Chapter Forty-Eight
“Hi, Terry.”Jamie kissedthe young woman’s cheek.“It’s been a while.Sorry, I couldn’t stop and talk more when you were here with your great-grandfather.”
“That’s okay.”She smiled, flipping back her curly auburn hair.“It’s nice of you to invite me.I was glad to get out of the house tonight.I love my mother, but she’s a terrible cook and her meat loaf is more like a cinder block.”
Jamie had to laugh.“That bad?”
She shook her head, her hair bouncing.“You have to pour a ton of that store bought gravy on it just so it’s moist enough to swallow!”
“Well, tonight it’s just hamburgers and hot dogs and store-bought sides.”Jamie pointed to the diner.“There is no kitchen in there, and the one upstairs is tiny.”
“Not to mention, he really hasn’t had the time to cook.”Joesph extended his hand.“I’m Joesph, by the way.”He scowled at Jamie.
“Oh, sorry.This is Mike Jones and he’s been helping with the renovations.”
“Oh, I know Mike.He comes into the hardware store.”She gave Mike a quick hug.She looked tiny next to him.“And I’m fine with hamburgers and hot dogs.”
“Uh, Salzy...don’t you want to offer Terry something to drink?”
“Oh...right.”Salzy looked flustered and blushed bright red.“Would you care for something?We have a lot of German beer, and Bud Lite...oh, and water.”
“Or I could be persuaded to make you a martini,” Joesph offered, smiling as he lifted his own martini.
Terry laughed and sat on one of the benches.“I’d like to try one of those German beers if you don’t mind.I’ve never had a martini, and right now a cold beer sounds good.”
“On it,” Salzy raced towards the diner.
“It’s already so hot, and it’s just spring.”Terry lifted her long curly hair off her neck.“I can’t imagine what summer is going to be like.”
Joesph sat next to her.“It’ll be like living in hell, I think.”
“It’s a good thing that we’ll have new air-conditioning,” Jamie added.He watched Mike connect the bottle of gas to the new grill, his big thighs bulging.
“When do you think the diner will reopen?”Terry asked.
Jamie pointed to Joesph.“You’ll have to ask him.He’s in charge.”
“Twenty-one days is the plan.”Joesph glanced at Jamie.“Don’t forget you need to run an ad for more staff.”
“Damn.I had forgotten.I also need to call Christine.See if she won’t move down here and do the new pastry station.”
“Do you think she will?”Joesph asked before he took a sip of his cocktail.
“I hope so.Maybe I should look for a place for her and the new kid to live.That might be incentive enough.”
“Oh, I know of a place,” Terry said as she accepted the beer Salzy had brought her.“Grandpa Harold has a few rental properties, and one is about to come vacant.It’s a nice house too.”
“How big is it?”Jamie asked.
“It’s a three bedroom, two bath place.A practically new kitchen and both bathrooms have been redone.Fenced in front and back yard.It’s a nice neighbourhood too.”
“Sounds perfect.”Jamie lifted his beer towards her.“Could you get some pictures so I can show Christine?”
“Grill is ready to go,” Mike announced as he sat next to Jamie.
“Thank you,” Jamie said and nudged him with his shoulder as he sat down.“Is that a hint that you’re hungry?”
