ice and refilled her own. She returned to the table with the drinks. “What’s up?”

      “I wanted to bring you this notebook. It has all of Granny’s medications, when she takes them, her doctors’ names and phone numbers, and Delores’s information. I didn’t want to give it to her when I bring her over Monday morning, it seems so, I don’t know, childish? Like you’re babysitting or something?”

      “That’s nice of you trying to keep her dignity.” Angie took the notebook and flipped through the pages. “You have a lot of information here.”

      “It makes it easier. Besides, I can take that to school with me, and if something happens, I have all the phone numbers I need.” Erica sipped her tea, not meeting Angie’s gaze. “I feel guilty leaving her just to have fun.”

      “Everyone needs a break now and then. Don’t worry. She’ll be fine over here. I’m here most of the day. And when I’m working, most of that time she’ll be asleep.” Angie put the notebook in her tote. “She’ll never know I have this.”

      Erica laughed. “I really appreciate the help.”

      After Erica left, Angie wondered if she really knew what she’d got herself into. She didn’t have any training dealing with the elderly. Nona hadn’t called her home when she’d gotten ill. She’d hired a live-in caretaker. Maybe she had known something that Angie didn’t know about herself. Or maybe, the internal voice of reason spoke up, she knew you were busy building a life and a career.

      Angie knew the voice was rational and probably true, but it didn’t keep her from second-guessing her choices. She returned to her work, and by the time she needed to leave for town to meet Felicia at the County Seat, she had two new recipes ready.

      Felicia was already downstairs, working on her laptop when Angie arrived. When the door opened, she looked up, worry creasing her brow. “Hey, I was about to call you. Everything okay?”

      “I got stuck behind a line of cars following a tractor. I know it’s Saturday, but some people work weekends, right? I don’t know why they don’t move those machines on a day that’s not busy.” Angie dumped her tote out on the counter, looking for the recipe notebook she carried around at all times.

      Felicia walked over, picked up the spiral notebook Erica had given Angie that morning, and opened the cover. “Is this instructions for Mrs. Potter? I thought you were going to tell Erica you couldn’t do it?”

      Angie couldn’t meet her friend’s gaze. “Don’t judge. I know I told you I was uncomfortable with the whole thing, but I want to do this.”

      “You don’t owe this to Nona.”

      Her friend’s words struck home, and finally, Angie looked straight at her. “Maybe not, but I can be a good neighbor and a friend to Erica when she needs help. Anyway, how much trouble can one woman cause in a week? By the time Erica gets back, we’ll be best friends.”

      “Doubtful.” But Felicia didn’t press the issue. “What can I do to help?”

      They cooked lunch together, adding the two appetizers that Angie had developed that week. When they sat down to eat, the discussion turned to staffing and restaurant business. Like Angie’s kitchen team, Felicia was happy with her front-of-the-house staff. “Although Jeorge’s vacation has taught me that we’re too dependent on too few people. I’d like to hire a part-time server who could also be trained

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