Nikki waved her off and opened the fridge door. “That won’t be necessary. We have everything taken care of.”
“No,” Amy insisted. “I want to help. I can get a job to help with the bills or food or something.”
Nikki’s heart was lifted when she heard her speak like that. She had plans to stay for a while to be responsible, but she was curious about why Amy left Seattle in the first place. But she tabled that thought for a different time.
“As far as I know, the Nestled Inn and the restaurant take care of the mortgage for the properties and the utilities. If you want to get something for yourself, then that’s fine, but this place is as much yours as it’s mine now. You don’t need to earn it.”
“I’m not trying to earn it. I just want to be useful,” Amy replied. “I’ve seen what leeching off others can do.” She got a faraway look in her eyes like she recalled a painful memory.
Nikki sighed and placed the carton of juice on the counter. “Fine,” she said and finally gave in. She could understand Amy’s need for independence. It didn’t have anything to do with the money. The same spirit ran in both Nikki’s and Trish’s veins. “How about we go see what they can do at the restaurant?”
“Great!” Amy said and rubbed her hands together. “You already know I can wait tables, and I’d really love to shadow any pastry chef who’s around—you know, to hone my skills.”
Nikki smiled. “I’ll see what I can do. I don’t think there’s a pastry chef at Lot 28, though, but I’ll have to check again.”
“Maybe Paul knows someone,” Amy replied with great excitement, and Nikki watched as her eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store.
“Maybe,” Nikki said. “We can ask him, but I can’t make any promises. I’m not sure what’s possible yet.”
“That’s okay. There are other places in town, right?”
“True,” Nikki agreed. “Let’s go see the head chef later and hear what he has to say. I wish you didn’t feel the need to work, though.”
“What else am I going to do while I’m here?” Amy asked and sipped from the glass Nikki passed to her. “I can’t just sit here every day or surf to pass the time.”
Nikki laughed. “You make a good point.”
She loved how easy it was getting for them to have a conversation. She knew that things would be seamless in time, and it would be as if she’d never been away from them. She just wished that Trish would wake up to see it.
Later that morning, the two women ventured over to the Nestled Inn.
“I have to say, this is a really nice spot,” Amy complimented as they walked through the lobby. “Trish has great taste.” She admired the oversized vases sitting in the corners with green ferns sticking out of them, which greatly contrasted the pastel-colored walls. The reception desk had tulips and daffodils adorning it, and the burnt-orange, beige, and brown color block carpeting was the perfect finish.
“Hello, you two,” Kaylyn greeted them as they walked by.
“Hi, Kaylyn,” Nikki replied.
Amy smiled and waved, but she didn’t utter a word.
Amy was even more in awe when she walked into the restaurant. It had the same rustic appeal as the mother restaurant, bearing the intimate low-hanging lights above the dining tables, potted plants sat in blocks next to columns that had the same brick overlay, and the tables were pristine with silver accessories atop off-white linen.
“I would love to work here,” Amy gushed. “The tips must be awesome.”
Nikki laughed. “I bet.”
The restaurant wasn’t open yet, but the head chef, William, was already there prepping things.
He wiped his hands on the towel draped over his shoulder before he extended it to Nikki. “Nice to see you. And who’s this?” he asked as he took Amy’s hand.
“This is Amy, Trish’s daughter,” Nikki said and cleared her throat, mainly because she didn’t know if Amy wanted to be announced as Trish’s daughter just yet.
“Oh,” he beamed, and the dimple in his chin deepened with the twinkle in his gray eyes. “Well then, it’s a great pleasure.”
“Thanks.” Amy blushed and looked across at Nikki.
“What brings the two of you over? Not that I’m complaining, but you’re usually here a little later in the day,” William said, adjusting his head's hat. Traces of his raven-black hair showed around the sides and back, and his clean-shaven face gave him a boyish look despite being almost forty years old.
“Well, we were wondering if you know of any job vacancies here,” Nikki began. “Amy’s trying to get a job.”
