Sand Castle Bay. Sherryl Woods
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we’re not done yet,” she told him before heading back inside.
Boone watched her go and heaved a sigh. Heaven help him! Once Cora Jane got an idea in her head, there was no reasoning with her. He wondered if there was any way on God’s green earth to get her to focus her attention on somebody else’s love life. Sadly, he doubted it.
* * *
“Grandmother, I swear if you don’t sit down in one of these booths and put your feet up, I’m going to have Boone carry you out to his truck and take you home,” Emily declared, standing before Cora Jane who looked as if she was about to collapse.
Her grandmother’s eyes flashed. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me,” Emily said, staring her down.
“I think she might, Grandmother,” Gabi said more gently. “If you really want to get this place open tomorrow, you can’t wear yourself out today.”
Cora Jane looked around the restaurant in frustration. “I think we’re fighting a losing battle, girls. There’s no way I can open tomorrow, no matter how badly I might want to. I suppose I might as well admit that and sit down, at least for a minute.”
“Thank you,” Emily said. “If you sit for ten minutes, so can the rest of us. Anybody besides me want something to drink?”
“Sweet tea,” Cora Jane said at once.
“I’ll have the same,” Gabi said. Emily echoed her response.
“I’ll get it,” Samantha offered.
She came back from the kitchen with four tall glasses of sweet tea, along with a pitcher filled to the brim, as well.
She sighed as she slid into the booth next to Gabi.
“I’m not afraid to admit it,” Samantha said with a groan. “I’m beat.”
“And I’ve discovered muscles I had no idea I had,” Gabi said. “I’m sore everywhere.”
“We’ve been at this since late morning,” Emily reminded them. “And it’s now going on seven. I vote we call it a day.” She said that last part as if it were actually a democracy, though they all knew Cora Jane had the last word.
As expected, her grandmother started to protest, but Gabi cut her off. “You wouldn’t even let me stop at the house this morning. We have no idea what we’ll find there. We need to go home while it’s still daylight. My vote’s with Emily.”
“I’ll third that motion,” Samantha said. She reached over and squeezed Cora Jane’s hand. “We’ll get a lot more done when we’re back here fresh in the morning. Another day isn’t going to make that much difference. No one expects you to perform miracles, Grandmother.”
“I just hate the thought of letting folks down,” Cora Jane said.
“How about this?” Emily said. “Tommy Cahill replaced the few boards on the deck he thought were damaged and says it’s solid. The kitchen’s mostly functional. How about you serve a bare-bones menu out there tomorrow? Just eggs, bacon and toast in the morning and maybe burgers at lunchtime. Call in one or two of the waitresses to help and we’ll keep cleaning in here.”
Her grandmother’s eyes brightened at the suggestion. “That could work. And the bakery is going to deliver pastries tomorrow morning, so we’ll have those.”
“You scheduled a bakery delivery?” Emily said. Fearing the answer, she made herself ask, “What time?”
“Five-thirty, same as always,” Cora Jane said cheerfully.
“Oh, sweet heaven,” Samantha muttered. “Then we definitely need to go home. I’m going to crawl from a bath straight into bed.”
Cora Jane chuckled. “What has happened to the three of you? I certainly didn’t raise you all to be such wimps.”
“No, you didn’t,” Gabi agreed. “But I’m starting to recall the downside of spending summers with you.”
“Me, too,” Emily said.
Just then Boone, B.J. and Andrew came in from the parking lot. Boone gazed around at the four of them settled into a booth, shoes off, and shook his head.
“You all must not work for the same boss I have,” he said. “She never mentioned I could quit and put up my feet.”
“We rebelled and took her captive,” Emily explained. “And as soon as any of us can move, we’re going to take her home.”
“What about dinner?” he asked. “Did you grab something to eat here, because with the power out for so long at the house, you shouldn’t risk eating anything left in the refrigerator.”
“I never thought of that,” Gabi said with a groan, “and I’m starving.”
Jerry emerged from the kitchen just in time to overhear her. “Then isn’t it a good thing that I just made up a pot of crab soup. I could throw some burgers on the grill, too. With the generator here running, we didn’t suffer any spoilage.”
“And French fries?” B.J. asked excitedly. “Can I have a burger and fries?” He wrinkled his nose. “No soup, though. Yuck!”
“I’m with B.J.,” Samantha said. “I’ll take a burger and fries. No soup.”
Cora Jane shook her head. “How did you come from around these parts and have such an aversion to seafood?”
Samantha shrugged. “I just know I never liked the smell, the taste or the texture.”
“Or maybe it’s because you had a big-time nasty reaction every time you tried it,” Emily said. “You’re allergic to it, you idiot.”
“Don’t call your sister an idiot,” Cora Jane scolded automatically. “Are you sure it’s an allergy?”
“Swear to God,” Emily said. “Gabi, don’t you remember the time Mother insisted Samantha at least taste a crab cake and the next thing we knew we were traipsing off to the emergency room? She could barely breathe.”
Samantha looked momentarily taken aback. “I’d blocked that, but you’re right. I was scared to death. After that even the thought of seafood turned my stomach.”
“Well, I’ll take the soup, the burger and the fries,” Boone said. “Jerry, why don’t I help with those burgers?”
Emily frowned. “I guess that means we all should be back on our feet helping out. Grandmother, you stay put. We can handle everything. B.J., can you find silverware and napkins? Do you know where they are?”
He beamed at her. “Sure. I’ve helped with setups before. Want me to show you?”
Emily grinned at his eagerness. “That would be great.”
“I’ll get the drinks,” Gabi volunteered. “Are you all sticking with sweet tea? Do you want to switch to beer? Sodas?”
“I’d love a beer,” Samantha said, “but tired as I am, that would knock me right out. I’ll have a soda.”
“Make that two,” Emily said.
As soon as all the orders were in, they went about their respective assignments, working together as smoothly as if they’d been a team for years.
When two tables had been pushed together and set, drinks had been served and Boone came around with the bowls of soup, Cora Jane regarded them all with approval.
“I don’t ever want to hear any of you say you couldn’t take over this place in a heartbeat,” she said. “As long as it’s been since you were last here, you still remember everything I taught you.”
“Don’t go getting any ideas,” Gabi warned her. “Running a restaurant takes skill, business savvy and passion. Boone