Page 48 of Canapés at the Beach House Hotel
“Have you told your families?”I asked.
“Not in so many words,” said Luciano.‘I promised Philippa’s father I would discuss the situation with her, and I have.No one wants to dishonor our grandparents.”
“Luciano is like a beloved brother to me,” said Philippa.She checked her watch.“I really must go.”
I stood by with Luciano and Harper as she left.
“It’s all right,” said Luciano watching her.“It was not meant to be.”
“Have a great day, you two,” I said and walked away hoping Rhonda and I wouldn’t be criticized for allowing Chet and Philippa to work together, as if promoting their relationship.
I stopped in the kitchen before going home to get news from the staff about the dinner and to hopefully get some treats for Vaughn and Robbie.
Consuela and I hugged hello.“Any chance I can take a couple of sweet rolls home to Vaughn?”
She chuckled.“Is that lovely husband of yours home again?How nice.They will be a gift from me to him.I’ll get them ready.”
I walked to the main kitchen and saw Ricardo.
He came over to me.“ ’Morning.How are you?”
“Fine, thanks.I heard the special prix fixe dinner was a success.”
A broad smile crossed Ricardo’s face.“It was abigsuccess.I hope you and Rhonda and Jean-Luc decide to do this often.We have a list of people who want to come back for another one like it.”
“We’ll have to see about it,” I said.“I heard Jean-Luc stopped by.”
“He couldn’t stay away,” said Ricardo.“He told me to expect him back to work in another day or so, that he can guide us from his office or on a special scooter.”
We exchanged amused glances.
“I’ll leave you to today’s activities,” I said.
“Chet is taking the morning off, but will be in at noon,” said Ricardo.“Tomorrow, I will do the same.”
“Whatever schedule you want to work is fine with me,” I said.“As long as our hotel meals don’t suffer.”
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Back at home, Vaughn and Robbie were pleased to have Consuela’s cinnamon rolls with their breakfast while I got cleaned up to go to work.
I was just inserting pearl earrings into my ear lobes when my cell phone rang.Rhonda.
“Hi, what’s up?”I asked her.
“I’m here at the office and just ended a conversation with one of Jonny Arno’s people.HisPR person, a man named Edward Thompkins, called to warn us of deceitful behavior by trying to undercut the opening of Osteria Arno.”
“Deceitful behavior?What’s he talking about?The prix fixe dinner?”
“Yes, the dinner.He told us that we are deliberately competing with Jonny before the restaurant is officially open this weekend.He said that if we don’t cease doing it, he will put us out of business with bad publicity.”
“He can’t do that, can he?”I asked, feeling queasy.
“He can lie about us,” said Rhonda, “but those of us locals will know better.It’s the other people who don’t know us or the hotel who could be affected.”
“Oh, my God!We can’t let something like that happen!What exactly does he want us to do?”
“End the special Italian meal today.He thought it was outrageous that we’d do something like that to another restaurateur in the area,” said Rhonda.
