Page 6 of Fake It Till We Fall
“Whatever.”
I shut the laptop with a little more force than necessary and reached for my tea.
“Am I interrupting something?”
I looked up to see Erin, Grandma’s longtime restaurant manager, breeze through the front door.
“No.” I shook my head. “I was just looking over the books. But it’s probably time to get into the kitchen and get organized for service.”
Erin laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“We don’t really call itservicehere.” She held up her fingers in air quotes. “I know you’re used to fancy restaurants and yachts, but…”
I shrugged. “Just a habit, I guess.”
“Either way, I think we’re going to have a good crowd in here tonight.” Erin moved around the dining room, adjusting chairs. “Word’s out that you’re back in town.”
I smiled wryly. “Of course it is.”
“It’s a good thing.” The older woman laughed.
Erin was the same age my mom would have been had my parents not died in a car crash when I was a toddler. They grew up together, and Erin would often tell me how I reminded her of my mother at my age. It used to make me sad, but ever since I moved away and started traveling, she never mentioned the similarities anymore.
I’m not sure what hurt more to think about.
“Everyone’s talking about how you’re going to put your special flair on Willa’s most popular dishes. And last I heard, there’s a bit of a poll going on to see what you’re going to add to the menu.”
I tucked the copy of the menu I’d scribbled my changes on under my laptop. No point telling her I didn’t actually plan toaddanything at all, but instead cut our offerings.
“I don’t know if?—”
“Don’t worry.” She interrupted me. “I didn’t tell anyone you’re going to be taking over the Whisk.” She winked at me. “Not yet.”
“Well, that’s a good thing.” I gathered up my things. “Because it’s not so much a takeover, but more of a help out.” I could hear the hollowness of my own words. “And I’m definitely not hereto burn things down, just make a few tweaks and freshen things up.”
She smirked. “Whatever you do, Harper, I’m sure it’s going to be great. This place is a Trickle Creek staple. The locals all have their usual tables and favorite orders. Change can be a tricky thing in a small town.”
She wasn’t wrong. I knew what I was up against. But if it meant facing the wrath of a few townspeople to make things more manageable for Grandma, I was prepared to do what it took.
At the door, Erin flipped the lock and turned the sign toOpen.
Outside, the winter sky was already darkening, and the plaza started to light up with the lights of the nearby shops. I took a second to look out at the bookstore, Plot Twist, and the brewery that sat next to it, both new since the last time I’d been home. Most of the shop fronts were fully decorated.
“Do you want me to get someone to put up our decorations?” Erin came up beside me. “The light-up festival is coming up, and you know how Tilley can get if all the shops aren’t ready. I know Grayson?—”
“No,” I said, a little too sharply. “I’ll get it done tomorrow. It won’t take me long to hang things.”
“Okay,” Erin said warily. “But Grayson is really helpful and I’m sure he?—”
“It’s good.” I cut her off. “I’ve got it.”
I turned away and took a breath.
Grandma was right. In a town this small, it wasn’t a matter ofifI ran into Grayson Lyons, butwhen.
It might be inevitable, but what I didn’t need was anyone opening the door to that meeting before I was ready.
