During the summer season they brought in local bands on weekend nights, and that kept a steady clientele until the joint closed at midnight. Under Cheryl’s management it had become the most popular hangout in town.
Connor had never dreamed of being in the restaurant business, but when this one became available two years ago, his sister Lexie had talked him into it. She would manage the restaurant, she exclaimed passionately. She’d do all the work. He wouldn’t have to so much as lift his finger.
She’d been twenty-one at the time, waitressing full-time at Patty’s Diner and managing the night shift. Connor had lost his wife the year before and didn’t have enough to keep him busy. Not busy enough to keep his grief at bay anyway, and he’d buckled under Lexie’s pressure. The baby of the family, she was a little spoiled and adept at getting what she wanted. Especially from him. Actually, both of his sisters knew how to wrangle their way with him.
But he had to hand it to Lexie—she’d done a great job managing Sullivan’s Landing. She hired a terrific chef who’d fine-tuned the menu, keeping the local favorites and adding popular new items. She’d put up twinkle lights inside and out and added other touches that made it seem as if the rustic atmosphere was by design. New ceiling fans now hung over the deck, making summer meals much more tolerable.
And then, barely a year into it, she up and decided she wanted to pursue an interior design degree. Well, what was he supposed to say?
He’d lucked out by finding Cheryl to replace her right away, and ever since the restaurant had been a steady stream of income and little worry to him.
Until now.
He walked into the already busy restaurant and was immediately confronted with chaos. Two servers had called in sick, and the young girl hostessing was overwhelmed and looked ready to quit on the spot.
Connor sent her for a break and took over her position. He could seat people. Anyone could do that, right? But thirty minutes later he’d given away tables that had been reserved by regulars and had to mollify them with free meals and promises of the very next available spot.
He was relieved when the hostess returned from break looking ready to resume her job.
He went into the kitchen next. They had a new cook in training, and the food was slow coming out, resulting in disgruntled customers. Two tables left before their food even arrived, one of them complaining loudly to him, “the manager,” as the other patrons listened in.
By the time he’d finished swabbing the deck it was after one o’clock in the morning. He’d have about four hours to sleep before he’d have to get up to meet a six o’clock fishing charter and do it all over again.
***
Maddy snuggled up on the couch, her phone pressed to her ear. Holly had called well after midnight when she’d gotten home from her date with her boyfriend. Nora and Emma had turned in long ago.
After the tense day, it was a relief to let off steam with her best friend.
“So how long do you think you’ll stay?” Holly asked.
“As long as it takes to get our stuff cleaned out and fix up this place. A month. Maybe a little more.”
“Maybe the time away will do you good. You’ve been working way too hard. I can check on your apartment and water your garden.”
“That’d be great, thanks. I’ll have my mail forwarded and suspend the paper.” She didn’t have many obligations back home at this point, but her sisters were a different story. “I find it hard to believe Nora and Emma can take that much time away from their lives. I especially can’t imagine Jonathan agreeing to Nora’s extended absence.”
“Doesn’t Emma own a bakery?”
“She manages it. Still, I don’t know how she can be away that long either. But neither of them seems too worried about it. I honestly think sheer stubbornness is all that’s keeping them here.”
“I don’t envy you, being caught in the middle.”
“It’s no fun, I can tell you that.”
“So, do you really think your grandma schemed to get you all there? That seems a little crazy.”
“Oh, I know she did. In retrospect, I should’ve figured it out before she called. It’s just the kind of thing she’d do. Mind you, she only has our best interests at heart. But she clearly doesn’t realize how stubborn Emma and Nora are. I wouldn’t be surprised if, by the end of this, they aren’t speaking at all.”
“That’s a real shame. I can’t imagine anything coming between Noelle and me for so many years, even a man.” It was true. Noelle had worked for Maddy at Pirouette, and the sisters were very close.
“I think Nora still has a lot of guilt over stealing Jonathan, but she’s done trying to apologize. And you’d think Emma could forgive and forget after all these years, but she’s been steeping like a tea bag in the anger and bitterness.”
“Maybe Emma is jealous of Nora’s life—it was the life she was supposed to have had. From what you’ve told me, Nora and Jonathan are living the good life, all the traveling and schmoozing and whatnot.”
“I don’t know. It’s never really been about money or prestige for Emma. She’s more about fulfilling her passions, and she’s done that. She’s got a great husband and a satisfying job. Clearly all is turning out as it should’ve, so why won’t these two just put the past behind them?”
Maddy’s heart gave a squeeze at the thought. Emma and Nora weren’t the only sisters who hadn’t put the past behind them, but Holly was the only one who knew it.
