Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 52100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 208(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Keller grinned. “I already did that, Grady, and I’m sure you can count on Holt for the showdown.”
I looked between the two of them, confused. “The what?”
“The Summer Showdown,” Grady said. “We have one every winter and every summer, and the teams are made up of representatives from the gold-level supporters of the business bureau.”
“I think I remember this,” I said. “It’s the obstacle course thing, right?”
“Yep. I’m taking that trophy back next month.”
“I’ll help out however I can.”
“Just be a beast if you’re on my team, and break your foot or something if you get on the other team.”
Grady reminded me of one of my teammates in Minneapolis. Intense, but funny as hell.
Since I was starting all over here, I was glad to have friends to return to. Raising two kids on my own, I’d need them.
CHAPTER FOUR
Shea
I was fit to be tied. After making it from my office near the kitchen to the other side of the resort in record time, I stopped Caden Hawke outside the door to his office with just a look.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Not really. I just got the notification that you added back-to-back dinners in the private dining room Tuesday night.”
He nodded and opened the door to his office. “Why don’t we discuss that in here?”
Caden was the resort manager, meaning he was technically my boss. He told me how many people I could hire, but I chose who those people would be. He approved my budgets and requests for equipment, which was usually just a technicality. He also didn’t mess with my schedule for events in the private dining hall.
Usually.
As soon as we were both inside and he’d closed the door, I reminded Caden of the conversation we had a few weeks ago.
“Hey, you said you wouldn’t add events to the dining schedule without asking me first.”
He gave me an apologetic look. “I didn’t ask because I knew you’d say no, and these dinners are both nonnegotiable.”
I scoffed. “I get that you want to make things happen for guests when they ask, but I can’t prep and serve the main dinner plus two others at the same time. I just don’t have the manpower.”
Caden sat down behind his desk and sighed heavily. “I know, Shea. But one of the dinners is for Steve Hoffman’s extended family and the other one is for some bigshot hockey stars Keller is bringing into town.”
I groaned, wanting to be mad at my boss but knowing I couldn’t have said no to either of those dinners, either. Steve Hoffman had been bringing his family to The Sleepy Moose every summer for more than twenty-five years. And no one in the Beard said no to Keller. It was kind of impossible, given the millions of dollars he infused into our community every year.
“I have no idea who I’ll even hire, but can I hire some temporary staff for that night?”
“Of course. Whatever you need.”
I sat down in front of Caden’s desk, put my hands on my knees and buried my face in my hands. “I need a few clones of myself and about ten of Nina.”
“I know this is the last thing you probably want to hear, but the Darby Divas are coming in this afternoon. They’ll be disappointed if they don’t get their ‘tea time.’”
His “tea time” air quotes made me laugh. The Darby Divas had been coming to The Sleepy Moose for a week every summer for more than twenty years. They were five lifelong friends from Darby, Pennsylvania, who were approaching age eighty. And while they loved the tiered trays of pastries and tiny sandwiches the kitchen put together for their afternoon teas, not one of them actually drank tea. Those ladies liked spiked fruity drinks, heavy on the spike.
“Nina’s on it,” I said. “She made them cucumber sandwiches and cherry pastries for today.”
“Excellent.”
I sat up straight and took a deep breath. My to-do list was long, and I didn’t have time to sit here.
“Hey, Caden?” I said as I stood.
“Hmm?” He was writing something and didn’t even look up.
“You said anything I need for next Tuesday, right?”
“Of course.”
“Can you come help out in the kitchen that evening?”
He looked up at me, his eyes wide. “What?”
“Yeah, I mean...you know this place really well and if you could serve food, it would free up another set of hands to cook.”
He considered. “Just taking the food to tables? That’s all?”
“That’s all.”
“Okay, I can do that.”
An idea hit and I immediately realized it would help make next Tuesday evening more manageable.
“I also need Lenny from maintenance for the evening,” I said, reaching for the door handle to leave Caden’s office.
Caden hummed his disapproval. “Not Lenny. He doesn’t know how to make small talk with guests.”
“He won’t have to,” I said as I opened the door. “I just need him to man the outdoor grill. We’ll do steak and baked potatoes for Keller’s hockey dinner. And apple pie. I can have all the prep done by midafternoon.”