“Don’t,” she said. “I’ll figure it out.”

  “Hadley,” her father said. “You know we’ve had staffing issues since we opened the place. I can’t believe he would have been able to fill them all and he’s running another restaurant. You know the pub and have worked it. He’d be crazy to turn down help behind the bar or on the floor.”

  She wanted to argue but just didn’t have it in her. She hoped to make some money at least in tips. If she could do that, then she could cover the few expenses she had and not feel as if she had to get help from her parents.

  “That’s up to you, Dad. I’m going to start looking for a job and if I can work there nights or weekends with another job, it will get me back on my feet. It’s not as if I’ve got a life. The one I had needs to be buried.”

  “I’m just so mad that Eddie did that to you,” his father said. “And more so that you never told us.”

  “Stan,” her mother said. “Hadley is always helping people. They were dating. She loved him. She was helping to care for him and he wasn’t working and had medical bills. She was only doing what most people would.”

  Most people wouldn’t have handed over thousands of dollars after a little over a month of dating. But the months caring for him, he was so appreciative of everything she was doing for him. She felt loved in return at the time. How could she have known what he was doing?

  “You don’t take advantage of people who are helping you,” her father said. “He had a family too that should have helped him out. You told us that, right?”

  “Eddie said his parents were helping with a few things,” she said.

  She never asked and maybe should have. But she didn’t want to pry either. Eddie’s sister had a few kids and was single. Eddie had always complained his parents were tapped out helping Cheryl all the time.

  “Obviously not enough,” her mother said. “Please, let us know what we can do for you.”

  “Nothing,” she said. She almost felt claustrophobic with three people in this small space, but it’s not like she could tell her parents to leave and she wouldn’t.

  “I stocked the fridge and cabinets with food that you like,” her mother said.

  She hadn’t even made it to the kitchen yet to look around. She’d only been home for an hour tops and was unloading her car when her parents came out to talk to her.

  “Thanks,” she said. “You didn’t need to do that. I won’t starve. I’d just go to your house to eat.”

  She was smiling and her mother winked at her. “I know. And I expect you to come there for meals too, but you’ve got things here too.”

  “I don’t need you to cook me meals,” she said.

  Good lord, she wasn’t a kid. “You know what we mean. You can come and go as you please. We’ve always been that way with you.”

  They had given her a lot of freedom in life. She’d always been a good kid.

  Back to wanting to be a people pleaser. She never wanted her parents upset or mad at her. She never told them anything to disappoint them and carried that burden on her own. No reason to have others brought down with her.

  “I know, Mom. I just want to unpack and get settled. It was a long drive and then getting on and off the ferry.”

  “What did you do with all your furniture and things?” her father asked. “Did you keep them in storage back in Portland?”

  “No,” she said. “I sold everything.”

  “Hadley,” her mother said, sighing. “We would have arranged to get it here and have it stored in the garage or something.”

  “No,” she said. “It wasn’t anything special. Everything I owned was cheap and several years old. Nothing was worth keeping. Trust me. When the time comes that I can get back on my feet and get out on my own, I’ll buy what I need. Unless there is a limit I can stay here?”

  “Heavens no,” her mother said. “This place has sat empty for years. It’s given your father something to do the past few weeks sprucing it up for you.”

  She always stayed here when she visited. Her parents' place had two bedrooms and was nice, but it was small. This gave them more privacy.

  “It looks nice, Dad,” she said. “You painted everything.”

  “I did,” her father said. “We did some work in the kitchen too. We know you like to bake.”

  She’d noticed that too. There were new counters and the oven, though small, looked brand new. She was hoping maybe the old one died or something, but she had a feeling it was more like they wanted this to feel like a home to her.

  “I do,” she said. “I miss baking.”

  “I bought a bunch of staples for you,” her mother said. “And look. When they installed the new counters they put this table in for you.”

  Her mother walked over to the wall, pulled down what Hadley thought was a big piece of art. She realized now that it was a wooden table with the art on the bottom of it so it could be flipped out of the way when not in use and still look nice.

  “Wow,” she said. “That is clever. And it will come in handy.”

  It explained the two stools up against the wall too.

  “We wanted you to feel comfortable here,” her mother said.

  “I know,” she said. “I appreciate that.”

  At least her family would always be there for her. The best she could do would be to not let them down.

  3

  Wanted Perfection

  “Hi, Stan,” Duke said early Tuesday morning. The pub was closed on Mondays. A lot of places did that during the slow time, but he’d be opening it up once Memorial Day hit at the end of the month.

