Innkeeping with Murder - Tim Myers [19]
“Tell you what, I’ll buy dinner tonight after all. We haven’t even discussed your salary yet.”
Alex considered their choices for dinner.
Elkton Falls had only two decent restaurants, Buck’s Grill and Mamma Ravolini’s. Buck’s was basically a diner with booths and a front bar, while Mamma’s as the townsfolk referred to the latter, was a sit-down restaurant run by an older woman named Irma Bean.
The closest Irma had ever been to Italy was watching a documentary on Public Television, but she believed the name Mamma Ravolini’s sounded more appropriate for her pasta-oriented menu than Bean’s Family Restaurant. Alex’s girlfriend, Sandra, was always dragging him to Charlotte to try the Queen’s City’s latest and greatest, but Alex preferred the food in Elkton Falls.
Their choice was narrowed even more since Buck’s only served breakfast and lunch. “How’s Italian sound?”
Elise smiled. “Mamma Ravolini’s it is. I’ve been in town two weeks, and I still haven’t had a chance to eat there. The local branch of Dantons isn’t schooled in the fine art of food preparation. They’ve been taking advantage of my background and keeping me in the kitchen since I arrived.” Elise added, “If we’ve got hot water now I’d like to grab a shower before we go.”
“According to my handyman, we should have plenty of hot water, so help yourself.” He glanced at his watch and grinned. “But I thought you were starving.”
Elise said, “If I’m not ready in fifteen minutes, you have my permission to go on without me.”
Alex didn’t believe her, but he figured he might as well use his time productively and pay some bills. He was writing the third check when Elsie joined him.
She was dressed in a floral print dress that fell just below her knees. Her hair had been brushed out and was pulled back away from her face. In short, she looked delightful.
He got up from his chair. “I think I’d better change, too. I’ll be ready to go in a minute.”
Elise said, “Nonsense. You look fine.”
“Okay.” They walked out to Alex’s battered gray
Ford pickup after Alex posted a “Back After Supper” sign at the front desk. He winced slightly, wondering what Elise would think of his transportation. Gamely, he opened the passenger door and held it for her. Too late, Alex remembered that many modern woman considered gallant behavior offensive. But Elise smiled at the courtesy, and Alex had to hide his own grin in return. If his truck put her off, she didn’t show it. She slid onto the vinyl seat as if she’d grown up riding around in a long-bed pickup.
As he drove down Point Road toward town, Alex asked, “What kind of background do you have that makes you such a fine cook? I can’t imagine Mrs. Danton turning her kitchen over to just anyone.”
“Don’t kid yourself. She thought it was wonderful having someone else feed her clan. I didn’t really mind, though. Cooking has always been a hobby of mine. I got my degree in hotel/motel management from West Virginia University, and I picked up some tips from a Marriott chef I worked with in Greensboro.”
Alex looked over at his passenger. In the fading light of the day, he studied her face for a moment to see if she was pulling his leg. But she returned his glance with a steady look that told him she was telling the truth.
Alex laughed deeply. “I’ve hired someone to be my maid who has better qualifications to run my inn than I do! You must think I’m an idiot.”
Elise said, “I think nothing of the sort. You didn’t have time to ask, and it didn’t seem important to tell you. I would have done just about anything to get out of that house anyway.”
Alex heard Elise sigh heavily beside him. They drove in silence for a few moments. She finally broke the quiet. “I grew up in a little hotel in the West Virginia mountains. We had nine rooms and a restaurant. It wasn’t much, but my folks and I were happy. I decided that someday I was going to run one of the big chains single-handedly, so I got my degree from WVU and headed