They decided on a time, and Jo pocketed her phone.
She pedaled home to Sunshine Avenue. In her bedroom, she pulled off her red-and-white striped Cuppa Jo’s shirt. She showered fast, washing off the smell of burgers and fries before changing into a casual cotton sundress and sandals.
Jo checked herself in the narrow mirror. Simple. Comfortable. Nothing that suggested this was anything other than a business conversation between two people who happened to like sushi.
She ran her fingers through her short damp curls and left.
The Rockin’ Roll sat at the far end of the beachfront, a flamingo pink original beach house that had been converted into one of Crown Island’s most popular eateries. Two open-air patios wrapped around the building, offering prime views of the ocean and a long stretch of sand.
The place had a buzzy, barefoot energy that attracted everyone from happy, sunburned families to couples and friends sharing platters of the island's freshest seafood.
Classic rock was emanating from speakers when Jo arrived. The energetic music drifted through the warm air, mixing with the crash of waves and spirited conversation.
The owner spotted her as she came in. Kaito was in his thirties, born and raised on Crown Island, with blue-streaked dark hair that matched what Deb called ocean blue and flamingo pink, the restaurant’s color scheme. He ran the front of the house, while his uncle, a top sushi chef who’d trained in Tokyo, created the restaurant’s renowned tasting menus.
“Welcome, Jo.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Are you waiting for others?”
“Only two of us tonight.” Before he could ask if it was Blue, she added, “Just a friend.”
“There’s a table ready on the patio if you’d like.”
“Sure. He’s on his way, so I’ll wait there.”
“I’ll seat you now.” Kaito led her to a table overlooking the beach.
The last of the sunset streaked the sky in mesmerizing shades of tangerine and lavender. A few surfers were still out, dark silhouettes against the glowing sunset.
A server delivered menus and a small dish of edamame.
“You won’t need these,” Kaito said, handing the menus back to the server. “I know what you like. We’ll make it special for you.”
“I trust you,” Jo said, smiling.
Rocky arrived a few minutes later in a clean shirt and khakis. He looked around the restaurant with the appreciation of someone who understood the hospitality business.
“Great spot,” he said, sliding into the chair across from her. “I’ve walked past this place a few times.”
“You’ve been missing out. Kaito’s uncle will surprise us with a tasting menu. Is that okay with you?”
“I’m always up for an adventure.”
Kaito returned with a pot of green tea and a small container of sake. “This is my special sake for you,” he said, serving them.
“I’ll bet you say that to all your friends,” Jo said.
“You’re right. Only my friends get the good sake.” He laughed. “We only serve good sake here, but this is my favorite.”
After Kaito headed for the kitchen, she pulled Rocky's folder from her bag and opened it on the table between them.
“Looks like you did your homework,” Rocky said, noticing her red annotations.
“I always do.” Jo tapped the first page. “I might not have an MBA like you, but I have taken business classes.”
After buying Cuppa Jo’s, she’d quickly realized she knew hardly anything about the business side of owning a restaurant. She needed to understand bookkeeping and marketing fast, so she enrolled at the local branch of a mainland community college. Hugo had encouraged her, even though he was young. Jo wanted him to be proud of his big sister.
“Before we get into that,” Rocky began, “I made some calls. One to a friend whose family used to own specialty Italian grocery stores back east.”
“What did they have to say?”
