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“I’ll think about it. Maybe open at ten and serve that menu from ten to twelve. Or open at nine? I’ll weigh it in my mind for when things pick up over the summer and staffing.”
“I’m just talking in general,” she said. “You know more about this than I ever will. Just the world should be able to experience what I am right now.”
She was chowing down like it was her last meal for a long time.
“That’s nice to hear,” he said.
They talked about the pub and things she liked there with the changes he’d made, then when they were done eating she offered to help clean up, but he told her he had a routine. He’d said it politely enough so she stayed where she was and was just going to enjoy the time with him.
She’d remind herself later on it was a work lunch and not a date.
12
Taking The Plunge
“How did it go with Hadley today?” Kelsey asked Duke later that night.
They were at his parents’ house for dinner. His mother was in the kitchen and his father was coming out of his bedroom where he’d gone to change once he got back on the island not that long ago.
“Who’s Hadley?” his father asked.
“The woman that Duke thinks is cute and works for him now.”
“You know,” he said to his sister, “you just love to ride my ass.”
His father shook his head. “I tell Kelsey all the time it’s going to come back and kick her in the ass. So you find an employee attractive. Nothing new there.”
He fought the urge to roll his eyes. “It’s not that.” He explained who Hadley was and the work she started out doing and then was going to take on.
“Sounds like a gem to me,” his father said. “They aren’t easy to find. I know. I found it with your mother when she was working for the firm I used for my first business venture.”
He’d heard this story before. That his parents met when his father bought his first of many ventures. Karen Riley was young and fresh out of college and assigned to his father’s account. The rest was history.
“I’m focusing on my business,” he said. “Nothing more.”
“Everyone says that,” his mother said, walking into the room. “I’m sure all your cousins that are taking the plunge said the same.”
He wasn’t sure how this dinner got turned around on him like this. He might have found an excuse not to come if he knew that was going to happen.
“We’ll leave you alone on your personal life,” his father said.
“However dismal it is,” Kelsey said.
“You’re one to talk. You’re older than me and still single.”
Kelsey stuck her tongue out at him. “Your brother has you there,” his father said. “How about a beer, Duke? I could use one.”
“One will go down smooth.”
His father went to the kitchen to get the beers and he and Kelsey were left alone in the family room not that far away. “Did things go well? You didn’t answer me.”
“They are good. Hadley has a bunch of great ideas and we hashed it out. She said once everything is set up she’ll probably spend about five to ten hours a week doing social media posts, maybe responding if need be and then working on the website. We are holding off on a website for Southside right now.”
“No reason to put the money into one until you own it,” Kelsey said.
“My thoughts exactly. Just because the first few months are doing well doesn’t mean it’s going to continue.”
“You know as well as I do it’s going to be fine. I’m more concerned about you having to balance your time between both places and burning out.”
