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“Don’t you think it’s too soon?” her father asked.
“One date, Dad. That’s it. Nothing more.”
“Stan, leave Hadley alone. She has to start somewhere. I’m happy she is getting out and doing something and not just working or sitting home alone.”
“Is it anyone we would know?” her father asked. This was where the no lying came into effect.
“Yes,” she said but didn’t say more.
“Who is it?” her father asked.
She sighed. “It was Duke.”
“Your boss?” her mother asked. “Is that smart?”
“It’s a date,” she repeated. “We’ve been talking more with work and we have a lot in common. We aren’t idiots and talked it out.”
Her father looked at her mother and neither of them said a word. “You know what you’re doing.”
“That’s right, I do. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Hadley walked away after that. She wasn’t in the mood to let anything bring down the most wonderful night she’d had in...forever.
16
Need To Know
Duke was surprised when Stan asked if he could meet two days later, but of course would make it work. No reason not to.
What he found odd though was that Stan didn’t want to meet at Southside but rather at Duke’s.
He was opening the door and going in to flip the lights at nine. He’d be here all day anyway and getting ready to order for the weekend. He had multiple food deliveries a week since it was bigger and busier than Southside.
It wasn’t five minutes before the front door opened and Stan walked in.
“Morning,” he said.
“Same to you,” Stan said. “The place looks different empty.”
“It’s only empty when it’s not open.”
“It seems like Southside is getting close to that too,” Stan said. “You’ve made it shine in such a short period of time and Louisa and I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
“It’s good for the island as well as me and you.” He was wondering if Stan was going to try to negotiate the sale of the pub when it came since it was doing so much better.
No, he couldn’t do that. Hailey made sure of it in the contract. Duke needed to make sure he could get the pub to thrive before he gave in to the purchase.
“It is,” Stan said. “It’s good for Hadley too.”
“She seems to enjoy the work. She does a great job with everything she touches. From the baking to the front end and even the advertising. The brunch special last Sunday was a huge hit. It wouldn’t have been that way if it wasn’t for the work that Hadley put into it.”
Stan nodded his head and moved over to one of the barstools and sat. Duke was standing behind the bar. “I’m sure you are wondering why I wanted to meet you here and not Southside? Or even talk on the phone?”
“I am and I’m sure you are going to tell me in time.” There was part of him that wondered if it was actually the date he and Hadley had gone on two days ago.
He hadn’t seen her since, but they did talk last night for a few minutes when he was in his office and on break. Otherwise he was working and so was she and they’d send a few texts.
He wanted to see her again, but this weekend didn’t seem as if it was going to work out.
