My mood improved almost immediately. I went out to the front and poured myself a cup of coffee then came back and sat, watching them cook.
Tony and Sienna were talking about his motorcycle that was in the shop.
“Do you need to borrow a car?” I asked him.
“Nah, I don’t want to put you out.”
Sienna snorted. “He has five of them.”
Tony’s eyes widened.
“Actually six,” I said. “But who’s counting?”
“Really?” Tony asked tentatively, almost as if I was going to pull the rug out from under him.
“Yeah, it’s not like I use them all at the same time. I’d be happy to help out until you get your bike back.”
“Awesome, man,” Tony came over and shook my hand.
“I’ll take you to my place tonight and you can pick one out.”
“That sounds so romantic,” Sienna teased. “Too bad you can’t let your best friend borrow one.”
“I did that once, remember?”
Tony looked at Sienna.
She curled her lip. “It was only a small dent.”
I chuckled. “A small dent that cost me three thousand dollars.”
Tony whistled his disbelief.
“God, you’re never going to let me live that down, are you?” Sienna said. She grabbed two plates and headed out into the dining area.
Tony looked through the pass-through. “Man, we’re cookin’ today! Literally.”
“How is everything going here?” I asked him. I knew Sienna would always be positive about the place, but Tony was a straight-shooter.
“It’s not the busiest I’ve ever seen, but we’re steady. Much more now since you put out that advertising.”
It wasn’t where I’d like to see the business, though. Tony couldn’t even afford to get his motorcycle fixed. I wished Sienna would let me help her out. I had plenty of money to go around. But she was adorably stubborn in that way.
Sienna came back into the kitchen. “Harriet and Kenneth are here. Do you mind making their order? I have to finish up table five.”
“No problem.”
I watched them work for a few minutes before I headed out into the dining room for more coffee. I caught Harriet’s eye and she waved me over.
“Good morning,” I said to them.
“Oh, Parker. It’s lovely to see you again. You should sit with us.”
I looked at the kitchen where Sienna and Tony were working hard. I didn’t want to disturb them any more than I had. “All right.”
I shook Kenneth’s hand. “How are you, sir?”
“I’m still kickin’,” he said.