“There’s the coffee,” Richie said pointing toward the coffee pots he’d set on automatic brew before he left for the night the night before. He went into the cooler as Remi poured himself a cup of coffee, and soon reappeared holding two very large trays of breakfast sausage patties, and bacon. “Heat up the grill and let’s fry up these sausage patties and bacon. In the meantime I’ll grab the croissants and the bagels out of the cooler and run them through the oven to get them warmed. Then we’ll scramble some eggs and make some breakfast sandwiches. We’ll put them on croissants and bagels, wrap them in foil and deliver them to the store. We’ll be done in thirty minutes and come back in here to start prepping for the breakfast rush in here.” He’d intentionally thrown a lot of information trying to see if he could overwhelm Remi, but surprisingly Remi nodded, and took another gulp of coffee.
“On it,” Remi said, taking the trays of sausage patties and bacon from Richie and carrying them to the grill. He set them to the side, then filled a glass with water, dipped his fingers in the water and sprinkled the droplets at the flat top grill. Once they sizzled, he nodded. “Ready,” he said, and started lining up the sausage patties and the bacon slices.
“Spatulas are in the drawers to your right,” Richie called out from the opposite side of the kitchen where he was putting croissants and bagels on baking sheets and brushing their tops with butter before sliding them into the ovens.
“Got it,” Remi said, choosing two spatulas and setting one off to the side for later.
“Appreciate the help this morning,” Richie said. “Any time you get enough just say so. I come in early every day to get breakfast started and get the store’s food loaded up, and prep for sit down breakfast here, but the girls will be in later for their regular shifts so don’t feel like you have to stay here.”
“I don’t mind at all. I’m glad to be doing something useful.”
“Glad for the distraction, huh?” Richie asked.
“You have no idea,” Remi said.
“Oh, I think I do. I’ve helped raise her. She will not be happy to see you, I’m guessing.”
“Not hardly, I’m afraid.”
“Well, Cristie works at the animal clinic, but she usually stops in for a quick sandwich on her way,” Richie said. “You’ll find out then.”
Remi laughed. “She’s not aware I was even coming, as far as I know.”
Richie laughed, shaking his head.
“Think it’s going to be that bad?” Remi asked.
“Let’s just say I wouldn’t want to be you this morning,” Richie said.
“Gotta start somewhere. Might as well get it over with,” Remi said as the sausage started sizzling.
Chapter 2
Cristie rolled out of bed later than usual and stumbled to the bathroom for a quick shower. Twenty-five minutes later she was hurrying down the stairs and toward the front door. She didn’t even bother with her car, instead just entering the key code on the side gate between her house and the restaurant and going on foot. She did pause long enough to make sure the gate closed behind her securely, then rushed across the parking lot, weaving through the cars already parked near the store. She darted through the back door and kissed Constance’s cheek as she went by the register. “Morning, Mrs. Constance. I am so late!” she said without stopping on her way to the trays of food beneath the heat lamps on the far side of the store.
“Good morning, mija. Did you oversleep?”
“Yes! I woke up about three this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep no matter what I did. It was so frustrating. I went to sleep late thinking I didn’t have to get up until seven this morning, but then I…” Cristie paused and looked from one to the other empty trays that usually held breakfast sandwiches. “They’re all sold already?” she asked.
“They are! We’ve been non-stop this morning. But there should be another batch coming any minute. Richie’s new kitchen helper is on it,” Constance said.
“New helper? I didn’t know he hired anybody new,” Cristie said, taking her Stanley coffee cup out of her shoulder bag to fill with coffee while she waited for the fresh sandwiches to be delivered.
“It was kind of unexpected, but he seems to know his way around a kitchen. Richie ended up just handing the whole breakfast thing for the store over to him once he saw how wellhe was doing. Because of him, Richie’s ahead of schedule and opened the restaurant early for the breakfast rush today.”
“Really? Well, that’s good,” Cristie said.
“Sure is. I hope this guy stays around.”
“Guy? I don’t know why I was thinking a girl, but either way, I’m glad he’s got someone that doesn’t mind early mornings and can help him out before dawn,” Cristie said as she added half-and-half to her coffee and at least four teaspoons of sugar.
“Me, too, mija.”
The sound of someone’s footsteps moving toward them from the back of the store registered in the back of Cristie’s mind as she sipped her coffee, decided it was still too bitter, and added more sugar.
“You’re fast!” Constance said.
“Gotta please the people,” Remi said with a smile, as he carried a huge aluminum tray laden with twenty-four more breakfast sandwiches. He walked past the register, his focus falling on a female standing with her back to him as she sipped what he assumed was coffee. His steps faltered and he stopped in his tracks as he realized he was looking at Cristie.
