She could hear the smile in her grandmother’s voice. “I love you.”
“I love you more. And Josephine? Whatever happens with Blue, don’t forget who you were before him. That woman bought a downtrodden diner and made it a smashing success. She’ll be fine and attract others who will value her.”
“Thanks, I needed to hear that.”
Jo hung up and went back to her stove. Her grandmother was right. The decision was Blue’s. Jo had laid everything on the table at his house, next to the dirty dishes and the cornbread crumbs. She’d asked him outright. There was nothing left to say.
12
“If you’re ready to eat, the jambalaya is ready.” Jo ladled the Creole dish she’d learned from her grandmother over long-grain rice simmered in stock. The aroma of yellow onion, celery, and green bell pepper mixed with garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, and oregano reminded her of her childhood.
Maileah jumped up from the table where they’d set up to work. “Come on, Junie, we’d better get ours before Rocky does. I’ve seen him eat.”
“You’d better hurry, because that smells incredible,” Rocky said. “What’s in it?”
“A lot of veggies and spices,” Jo said. “For the protein, I added chicken, andouille sausage, and freshwater crawfish from California. Our season is later than in Louisiana. Or you could use shrimp.”
“I love Cajun food,” Rocky said, rubbing his hands together.
Jo inclined her head. “My grandmother’s family lived in New Orleans for a while, so this is more Creole than Cajun, because we add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Both originated from Spanish paella, though. Bon appétit, everyone. Let the good times roll.”
They all laughed, left their laptops, and gathered in the kitchen. They ate as they continued this morning's conversation about the crowdfunding tiers they thought supporters would like.
Rocky was the first to finish. “There’s more if you want it. This is family-style, so help yourself.” She’d filled a container for Knox and Penny, and Junie would take it to them after she finished.
“I’ve been sourcing products and getting cost quotes,” Junie said to the small group. “Maileah helped organize the tier packages, pretty much as you envisioned, Jo.”
“Let’s hear it,” Rocky said, returning with his second helping.
Junie ticked off the tiers on her fingers. “Entry tier. A single bag of the Queen’s Blend with a Cuppa Jo’s recipe card. I see it in heavy card stock, printed with your diner recipes, like your famous sweet potato fries with garlic aioli. Do you have any recipes that include coffee?”
Jo smiled between bites. “Sure do. From brownies to braised beef.”
“People would love those,” Maileah said.
“Next tier up,” Junie said. “Your idea, Jo. A two-blend sampler with your new branded ceramic mug. You already have the supplier.”
“What about tumblers?” Rocky asked. “For iced coffee. People use those every day.”
“Jo already thought of that, and I have a quote on insulated tumblers,” Junie said. “White with the red logo, or the inverse. They’d pair well with the sampler.”
After Rocky finished, they put their dishes in the sink and returned to the table.
Junie picked up the container Jo had filled. “I’ll be right back. Thanks for this, Jo.”
While she was gone, they turned on their laptops and pulled up their documents.
Rocky looked at Jo and smiled. “I enjoy working with you like this.”
“So do I,” Jo replied, feeling the warmth of his words.
Junie returned a few minutes later.
“What about the tote bag?” Jo asked after Junie sat down. “The sturdy canvas types. Did you find a supplier?”
“Sure did.” Junie grinned. “From a woman-owned company I use. Natural canvas, red logo, reinforced handles. These would sell at the diner even after the campaign ends.”
“Okay, but here’s where it gets interesting,” Maileah said. “You need items that are exclusive to the campaign. Things people can’t buy later. That creates urgency.”
