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I suppose I should count that a win, but I’m thinkingabout a glorious nap soon. A shower. Dad’s right about one thing – I’m no good to anyone when I’m this bagged.

I already called Trevor to let him know that I’ll have to miss the game this week.

Each Saturday afternoon, I head into Havelock to hang out with a bunch of friends from high school and university. In the winter, we play hockey. In the summer, we play rugby. Couple of beers afterward at a pub and that is the sum of my social life. I’m unhappy to miss out today, and not because Trevor wanted to fix me up with his cousin. I just want to talk to someone (anyone) about something other than tomatoes.

I know there’s no space in my life for a relationship, and that’s depressing, too.

As tempted as I am to just crash, Dad isn’t going to forget about this café thing. It would be better to have some kind of answer for him. Restaurants need suppliers, which gives me the perfect cover story. In my experience, barging in and demanding change isn’t a very successful tactic. It might work for my dad, but I prefer to build consensus.

And I like to do my research first.

I’ll stop in the packing room for a selection of Cavendish greenhouse-grown produce, joke a bit with Guadalupe and the ladies who do the packing, double-check with the pair of supervisors that we’re on track to fill all of today’s shipments, then head into town to see what I can learn about the new café.

Then sleep, glorious sleep.

2

SYLVIA

The incredible thing isn’t that Merrie’s new bistro, The Carpe Diem Café, opened to acclaim. Of course, it did. Her cooking is amazing. It’s not surprising that our brand new socials are blowing up either, not with the rave reviews from food critics at both major Toronto newspapers, as well as some smaller ones. Rafe Rossetti, who may be Merrie’s biggest fan and a popular influencer, has been waxing rhapsodic all over the internet ever since we pushed him out the door on Thursday night.

It was a perfect launch. The bistro was busy but not overwhelmed. Local vintner Mackenzie Rhodes stepped up to do tasting flights of her company’s wines, and we even had some star power with rock star Luke Jones in attendance. Luke has been all over the media talking us up. So, it’s not amazing that we had a great night. Even the weather cooperated.

Whether that sticks or not is a whole ’nuther thing. We’re located in the tiny town of Empire with its infinitesimal population – far, far away from the bright lights of the city. Foottraffic will be a challenge, as will discoverability, which is why the astonishing thing is happening.

Merrie and I arearguing.

I’ve known Merrie for ten years, give or take. She plucked me out of the ranks of waitresses four restaurants ago, when she was chef but not owner, and we just clicked. Merrie is passionate, creative, mercurial and larger than life. She cooks like a goddess and is inventive beyond belief. She’s also opinionated, stubborn, fiercely loyal and often, just Too Much.

I adore her. She’s my complete opposite. We have never fought, mostly because I just roll with whatever she says.

But not today.

It’s different this time. We’re officially partners, and that means I get a say.

“You’re doing it again,” I tell her. I’m setting tables for Saturday lunch while she’s doing prep. It’s just the two of us and with the open kitchen, we can have a conversation – or an argument – without a lot of effort. “You’re going to mess up everything. Again.”

“I am not going to mess up again.” She’s grim and chopping hard, possibly because she knows I’m right.

“Yes, you are. You can’t change every item on the menu every day.”

“I’ve done it before!”

“And you’ve alienated customers before.” I watch her expression turn mutinous.

“I’m a creative genius. I won’t apologize for brilliance.”

Merrie is not modest, but you might have noticed that already.

“You don’t have to, but you have to offer some consistency. People have to know that when they come to The Carpe Diem Café, they’ll find something they want to eat on the menu.”

“Everything is good!”

“But it can’t all be unusual. It can’t change all the time!”

“I think the roast boar will be amazing with kim chee and I’m going to prove it to you.”

“Maybe so, but not everyone is that adventurous. You need to keep some standards on the menu all the time. Steak frites. A quiche with soup or salad. A roast chop with gratin and seasonal vegetables. A stew with orzo or lentils. You don’t even have a duck confit on the menu yet and that’s a cornerstone of bistro cooking. Bistro. Remember? Our plan isbistro. I should never have agreed to the mock porchetta on the opening night menu. Once you head to Tuscany, all bets are off.”