AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, it’s a lot all at once,” I admit. “Did you hear about the Spice House? Brax told me they’re having financial trouble.”
Little by little, we’ve ventured into work territory. Sharing tidbits about our business, our suppliers. Which is how I know she uses them too.
“I did. Do you getThe Restaurant Business? It only comes out monthly but really keeps me up to speed.”
“I don’t,” I admit.
“Well, if you only read one thing, it should be that. And theBridgewater Press, of course.”
I smile and make a mental note of it.
“Thanks. Although I don’t know how to get the time to read.”
“Sorry to bust in.” Brax pops his head out. “Do you have two minutes?” he asks me, then looks at Evie. “I promise not to keep him long.”
“No problem,” Evie says.
“I have a quick question. Oh, and Frank called again on the landline.” Brax heads back in.
“Is everything ok? You got a weird look when Brax mentioned Frank. Isn’t he the guy I met?”
Shit.
I’ve not been deliberately hiding it, but I definitely did not mention the expansion to Evie.
“He’s an old friend of my dad’s,” I say, standing. “He’s helping me with a possible expansion.”
Evie blinks.
“I’m thinking about a second place in Mill Creek.”
“Seriously?”
I can’t tell what she’s thinking.
“Seriously. Some might say it’s too soon, but I don’t think so. I want to strike while the iron is hot. And Mill Creek is close enough that I could keep an eye on two places, but far enough away to attract its own clientele.”
“Isn’t Casa Maria pretty established there?”
Evie chews on her bottom lip, enticing me and worrying me at the same time.
“It is. But we’d offer a different kind of menu. More like an upscale pizzeria than this.” I wave my hand around the deck. “I’d have mentioned it sooner, but it’s kind of a new development.”
“Frank,” she says, putting two and two together.
“Yes.”
“You were talking about expansion that day with him.”
“Yes. But we were kind of avoiding work talk then.”
Neither of us says any more.
“I’ve gotta go see what Brax wants.”
Evie looks down at her plate as if contemplating something.
“We’ll talk about this when I come back.”
