“Is that the binder with your ideas and recipes?” Tom asked.
“Yes,” Lila said with a nod.
They arrived at the restaurant, and Tom helped her out of the truck. The host greeted them with a welcoming smile and led them to their table overlooking the bay. It was a cozy booth with a candle burning low in the center, creating a romantic atmosphere.
“Here are your menus,” the host said. “Can I take your drinks order while you wait for your server?”
Tom ordered a club soda with lemon and ice. Lila ordered a peach iced tea. The host smiled and told them their order wouldn’t be long, then let them alone.
“This is lovely,” Lila commented, glancing around.
“It is,” Tom agreed, taking in his surroundings as he opened the menu and saw the selection. “They have a good selection of dishes as well.”
Lila opened her menu and ran her eyes down it. “Oh, they have my favorite.” She looked up at him. “I love the creamy steak fettuccini.”
“That sounds delicious,” Tom said. “I think I’m going to have the catch of the day.”
“I always worry about bones,” Lila admitted. “I love fish. But I’m the one who will end up with a fillet with bones in it.” She gave a soft laugh, making Tom smile.
“Linda also never orders fish for the same reason,” Tom commented.
“That’s actually a relief to hear,” Lila stated. “Now I don’t feel like I’m a little paranoid.”
Their server arrived, introduced herself, and handed them their drinks. They gave her their food order, and she disappeared.
“Let’s hear your ideas for the bakery,” Tom said, sipping his club soda.
Lila smiled and opened the binder.
She turned to the first page and noted that the bakery needed a fresh coat of paint. Lila suggested keeping the same warm cream color they currently had. Lila estimated it would take about a weekend’s work between the two of them.
Lila wanted to take out the big oak cabinet against the back wall that held the spare cutlery and the extra plates. It was too large for the room. It crowded the entrance. The cutlery and plates could be moved to the storeroom, where there was plenty of empty shelf space. Removing the cabinet would open up two more square meters of front-floor space, enough for two additional small tables for the morning coffee crowd.
Lila suggested they recover the current chairs, as they were the exact type needed for the bakery’s front. She offered to source the fabric herself, matching it closely to the current chair fabric. She commented that the wood underneath the chair frames was beautiful and just needed a careful cleaning and refinishing.
“Eleanor picked those chairs out,” Tom told her with a nostalgic smile.
“I know, George told me,” Lila confessed. “But they are perfect, and I can see why she chose them. Not only are they perfect for that area, but they are also good quality.” She smiled gently. “But they do need some TLC.”
Tom didn’t trust himself to speak for a moment. His mind was filled with when Eleanor had bought them and said nearly the exact same thing Lila had. His hand shook slightly as he lifted his glass to his lips.
“And the tables,” Lila continued gently. “I have the same idea, as they are made out of the same wood, and again, they just need a bit of restoration work.” She leaned forward with her elbows on the table. Her eyes were thoughtful. “I was thinking we should get some small linen squares in the center of the table. We can use leftover materials from the chairs so they match.” She picked up the iced tea. “I would wash them every week, and we could perhaps have two sets that we rotate.”
“I don’t mind washing them,” Tom told her, his voice a little gruff with emotion.
Lila’s eyes met his, and she smiled with a slight nod. “We could put the small condiment trays on top of them so they don’t damage the newly refurbished table tops.”
“That’s a good idea,” Tom replied. “I’m not sure if you know this, but there are three or four more of those tables in the storage room plus matching chairs.” He gave a soft laugh. “When Eleanor saw them at the auction, she wanted all of them as we had plans to expand the front of the bakery so more customers could sit and eat.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “That is a marvelous idea,” Lila agreed. “Why didn’t you do it?”
Tom’s heart thudded, but he kept the instant pain to his heart at bay. It was the year that Eleanor passed so suddenly. But he didn’t tell her that. “We never got around to it,” he told her.
“Did you get plans drawn up for it?” Lila asked, interested.
“Yes.” Tom nodded. “I have them somewhere.” He gave her a tight smile and glanced back at her binder, moving the subject away from the expansion. “What else have you got in there? Because so far I agree with all of your ideas, and tomorrow we can start making lists of what we need.”
“Really?” Lila’s eyes widened in disbelief.
