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“How’s Abigail doin’?” Kenny asked, craning his neck to look around Brock, who stood in the diner’s doorway.
“Much better. She’s supposed to come home from the hospital today,” Summer replied.
“What can I do for you, Kenny?” Brock asked, deliberately interrupting what threatened to turn into a long conversation.
“Well, now,” Kenny cleared his throat, discomfort reappearing in his face. He shuffled his feet. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking these past few days. I may’ve been a bit, uh,hasty, in quitting.”
“You sure did walk out at a bad time,” Brock agreed. His gut tightened. He knew where this conversation was headed.
“Yeah, about that…” Kenny looked up and finally met Brock’s eyes. “I came to tell you I’ve changed my mind. I’ll be here first thing tomorrow morning.”
Dammit.Brock hesitated, torn between loyalty to the old man and his simmering anger at the huge mess that the diner’s general manager had left behind.
Could Kenny still handle the job? Or would Brock be inviting a fresh round of mistakes and important tasks forgotten or neglected?
And then there was the matter that Kenny hadn’t actually asked Brock for his job back. He’dtoldhim he was coming back. As if it was a done deal.
“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Brock said, and braced himself.
Kenny’s eyes widened. “What?” he demanded, sounding incredulous. “Youneedme, kid. I kept this place running for forty years! I taught you everything you know!”
Brock thought about all of the mistakes he’d made over the past year. Mistakes that someone as experienced as Kenny should have caught… and corrected. But the old guy hadn’t seemed to notice.
Still, Kenny had given the diner a lot of years. He’d been like a grandfather when Brock was a kid.
For that reason, Brock felt obligated to let him down gently as he could. “And I know Mama really appreciated your help. But I’m making some big changes at the diner, Kenny. Things are going to be a lot different from here on out.”
Kenny’s lips pressed into a thin line. He frowned angrily up at Brock, unable to loom over him the way he used to before Brock hit his high school growth spurt.
“Youneedme,” he repeated stubbornly. “Son, I’ve worked here longer than you’ve been alive.”
“I’m sorry,” Brock said. “But you’re not coming back as manager. However, if you’re willing to consider hosting, Terri and Katie could sure use some—”
“Hosting?” Kenny repeated in disbelief. “After everything I done for your mama? Kid, she would’venever—”
“Maybe not,” Brock snapped, angered that old guy was dragging his mother’s name into it. “But Mama’s not here anymore.Iam.”
“And I was the manager here long before she came around,” Kenny shot back. His face flushed with anger. “Manager or nothin’, kid. Because owner or not, if you think I’m gonna let Pamela’s kid boss me around, think again.”
“You’re right,” Brock said, crossing his arms. “I wouldn’t dream of bossing you around, Kenny. Because you quit of your own free will. I’m just holding you to that decision.” After a moment, Mama’s ghost forced him to add. “I’m sorry, Kenny.”
Kenny’s eyes narrowed. He ducked around Brock and pointed at Summer. “Oh, sothat’swhat’s going on, huh?”
Brock glanced over his shoulder and saw that she’d twisted around her seat to watch the conversation.
Kenny continued, “I bet this is allherfault! Marlene said she was your new business partner. And now you’re acting all crazy.”
Great. Brock had known it wouldn’t take long for Marlene to spread the word all over town. His assistant cook sure did love to gossip.
Summer’s cornflower blue gaze flew to meet Brock’s. His sudden surge of protectiveness took him by surprise.
“Summer had nothing to do with it,” he growled. “You’re the one who quit, Kenny. All I’m doin’ is accepting your resignation.”
Summer’s eyes widened in surprise at his words.
What? She expected me to shove the blame onto her?Brock thought, irritated.
Sure, she could be annoying and high-and-mighty, but she had nothing to do with Kenny or the mess he’d created. And Brock wasn’t the type to throw an innocent bystander under the bus.
