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Before she knew it, the night was nearly over. Ariel flopped onto an empty barstool next to Miles. "That was last table," she said, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "We did it."
"Couldn't have done it without you," Darcy said, appearing from the hallway behind her and clapping her on the shoulder before turning his attention to the still-bustling bar. She saw his gaze linger on Jill, and their eyes met for a moment. Ariel saw the unspoken question in his gaze.
"Go on," she urged gently, giving him an encouraging smile. "You’ll never know unless you try.”
"Thanks, Ariel," he murmured, his blush returning. “But I was just going to ask about some bartending tips.”
“Uh huh,” she said, fighting a smile.
As Darcy approached the other end of the bar, the weight of the evening's work seemed to lift from his shoulders, replaced by a newfound confidence.
"Huh," Miles said, grinning as he watched Darcy. "What's that about?"
Ariel grinned back and whispered, "Maybe we should get some mistletoe for the bar."
"Shhh. I want to hear what he's saying," Miles said with a wider smile. "I think they'd be cute together."
Ariel stifled her laughter as she stood to make her last dining room round. She kept close enough to the bar to hear, though. Miles wasn't the only romantic at Leeside.
"Hey, Jill," Darcy said softly, leaning against the polished wood as he offered her a tentative smile. "How's your night going?"
"Busy, but fun," she replied, returning his smile with one of her own – a radiant expression that seemed to light up the room. "And how about you? I saw some of those dishes Ariel was carrying out earlier. They looked amazing."
"Thanks," he said, his cheeks flushing once more at the compliment. "But I think the real star of the show is our bartender. I've never seen anyone mix drinks quite like you do."
"Is that so?" she teased, casting him a playful glance as she poured a glass of wine. "Well, you held down the fort until I got here. But maybe after we close, I could give you a few pointers. if you're interested, that is."
"Definitely," he said, his eyes alight with anticipation.
Miles slid up behind Ariel, almost startling her. "Looks like you might not need that mistletoe, Miss Matchmaker." He kissed the top of her head. "I'm headed to bed. I'm wiped out."
Ariel reached back and squeezed his hand. "I'll be up soon."
Miles left, and Ariel moved away from the bar, feeling like she might get caught eavesdropping. She weaved gracefully through the dining room, her eyes scanning the tables for any unattended needs. The comforting weight of her apron hugged her waist, a familiar reminder of the countless hours she had spent toiling over stovetops and chopping boards. Her passion for food – for nourishing and bringing people together – pulsed through her veins, and the results of that love for food had wrought all of this.
"Everything all right here?" she asked a couple seated near a near window, their faces illuminated by both candlelight and the moon's reflection off the frosty ground outside.
"Delicious, as always," the woman replied, beaming at Ariel.
"Thank you," Ariel responded warmly, her heart swelling with pride. "Enjoy the rest of your evening."
As she turned away, a soft hissing sound caught her attention – a subtle but persistent noise that seemed to emanate from beneath the floorboards. Frowning, she followed the sound to its source, discovering a growing puddle forming beneath one of the antique radiators. The heating system, it seemed, had developed a leak, and the escaping steam was a clear sign of trouble. The amount of water was a little alarming. It must have been leaking all evening, but the noise of The Seaside had masked the hissing.
"Drat," she muttered under her breath, her mind racing through potential fixes. It wouldn't do to have the guests shivering in their seats, or worse, slipping on the water pooling on the floor. She needed a solution – and fast.
"Is something wrong?" Darcy appeared at her side, concern etched onto his face.
"Leaky radiator," she replied, gesturing to the issue at hand. "Do we have a way to fix this?"
Darcy nodded, his brows furrowed in thought. "I've dealt with a few leaky pipes back at my apartment. I might have an idea of how to fix it."
"Great! What do you suggest?"
"First, we need to shut off the water supply to the radiator," he explained, already moving toward the valve on the wall. Ariel watched as he quickly and efficiently turned it off, stemming the flow of water through the faulty system. "Now, we need to find the source of the leak. Can you grab a flashlight?"
Ariel hurried to retrieve one from the storage room, handing it to Darcy upon her return. He carefully inspected the radiator, shining the light along its length until he found the culprit: a hairline crack near the base. "There it is," he said, pointing it out to Ariel.
"Can we fix it?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.
