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They’d coffered the ceiling, adding the classy and the cozy.
Because she couldn’t help herself, she walked behind the bar.
Shelves, a fridge, an ice maker, a wine cooler, a speed rack, a section for tools, another for bar mops. She pulled out a leather-bound menu and found her eyebrows rising up at the extent of the selection.
Before she could put it back and step out, her ladies came out from the back.
“It’s going to work,” Audrey was saying, then spotted Morgan. “What a surprise! What do you think?” She spread her arms.
“I think I’m stunned. It’s amazing, everything. You changed the upstairs next door, and it’s wonderful. And this? It’s beautiful. Fancy but not fussy. Efficient but not staid.”
“Still needs a few touches, but we’ll be ready for Saturday.” Olivia gestured. “Come look at the kitchen. We’re offering baked goods, and that meant a damn commercial kitchen. But it’ll be worth it.”
She walked through the swinging door.
It shined, as the back of the house should. Stainless steel gleamed; steel shelves held cookware and tools. The big commercial hood over a six-burner stove top, the walk-in refrigerator said professional and impressive. Dishwasher, sink, mop sink, and the biggest, shiniest mixer she’d ever seen added more of the same.
“You’ve got it all. A really good use of the space.”
“And it passed final inspection.” Audrey swiped a hand over her forehead. Then bounced a little on her toes so her shiny tail of blond swung.
“We needed it compact because we needed room for…”
She opened a door.
“Holy crap!”
They’d created a wine cellar, filling three walls with racks, filling racks with bottles.
“You’ve got your whites,” Audrey began, “domestic, French, Italian, and so on, then the reds, then rosés, then sparklings over here. The sommelier at the resort helped us.”
“Because he’s sweet on your mother.”
“Mom.”
“I speak truth.”
The faint flush that rose into her mother’s cheeks left Morgan stunned speechless.
“Maybe a little. Anyway, office and more storage upstairs. We’re using the old office space above the shop for more stock.”
“I saw. I went up. It’s wonderful.”
“It really is. We have a door—locked from the office side—so we can walk over and down if we need to. It’s all so much, so I’m in a constant state of terror and excitement.”
“I’m going to say, without bias or hesitation, it’s brilliant.”
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Audrey gave her a one-armed squeeze. “You can be part of it. You’ll come on Saturday, won’t you?”
“Absolutely. I’ll help work the bar if you need it.”
“Really?”
Audrey beamed; Olivia just smiled.
“Not for a job, for family. You’ve hired bartenders by now.”
“We have two,” Olivia told her. “We think one has managerial potential. But I know we’d welcome your opinion there. And it would take a lot off our minds if you’d more or less supervise on Saturday.”
