Rocky Point Reunion by Barbara McMahon Read Free Book Online Page B

Marcie.
    â€œOkay, he’s history. I’ll call Marc and see if he can come in for the dinner shift. Can you two manage until then?”
    Ruth looked at Jessica and nodded. “Piece of cake, boss,” she said.
    â€œI’ll give you a hand in the meantime. This can wait,” Marcie said, glancing at her desk. Physical activity would push out the niggling problem of Zack and his wanting them to be friends.
    The afternoon passed swiftly, with business steady but not rushed. As the dinner hour approached, more and morecustomers arrived. Even with Marc’s help, Marcie continued bussing tables, chatting with longtime customers and helping out a time or two with delivering orders to the tables. She loved her restaurant and was pleased so many of the town’s residents seemed to, as well.
    It was early evening when she took a break and ate standing in the kitchen. She had to get someone to replace Trevor. Helping out once in a while was not a problem, but that was not her job. Hers was to run the café, not clear tables. She’d ask Tim, her night manager, if he had any suggestions.
    As she savored the salmon that seemed to melt in her mouth, she considered who was around who might want a job. Only a couple of high school students had applied for summer work. She’d hired both. The young woman had quickly learned, kept to herself and had never given a hint of trouble. She showed up a few minutes early every day and never left on the dot of nine. Too bad Trevor couldn’t have been more like Sarabeth.
    She’d ask around at church on Sunday to see if anyone knew a teen needing a summer job.
    Standing in the bustling kitchen she watched as the sisters prepared the meals, the waitresses came and went with hot dishes and Oral washed dishes with a steady hand. He’d been with her from the beginning. People said he had a learning disability, but he’d learned to clean her dishes and utensils and did the job perfectly every day. His relief was an older woman, Martha Evenrode, who was retired but liked to keep her hand in, as she said. She talked a mile a minute, but was just as efficient as Oral. Why couldn’t she have found summer workers with the same work ethic?
    Once Tim arrived, Marcie filled him in on the situation and headed for home. She had neglected the work that waited on her desk, but wanted to leave. She felt drainedfrom the day—starting with her meeting with Zack. What was she going to do about him? She needed to build immunity. Every time she’d seen him in the last few days, she’d felt confused, uncertain, giddy as a schoolgirl. That had to end. What they had was over years ago. He’d moved on, done what he wanted. And she had, too. She had all she needed, she thought as she let herself into her apartment.
    Except a family of her own and grandchildren for her dad. Shaking off that thought, she rummaged in the fridge for the ice cream remaining from Jenny’s visit. Time to indulge in chocolate! She’d take one day at a time, she vowed as she dished up the rich ice cream and drizzled chocolate on top. She wasn’t sure if she was reading things as they were, or as she was beginning to wish they were. She had to decide—trust Zack or avoid him. Or was there a third option?
    Â 
    The next morning Marcie got to the café before seven. She wanted to get right to work and maybe have enough time later in the day to take a few hours off. She plunged in and it was two hours later before she noticed her morning waitresses giggling in the kitchen. She looked up and wondered what had them acting that way. Suzette straightened her pinafore and said something to April and then headed back to the dining room.
    April stood at the door, peering after her.
    Marcie’s curiosity rose. “Is there a problem?” she asked, coming from her office.
    April let the swinging door close and turned. “No problem, just the most gorgeous guy you ever saw.