Page 41 of Canapés at the Beach House Hotel
“Okay, then.As long as Bernie has approved, type up the menu and print it on heavy stock paper to be added to our regular dinner menus,” I said.“It’s a fair price for the four course meal.”
“I agree,” said Rhonda.“With a choice of two main courses and two desserts, it should sell well.”
“The wine package is something that Bernie approved,” said Chet.“With a choice of four different wines, it should please everyone, with wines for each course.”
I checked my watch.“Time to get to it.”
“How is the rest of the day going, Chet?”Rhonda asked.
“We checked before we came here.We’re on schedule, thanks to Ricardo.”
Ricardo gave Chet a little salute, and then the three of them left the office.
“That chicken piccata sounds delicious,” Rhonda said.“Guess I’d better grab something for lunch.Who knows when we’ll have another chance if the day continues like this.”
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We walked into the kitchen and went over to Consuela.“How did the breakfast go?”
“Fine,” she said.“I’ve got a cooperative team for breakfast and lunch.What’s happening with dinner with Jean-Luc gone?”
We filled her in on the Italian special.
“Even the Ambassador’s daughter is helping out,” said Rhonda.“It couldn’t work better for my matchmaking skills.”
Consuela and I glanced at each other and laughed.
“Now, now.You know my rate of success is very high,” said Rhonda seriously.“Did you notice the way Philippa and Chet stared at one another, Annie?I’m tellin’ ya, it’s a very hot romance in the making.”
“What about the person Philippa is supposed to marry?said Consuela.“You told me all about him.”
“I don’t think it’ll ever happen,” said Rhonda stubbornly.
I shook my head.I thought the situation was a lot more complicated.But I, like Rhonda, would have to wait and see.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
After splitting a club sandwich in the office, Rhonda and I decided to make a visit to Jean-Luc.We wanted to see for ourselves how bad his injuries were.
“I’ll drive,” said Rhonda.
We got into her car, a vintage Cadillac convertible Rhonda loved, and took off for a neighborhood north of Sabal.Though the houses were older and smaller than the massive ones in the developments on either side of it, these sat right next to the beach in a sheltered cove.A prime location that outdid its neighbors.
I called Lindsay on the way to alert her to our arrival.
“He’ll be glad to see you,” she said.“He’s very irritated that he can’t be at the hotel.”
“How bad is the injury?”I asked.
“Not as bad as a complete break.If he has his way he’ll be back in the kitchen in a day or two.We’ll see.”
I ended the call and turned to Rhonda.“We’ll have to be diplomatic talking to Jean-Luc.We want him to know we can handle his absence for now, but we can’t give him the impression he’s not missed.You know how sensitive, he is.”
“You’re right.If he comes back to work too soon and then has to stay out longer to recover, that will really hurt us,” Rhonda said as we pulled into the driveway of Jean-Luc’s house.
I got out of the car and stood a moment to gaze at the two-story stucco structure with a red tile roof.It was charming in a way that some of the larger houses were not.
Rhonda and I walked up to the front door, rang the bell, and waited for Lindsay to greet us.
