Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“Silas said you used to work here.”
“I did.” Her expression turned morose. “I was also a friend of your father’s. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Don’t be. We weren’t close.”
Ginny didn’t seem shocked at Sophie’s response. “I understand. Just because he befriended me doesn’t make him a good father to you.”
Jody saw the sadness on his sister’s face. She had been deeply hurt when she found out about the crimes Marty had committed.
Ginny gave a slight shake of her head. “Are you enjoying the restaurant?”
Sophie made a face. “It certainly is not as easy as I thought it would be. I would have listed the restaurant for sale already if your brothers hadn’t come in. Their tip allowed me enough money to stay in business for the rest of the week. You and your brother make my fifth and six customers this morning, so I guess business is picking up slowly. I had to fire George yesterday, so I’ve had to shorten the menu to a few menu items I can cook.”
“Jody said your father and mother will be able to help when they get here in a couple of weeks.”
She nodded. “If I make it that long.”
“You will. I can help. I know how to make most of the old menu. I can help you out until your parents get here.”
“I can help, too,” Jody offered.
“That’s okay. I wouldn’t be able to pay you. I hired Logan Porter to work a few hours a day in the afternoons.”
“Good, then you’re set. I’ll help you out a few hours in the morning, and Jody can come in during the lunch rush.”
“What lunch rush?” Sophie gave a lackluster laugh. “I’m only getting a couple of customers every few hours.”
“The customers will pick up. Once I teach you how to cook a couple of dishes on the menu, people will have to make reservations to come in here.”
“Which ones?”
“The cardiac special.”
“The cardiac special?”
“Country fried ham with red-eye gravy, fried potatoes, two fried eggs, and biscuits,” Ginny told her. “They also loved the fried chicken special with soup, beans, and cornbread. I also can help you get your hands on some venison sausage. You fry that up with some scrambled eggs, onions, and peppers, then wrap it up like a burrito, and they will sell out before you can say Hallelujah!”
Sophie burst out laughing. “You can teach me how to cook everything you just mentioned?”
“I can teach you how to cook it in your sleep.” Ginny grinned.
“I can’t accept your help without paying you.”
Ginny gave her a considering look. “Are you allergic to goats?”
“Not as far as I know.”
“I have a few goats that need to be milked daily. When your parents get here, you could spend an hour a day milking the goats for me until you pay off the hours I work here.”
Sophie’s gaze switched to his.
“After you pay off Ginny’s hours, you can pay off mine … I hate goats.”
“I can do that.”
“I would think it over. Those goats are a pain in the ass.”
“I worked in a cafeteria for a nursing home before moving here. I could tell you horror stories about what I had to deal with.”
Ginny and Jody both grimaced.
“I can imagine,” he said as the door opened, sending the bell tingling.
A woman entered, looking around the restaurant until she sighted him. “Hey, Jody!” she gushed, coming toward their table. “You come into town for lunch?”
Jody groaned inwardly. Could he catch a fucking break?
“Hey, Mina,” he responded with a tight smile.
“I’m on my lunch hour; you mind if I join you?”
Before he could say anything, Mina squeezed herself into the small portion of the booth seat he was sitting on.
He didn’t know what to do. The last thing he needed was to come across as being an asshole two days in a row, but he didn’t have an easy way of getting rid of her, either.
Ginny saved him. Sliding out of the booth, she hooked her arm around Sophie’s. “How about we check on your customers? Then we can go into the kitchen and see what we have to work with.”
“She didn’t take our order,” Mina complained.
“What do you want, and I’ll go tell them?”
Mina gave him a sultry wink. “What I want, I can’t have here. You want to go to my house, and I’ll make you something to eat?”
“No, thanks. I won’t be coming by your house anymore. I’m seeing someone.”
“Since when has that stopped you?”
Jody removed the hand that had moved to his thigh. Looking up, he realized Ginny and Sophie were able to see what Mina had done under the table.
“What do you want to order?” Jody asked through tight lips.
Mina pouted at him. “What’s with the cold shoulder?”
“I told you I’m seeing someone.”
Mina straightened away from him. “Like in, you’re really dating someone?”
“Not yet. I’m working on it. Currently, our relationship is in the talking stage.”