If he wasn’t, then they’d try again because Stacy knew her daughter and things weren’t adding up.
19
MAKE SOMETHING OF IT
“It’s a little slow today,” his grandmother said to him the next day.
“Early in the week it normally is for lunch. Do you think I should close down for lunch on Monday and Tuesday and just do dinner?”
“Nope,” his grandmother said. “It’s always been like this. You need to start running more specials. Tuesday tacos at a low price. Something like that.”
“I’m not going to run the same specials the previous owners did. I’m doing better than them already.”
“I didn’t say do it exactly. Just think of something. Make it catchy. Or do something monthly. I’m not sure. Come up with something and get people in here that way. It might only bring a few in for lunch but more for dinner. I’ll adjust the scheduling just the same. I can cover tables with one server at lunch if this keeps up.”
“No,” he said. “I don’t want you waiting on tables.”
His grandmother had come behind the bar to talk to him. There were only three people at the other end having a drink and some food. Five tables had customers at them.
It was one thirty, so the bulk of the lunch crowd came and went, with a few more just shuffling in.
“Then maybe you should take some more time off. I can cover the bar while I watch the hostess stand along with whoever is waiting tables. We don’t need as many staff,” she said.
“Which is funny considering Taryn keeps calling in sick and leaving me short.”
“I’m going to schedule her one day a week now and make sure it’s on a day that you aren’t at the firehouse. You need to take a bit more time off when we are slower. Spend time with your girlfriend.”
He sighed. His grandmother had been good enough not to mention it, though he knew she saw right through him. Jocelyn wasn’t just a regular who liked the food, she was the reason he checked the door every night.
“I’m trying.”
“Try harder if you want to make something of it.”
“I’m not sure yet what or where we are. It’s early yet.”
And since Jocelyn had never once hinted that she was telling her family about him, or whatever it was they had, and always chose out-of-the-way places when they went out, he didn’t see the point in involving his grandmother either.
“The fact you’re even thinking of it being early and that it could be something is more than you have in the past.”
Which wasn’t false.
“Shit,” he said.
“What?”
“I’m pretty sure Jocelyn’s parents just walked in. That’s Jim McCarthy and the woman with him looks like an older version of Jocelyn.”
His grandmother laughed. “Yep, that’s who was with Jocelyn a few weeks ago. I’ve got this. Don’t worry.”
“Don’t say anything,” he growled low. “I don’t need her ticked at me.”
His grandmother nudged his arm. “And that right there gave me a lot more than words could have.”
He rolled his eyes. His grandmother found a way to get information even when he was holding it back.
Since the place wasn’t that big and he had a good line of sight, he could hear his grandmother welcoming them to the place and asking if they’d been here before.
He knew damn well his grandmother recognized Stacy McCarthy from being with Jocelyn weeks ago.
