She currently had fourteen part time staff on her payroll; three in the back of the house, like her, and eleven up front. In general, things ran like clockwork.
Tonight’s menu would be steak, lobster, and mashed potatoes, with huge colorful bowls of corn on the cob and steamed clams gracing every table. Salads, along with cheese and crackers, would be first nibbles. And dessert? Lasts would be parfaits that each guest would special order from a vintage looking, collapsible ice-cream stand that Bill had constructed just for her. It was always a huge hit.
“Thirty minutes until we need to be on the road, people,” Bobbie announced, wiping her hands on her apron. She’d just finished cutting up the fruit garnishes that would grace each plate.
The prep was complete, and once they got to the Sothard homestead, Bobbie would set up her grills and seafood steamers where she’d fresh-cook the key items for the feast. The weather was cooperating, but a couple of her crew would still erect a tent over the cooking stations, just in case mother nature had a change of heart.
“Have we seen that volunteer van yet?” Bobbie asked one of her servers who was edging past her, juggling several plastic containers. Devid was a ball-buster, but a master at Jenga-fitting everything they needed into their vehicles.
“It just pulled up. I’ll make sure it’s clean before we start putting stuff in it.”
“Thanks, Devid. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Pull your hair out? Swear even more than you do? Load all the food in upside-down?” he quipped, still moving.
“Hire someone who isn’t such a smart-ass?” she countered with a laugh.
When Devid waved a friendly middle finger in her direction, her grin wouldn’t quit.Damn.She loved her crew.
She was still chuckling when a tall figure appeared in the doorway through which Devid had just left. He was backlit by the sun that sat low in the sky, but it had to be the van driver. Bobbie walked a few steps forward. “You must be the white knight?—?”
Bobbie blinked. She stumbled to a halt. Her gorge rose in her throat and she suddenly felt like throwing up. It couldn’t be.
Buck.
His mouth dropped open.
“Bobbie. Shit. I didn’t know. I…”
Buck seemed as shocked as she felt; a blast from the past clearly blindsiding both of them.
“It’s fine.” Bobbie swallowed bile and pinned her professional mask into place, her tone becoming clipped as she squared her shoulders. “Thanks for coming to the rescue. My crew should have things loaded up within the next ten minutes if you want to wait outside in your vehicle.”
Hint, hint.
Bobbie didnotwant Buck Sothard around while she dotted her I’s and crossed her T’s for the weekend’s events. Hell, she didn’t want him around at all. He was a goddamned snake. Or at least hehadbeen. And as far as she was concerned, once a snake, always a snake.
“Listen,” he began. “Now might not be the time, but?—”
“You’re right. It’s not,” Bobbie cut him off sharply. “And it never will be. We have nothing to say to each other, and I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of my way.”
There. She’d said it professionally, with only the slightest bit of vitriol in her tone that… Seriously? It couldn’t be helped.
Buck scowled, however, not slinking away as she’d hoped.
“I actually havequitea lot to say to you,” he countered. “But you are correct. Nowisn’tthe time. I promise I won’t get in your way tonight or this weekend while you’re doing your job, but Bobbie, once your business with my family is complete, I will be finding you for a talk. We need to have a conversation that’s long overdue.”
Bobbie wasn’t going to say aye or nay to that. Let him stew in his “wanting forgiveness”, which is what she assumed he was after. He’d never get that from her, and if he came looking for her on Monday?Oh well. She’d already be long gone. Out to sea in her beautiful pea-green boat. Then hopefully, by the time she got in on Wednesday night, he’d be back on his Coast Guard cutter, far, far away.
Bye, bye.
Bobbie turned on her heel, going back to giving orders and sorting problems. She purposely ignored Buck until he finally got the hint and stomped outside.
Only then did she draw a full breath into her lungs.
Total suckage.
Why, oh why had the damned man aged so well?
