At Wick's End - Tim Myers [32]
“I can’t imagine you doing anything as bad as I did.”
She laughed heartily, and I found myself smiling despite my gloom. “Don’t bet the farm on it, my friend. I was catering a big affair for the mayor the first week I opened. I had four turkeys in my ovens, all the extras made ahead of time, a waitstaff hired, everything in its place. I had a thousand things to do, and when I came back into the kitchen to check on the birds for the first basting a few hours later, I didn’t smell a thing. That’s when I realized that though I’d set the temperatures on every oven, I’d neglected to turn any of them on.”
I chuckled gently. “That’s terrible. What did you do?”
“I ran by the grocery store, wiped out their deli and lost my shirt on the deal. I couldn’t even salvage the turkeys, they’d been sitting out uncooked too long. Things are bound to happen, Harrison.”
“How am I going to face Eve?”
Millie said, “She’s a wonderful employee, and you’re lucky to have her, but remember, she works for you, Harrison. Nobody’s going to lose financially from your mistake but you. That’s another thing about running a business. The buck starts and stops with you. That includes the good, the bad and everything in between.” She stood, and I joined her.
“Thanks, Millie, you’ve helped a lot.”
“All part of being a friend, Harrison. Now if you’ll excuse me, George is taking me out for dinner tonight, and I’d better get home and change.”
“Where can he possibly take a woman who cooks as wonderfully as you do?”
Millie smiled. “We’re going to a pig picking. I can barbecue pork if I have to, but it’s a real luxury to have someone else cook for me. Care to join us? Lots of eligible gals will be around, you can bet on that.”
“I’m not in the mood or the market just now,” I said. “I’ve got my hands full with At Wick’s End.”
“There’s always time for a little romance,” Millie said, the twinkle nearly blinding in her eyes.
Heather walked out of her shop and saw us standing there. “Hey you two, what’s up?”
Millie raised an eyebrow at me, one Heather couldn’t see, and said, “I was just leaving, but you could keep Harrison company if you’ve a mind to.” She got up and looked back at me and said, “Don’t forget, Harrison, there’s always time for that.”
Heather said, “What was that all about?”
“Millie was just cheering me up.” I wasn’t about to go into my story again. Much of the sting was gone, salved by Millie’s soft words. Besides, I didn’t want everyone at River’s Edge to know what a knucklehead I’d been.
“Yeah, I saw your truck window out back. You need to get some cardboard in that if you can’t get it fixed right away. It’s supposed to rain tonight.”
I suddenly realized Heather’s storeroom had a window that looked out onto the parking lot in back of River’s Edge. Some of the grapevine started to make more sense once I got a better lay of the land.
“I’ll do that,” I said. Suddenly I realized I wasn’t all that crazy about being alone. “Listen, I can’t afford anything fancy, but I was wondering if you’d like to catch a bite with me tonight. Unless you already have plans,” I added. “I know it’s short notice, being Saturday night and all.”
Heather said, “I don’t have a plan in the world. I was just going to get a pizza and chill out.”
“That sounds great,” I said. “Do you know any good places around here?”
“Have you ever been to A Slice of Heaven?”
“I’ve never heard of it,” I admitted.
“Harrison, you are in for a real treat. Why don’t I drive, though. There’s no glass on my seats.”
I said, “We can take my other truck, if you’d like.”
“The Dodge?” she asked. “No thanks, but I might want to borrow it sometime. Now there’s a truck bed I wouldn’t feel guilty scratching up with my rocks. Why don’t we take my Beetle?”
Heather led me to her brand-new green-sherbet Volkswagen Beetle. I felt silly carrying Millie’s sandwich with me, but I’d save it for the next day. They were certainly too