“Kenny, I want you to meet Miss Katie Gallagher. She’s Nellie’s granddaughter and is living in Nellie’s house.” I shook our waiter’s hand. “Katie, this is Kenny Davis. Do you remember that little boy who?—”
“Ah, come on, Mr. Cavanaugh. You don’t need to remind her of that.” Kenny looked pained but amused at having his childhood discussed.
“Now, son, Katie’s basically family.” Connor turned back to me. “Do you remember that little boy who wore a New England Patriots football helmet everywhere he went?”
My eyes went wide as I took in our waiter with a new appreciation. “That was you?” I clapped. “You were awesome! I swear, you just made me giggle every time I saw you. How the heck did you see with that huge thing on your head all the time?” It had been an adult’s helmet on a little boy. I’d often see his nose through the eyehole. I could never figure out how he didn’t run into things constantly.
His cheeks turned a charming pink. “Yeah, see, mostly I just looked down and watched my feet. I could see a few steps ahead. Sometimes I bounced off poles and stuff, but I was wearing a helmet, so it was cool. My parents usually held my hand and looked out for me.” He shook his head. “I was convinced that if I wore the helmet every day, eventually the Patriots would have to let me on the team.” He shuffled his feet and tapped his order pad against his leg. “I didn’t realize that skinny guys who barely top five-ten don’t get drafted into the NFL. My dad seemed huge at the time, so I figured I’d be huge one day, too.”
Connor chuckled. “Well, now, by your dad’s standards, you are.”
Kenny smiled. “Yep, you’re right. I got Dad beat, at least.” He held his order pad up again. “Anyway, thanks for that little walk down memory lane, Mr. Cavanaugh.” He looked at me first. “What can I get you, Miss Gallagher?”
“Please, call me Katie.”
Once our orders had been placed, Connor looked down at his buzzing pocket. Excusing himself, he walked out to the porch to receive a call and I settled back, relaxing into the moment. Connor walked in a moment later, stopped to speak with Kenny, and was just sitting down when our drinks arrived.
“All right, Katie mine, tell me about this silly thought of yours.” He took a sip of his beer and leaned back, focusing entirely on me. It was unnerving.
“Really, Connor, it was nothing.” He continued to stare, so I elaborated. “It was just a stray thought.” I blew out a breath and took the dive. “Chaucer and I were walking down Main, and I saw an empty storefront. When I stepped inside—that’s where I met Bear—I could see it was a minuscule diner, barely enough room for eight or ten tables, but it was perfect. I just, I don’t know. I fell in love, and I started to think about having my own little breakfast place, you know? Somewhere I could make pancakes, sausage and eggs, quiches and pastries, or whatever. I’d only open for breakfast. I could do all the work myself. Although I suppose I’d need to hire a server who could wait on people while I cooked. I could just see it all in my head, the decor and the menus.”
I looked up at Connor and said, “It’s just a silly pipe dream. I don’t know anything about running a business. I love to cook, but I wouldn’t know the first thing about starting a restaurant. People are much nicer about food they’re given for free from someone they know. Food they have to pay for from a faceless person in the kitchen?” I shrugged. “Like I said, a fleeting thought. Anyway, how was your day? Watch any ballgames?” I asked with a grin.
Connor, however, was not to be distracted. “How do you want to decorate it?”
I took another piece of bread and a large sip of iced tea before nearly choking. “Wow, what did they put in this tea?”
Connor raised his eyebrows. “He asked if you wanted a Seafarer’s iced tea, and you said yes.” I looked at him blankly, so he continued, “It’s a cocktail, like a Long Island iced tea, only with more of a kick.”
I fanned my face with my napkin. “Yeah, I’ll say. You may need to call us a cab home.” I took another tentative sip and felt the liquor work through me. I’d need more bread to sop up the alcohol.
Connor leaned back as Kenny brought us two appetizers, placing the dishes in the center of the table, plus an additional small plate in front of each of us. “To start out with, we have our famous lobster rolls, lobster in a cream sauce in puff pastry, and our crab-stuffed mushrooms. I hope you enjoy.” Kenny left and my stomach rumbled.
Connor flicked his hand toward the food. “Eat and explain your ideas for the diner.” He popped a mushroom into his mouth.
I tried one of the lobster rolls, closed my eyes, and moaned. Connor chuckled, my eyes popping open in embarrassment. “Sorry.” I swallowed. “Really good.” I took another sip of my cocktail. “Well, I was thinking about light walls. You know the creamy yellow of Italian plaster? With the word pancake in every language that has a pancake as part of their native cuisine—Gran and I looked it up once. There are a ton of different cultures that have something similar to what we call pancakes. Just in the US, there’s also flapjacks, griddle cakes, and hot cakes. And I’m sure if we visited more remote, rural areas, we’d find even more names for them. Anyway, I was thinking of those words written in kind of an unbroken chain, ringing the room at eye level—mine, not yours.
“And I’d have small, round, wrought iron café-style tables in the center of the room with a long red leather bench running down each of the side walls. Small square tables could be placed at intervals along the bench so if there was a big party, we could scoot all the tables together to make one long table. Otherwise, lots of eating areas for two to four people.” I felt myself babbling but couldn’t stop.
“There’d be a counter running along the service area in front of the kitchen so people could just eat at the counter, if they’d like. Take half that wall down, like Bear suggested. A large, sparkling chandelier hanging from the ceiling.” I cleared my throat. “I know that sounds silly. I want it to feel warm and inviting, but special, too. I’ve always loved Parisian architecture, so I want it to have that feel. And, yes, there will be crepes.” I paused to gauge Connor’s reaction. He was smiling, but that could have been the smile you give a crazy person as you back slowly away. I ate a mushroom to cover my unease.
Connor wiped his mouth, the smile going with it. “Okay, now, let’s get down to brass tacks. You want to open a diner. I want a tenant in my vacant property. How much do you think this venture will cost?”
I felt my face go slack. “Your property? But,” I sputtered, “that wasn’t your name in the window.”
“Of course not; that’s the agent’s name and number. She fields all the inquiries and lets me know if anything sounds good. I’ve had a couple of potentials, but it’s safe to say that you’re the leading contender.”
The empty plates were taken away. Connor leaned forward. “Sweetheart, I think this is a wonderful idea, and I’m more than happy to help you with—what are you calling this place?”
“Nellie’s Kitchen” slipped out before I could stop myself. “But really, Connor, I’m not a good bet. My ex would be more than happy to tell you about all the projects I’ve started and left unfinished.”
“I don’t want to hear about him.” Connor’s easy smile disappeared. “He didn’t know you, so his opinion means nothing to me.” He took in my disbelieving look and continued, “If he truly knew you, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from cherishing you. My guess is he was too busy loving himself to give anyone else too much of a never mind, so I don’t give two good—I don’t care what he said about you. I know better. This is here and now, Katie, and I know you’re the best bet. So, how much do you think it’ll cost to open up this diner of yours?”
Dumbstruck, I was saved from answering by an interruption. I felt a large, warm body at my back, a frisson of awareness running up my spine. I knew who it was, even before he spoke. I didn’t think I could deal with Officer Hot & Cold right now.
“Katie, it’s nice to see you this evening.” He circled the table and sat opposite me, with Connor at my left. “Pops, did you order me a beer, too?”
Kenny reappeared. “Chief, it’s good to have you with us this evening. If we’re all here now, I’ll bring out your dinners,” he said before turning and disappearing once more down the hallway, presumably toward the kitchen.
