Finally something that didn’t hurt or annoy me to talk about. I felt my whole body grow lighter as I told Val about working at Dark Horse. “It’s great. I love it. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is chaotic, but not toxic. And yes, Nina does have purple hair. Actually you’ll meet her soon. We need publicity shots for the website, and I happen to be best friends with a very talented photographer.”
“I don’t do headshots, Pippa.” The worry in her eyes only confirmed that this was the right decision.
“I don’t want headshots, which you could absolutely do. I want candid shots of Nina in the kitchen, giving orders to the staff, maybe even putting the finishing touches on a dish. And the sous chef who just arrived in town two days ago from Greece.”
“And you?”
I shook my head. “Not until the probationary period is over. For now I’m just a ghost who helps keep the place running smoothly.” I had no doubt that I would get that one year contract and then a three year one after that, but until it was official, I was just a temporary worker.
“So I’m guessing you haven’t met the owner yet?”
I ignored the gleam in her eyes. “Nope. He’s been out of town on business, but I’ll meet him on Friday for Opening Night. You and the girls will be there, right? I’ve already reserved a table for you.”
“Oh I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Her tone, her glee put me on edge, and I couldn’t say why. “Really?”
“A chance to dress up and have someone else cook a meal? Absolutely.”
Oh. Right. “Perfect. I gotta run, but thanks for the coffee. Yours always tastes so much better than mine.”
“Fresh beans,” she said and walked me to the door. “Have a good day at work.”
“You too. You’re doing graduation photos for some of the high school seniors, right?”
“Yes. It’s not what I hoped to be doing, but the parents are willing to pay my fee to have professional photos to commemorate the milestone, so I’m going to slap on a smile and make it happen.”
“Just remember that jobs like this will give you more time and freedom to photograph what you’re passionate about.” I pulled Valona in for a hug and jogged down the stairs towards my car. “I hear the Virginia Bluebells are starting to bloom, if you’re in need of a non-human subject to photograph.”
Valona’s eyes widened and I could see the wheels turning as I slid behind the wheel, waved goodbye and made my way to Dark Horse. The next few days would be busy leading into Opening Night, and I planned to make sure it was a roaring success.
Chapter 7
Ryan
“I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to set foot in this place again.” Devon greeted me at the Dark Horse entrance with a smile.
“I didn’t want to get in the way of all the preparations for tonight.” The truth was, I didn’t want to distract the new manager. Not that I was some egotistical rock star, but I knew that some people found it difficult to act normal in front of famous people. “How are things going?”
“Excellent!” Devon waved me in with a curious look. “Are you all right, Boss?”
“I’m fine. Just a little out of sorts, I guess.” Most of it had to do with a curvy little redhead who wouldn’t give me the time of day. Where Pippa went every day for ten hours or more, I hadn’t a damn clue, but she left early and came home late, as if she was avoiding me. “The invitation was a nice touch.” I held out the black paper Stetson with the gold script on the front and back. “How much will they set me back?”
“Under budget,” Devon assured me. “The manager used one of those craft websites with competitive prices and a free promo.” He turned the invitation over and pointed to the bottom where in small script were the words Crafts by Elinore. “They went out to the whole town and then some.”
“And then some?” Dark Horse was a local restaurant in a small town. “Why?”
“We’re just a stone’s throw from Nashville and it’s a great enticement for city folk to choose Carson Creek over all the other small towns in the area with B&B’s and beautiful scenery.”
I frowned at Devon. “According to the manager?”
“Yep. She knows her stuff, and best of all, she knows the area. You’ll like her,” he assured me with a clap on the back. “Kitchen first?”
I nodded and followed Devon through the swinging wooden doors that separated the kitchen from the dining room. I’d come in a few hours before the grand opening officially started to get staff introductions out of the way so that everyone can be free of interruptions when things really got underway. And to see what my money was paying for.