The refrigerator was sub-zero with clear glass doors. That would prove helpful in keeping the food cold while taking inventory. I couldn’t believe Parker thought of everything. He did admit to speaking with top chefs all around the country during the planning process. Even though my diner would serve a third of the clientele those places did, it was a generous gift that made the diner much more upgraded than it had been.
I grabbed a few things to prep while Tony organized the food. Everything went back into its place and eventually—aside from everything being brand new—we were back in our groove.
When we were prepared and ready to go, I squeezed Tony’s arm. “Are you ready?”
“The better question is, are you?”
I took a breath. “Yes, I think I am.”
I grabbed my brand new ordering pad and shoved it in my back pocket as we headed out to the dining room. I’d told the other customers to come in around ten so we’d have time to prepare. Plus, I wanted to take one special order and focus all of my attention on it.
“All right,” I said, interrupting Harriet and Parker.
Parker sat back in his seat and Harriet looked up at me expectantly.
“You want some coffee?” I asked.
They both nodded.
The four of us sat in the booth, sipping coffee for about forty-five minutes, chatting about the old diner.
“I remember when Kenneth and I first stepped foot in this place,” Harriet said, regaling us with more amazing memories of her equally amazing husband.
Heat flickered behind my eyes. I hated that I’d only known Kenneth for a short time. Harriet had even more time with him, yet remained positive and loved to talk about him. I knew I would feel the same way about Parker when we were older. I needed to make a priority of remembering everything between us so I’d be able to look back and smile whenever I was feeling down.
“It actually used to be a different place before you bought it, Sienna,” she said at the end of her story.
I glanced up at the ceiling, trying to remember. I’d bought it a few years after the restaurant closed down. “I think it was called Bernie’s.”
Harriet snapped her fingers. “That’s right! The food was terrible, but we didn’t know that until you came in and gave us something delicious.”
I laughed.
Parker took my hand and squeezed. “You really are a go
od chef.”
“A good cook,” I corrected. I didn’t think I deserved the honor of being called a chef.
“Sienna,” Tony said. “Remember when I applied to work here?”
“Oh yeah,” I said, remembering fondly.
“I thought I was passing through here when I saw the diner and the sign,” Tony explained. “When I met Sienna, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.”
“No, you didn’t,” I said, cracking up.
“But this little brat grew on me,” he said.
I kicked him under the table and he cried out in alarm then laughed. We all did.
Happy tears sprung to my eyes, and I didn’t want anyone to see me cry. I slid out of the booth and took a second to collect myself. “People are going to start coming in here soon, so I think it’s time to do this.”
“Do what, dear?” Harriet asked.
I pulled the pad out of my pocket and poised my pen on the paper. “Harriet, you are our first customer ever in this diner. So I would like to ask you one question.”
“Yes?” she said.