Page 25 of The Estate
When Jess had first moved back, Rachel had assumed she’d jump right back on that track, not realizing her sister needed time. Time to recover. Time to stand on her own two feet. Time to dream again. And as her sister kept reminding her, time to build a resume and network of contacts again.
“But that’s me,” Jess remarked, interrupting Rachel’s train of thought. “I’m eager to hear how you’re doing. You said on the phone you got pulled into a big project. So spill. I want all the details.”
The server came by with their drinks, and Rachel shot Jess a look. “What?” her sister asked. “Like you weren’t going to order a diet soda? Some things never change.”
Rachel smiled despite the sting of Jess’ words. Matt used to make comments about Rachel’s habitual ordering. Although his comments weren’t the loving, teasing nature of her sister’s. She thought Matt was just joking too, but then he threw it back in her face. Called her inflexible and unapproachable. Suddenly, her regular order had become evidence of ‘her inability to fully commit to another person.’ At least, according to Matt.
However, she refused to keep hearing that negativity. She certainly didn’t want Matt to live rent-free in her head and ruin the relationship she was rebuilding with her sister. She wanted the close friendship the sisters had shared growing up. Sure, it was light and playful at times, but also deeply supportive. Matt’s comments be damned.
When the waitress asked if they were ready to order, Jess looked at Rachel with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Would you like me to order for you?”
Rachel couldn’t help the smile that tipped the corners of her mouth. This was the sister she remembered.
“She’ll have the chicken parm. With ziti not linguine. Extra sauce on the side.”
So fine. She was a creature of habit. Rachel could live with that. Especially since the chicken parmigiana here was to die for. It was also so big, she had leftovers to take home.
“And she’ll have a side of garlic bread with that,” Jess quickly added.
The waitress looked at Rachel, and when she nodded, the woman laughed. “She’s got you down cold, doesn’t she?”
“Yeah, she does,” Rachel laughed.
Once the waitress left, Rachel rolled her eyes at Jess. “I don’t always get the same thing,” she started.
Jess waved her away. “You do here. And it’s a good choice. If I didn’t love their lasagna as much, I’d get the chicken parm too.” Jess sipped her soda before prompting Rachel again. “So. The big project?”
“Oh yeah. It was crazy. The team member who was supposed to be the lead was out sick, so Seth pulled me into this meeting last minute. It’s a huge deal because the company is hoping this will be the first of many projects for this client.
“As part of it, I’m on site at the White Hall Estate. It’s this huge old mansion down by the shoreline. It has the most incredible grounds and overlooks the ocean. You probably don’t remember, but I went to my friend Alex’s wedding there just a few months ago.”
“I do remember,” Jess said excitedly. “I looked it up when you told me about going to a wedding there. Tell me you’ve had a comprehensive tour, because you were pretty slim with the details before.”
Rachel laughed, “Well, I was concentrating on the wedding, not the estate! But no,” she said. “I haven’t gotten a full tour yet, but I have seen more of the grounds.”
“Man,” Jess said. “I am so jealous that you get to see that place. I would kill to see the inside. When I checked it out online, there were some nice marketing photos. The place looked amazing.
“But you know me, I want to see more, like real photos from events, not just the staged stuff. Why aren’t there more client photos or reviews? The event space must be stunning.”
“Oh, the space is magnificent. But they’ve only been doing events there for a bit, so that’s probably why there weren’t as many photos. Cal, the owner, or I guess manager? Not sure. Anyway, Cal took it over about two years ago and did some renovations before it was ready to host events.”
Seeing the interest on her sister’s face, she continued, “I saw the chapel today. What an unusual space. Cal said it used to be a carriage house. And he put in all this stained glass, so when the sun hits it, the colors inside are just crazy amazing. He restored the original wide plank flooring. So between the coziness of the wood and the stained glass, it’s a remarkable location.”
Their meals came, and they both focused on enjoying those first few bites before Jess said, “Seems like you and this Cal guy hit it off pretty well.”
Rachel almost spit out her garlic bread, but that would have been a crime against deliciousness. When she swallowed, she immediately said, “Oh, hell no!” with a forceful headshake, causing Jess to laugh.
Rachel launched into the story of Trace at the wedding which led to her initial encounter with Cal, stoking her own angerabout the argument all over again. She felt better seeing the same outrage reflected on Jess’ face. It helped validate her feelings. It was always good to get an outside opinion that you weren’t crazy or making a mountain out of a molehill.
“I can’t believe that happened,” Jess said. “And it’s incredible that you have to work with him now.”
“I know,” Rachel whined. “My big chance to prove myself to my new boss, and I get saddled withMr. Grumpy and Disagreeable.
“But I’m doing everything I can to ensure I succeed. I’ve been doing lots of research, learning about the business on my own, not just from Cal. I will not let him derail this for me. It’s too important.”
“Well, you have me too,” Jess said. “I’m delighted to answer questions or just talk about the hospitality industry.”
Rachel wanted to reject her offer but knew it would hurt her sister’s feelings. She refused to add anything to her sister’s already full plate. If Cal was bringing up memories of Chris for Rachel, she wouldn’t allow her sister to get anywhere near the man. There was no way she intended to drag her sister into this. It was Rachel’s problem to solve.