  It’d been two months since Kelsey came into his restaurant and told him about Southside Pub and what the Breatons were offering.

  One thing he did in his life was move fast.

  He’d looked the information over his sister sent him that day, came here to eat the next day, got a feel for the place and reached out to the owners.

  They came to terms verbally while he called his cousin Hailey to get it all down legally. Maybe he added a few clauses himself. The last thing he was doing was letting anyone walk away with his reputation if he decided he didn’t want the place. If he walked away, they couldn’t continue to run the business as he set it up, his menu and recipes included. Everything was specific. And if it did continue using his setup, then they’d face off in court.

  He didn’t want to be a dick, but he’d worked hard for where he was in life and though he thought this was a great deal, some things do happen to be too good to be true.

  The Breatons put their conditions down too and they came to an agreement should he decide to buy the pub officially.

  And since he moved fast, he was in here one month later and had been managing the place for about three weeks now.

  “Thanks for meeting me,” Stan said. “I know you’re busy and not here all the time.”

  “I’ve been here a lot,” he said. “I need to get things set. But it’s going well.”

  He’d kept the menu the same. One menu only with some dinner specials.

  There were three chefs and a few line cooks. He had them prepare every single item on the menu and then he showed them how he wanted it done. The way he cooked and dressed and plated.

  There didn’t seem to be any issues with that, but no one was warming up to him either and he wasn’t sure why.

  He knew he could be a bit loud in the kitchen and strict. Some called it controlling, but it was his name and reputation on the line and he wanted perfection.

  It wasn’t as if he threw things or screamed at people. Not like some of the kitchens he’d been in while he was getting experience.

  And that was all it had been for him. Experience.

  He knew all along he’d own his own restaurant, but he wanted to see how things were done before he dove in headfirst.

  “That’s good to hear,” Stan said. “Louisa and I came to get some dinner the other day. You weren’t here, but man, the place was already busier than it’d been before.”

  “Really?” he asked. He hadn’t known that. He didn’t think they were spying as much as maybe checking things out. Could be talking to the staff too.

  “It was nice to see,” Stan said. “Louisa and I just had this dream and we didn’t seem to be able to make it work. I hope you can.”

  This couple was just way too nice. He wanted to say trusting too, but he didn’t think they were naive with it.

  “Is there something I can do for you?” he asked. “That you asked to talk to me when I was here next.”

  Duke wasn’t sure what this was about. If they changed their minds he’d rather know now before he got in any deeper.

  “How is staffing going for you?” Stan asked.

  He lifted his eyebrow. “The staff has been fine,” he said. “Change is hard for some but for the most part not bad.”

  “I expected that,” Stan said. “Some people are set in their ways, but in the end I think they want the place to succeed as much as we did. No, I mean, are you short staffed?”

  “Oh,” he said. “I am, but luckily I’ve got staff from Duke’s that are willing to come and take shifts for me. It works since they know how I run things. Once Memorial Day weekend hits, things will pick up and I’ll have to be staffed by then.”

  “It’s hard on the island,” Stan said.

  “It is. I don’t normally have too much of a problem finding staff though,” he said.

  Because he had such a good reputation, his restaurant was packed most nights. That meant more tips and those that wanted to serve or bartend on the island liked to go where they could make the money.

  He was hoping he could get this place to be the same.

  “I was wondering if maybe you could do me a favor,” Stan said. “No obligation or anything like that.”

  “What’s that?” he asked. “Do you know someone looking for a job?”

  “My daughter is back in town. Back on the island. She’s lived in Portland since she left for college twelve years ago, but she is starting over here. She’s looking for a job but hadn’t realized we were going to part ways with the restaurant. She’d hoped to work nights and weekends to help get back on her feet.”

  He hadn’t known they had a daughter. It’d never come up once and he had no reason to even ask.

  “Does she have experience?” he asked.

  Not that he thought it’d be smart to have a family member of theirs working here, but Stan had been nothing but nice and accommodating to him. To the point that not only was he making the payment on their loan while he did this trial run but also was paying off the debt they’d incurred while things were falling behind.

  Louisa insisted they were fine and he believed they were. But it didn’t feel right to him to just walk in at ground zero, turn a profit and walk out. If he bought the place, they’d make money and be able to square up all the debt anyway. They should get something for not taking a salary during this time.

  Then his sister informed him that Stan and Louisa hadn’t been taking a salary in almost a year.

  He still felt it was the least he could do. He wasn’t that much of a dick.

  “Hadley is a hard worker. She’s come here on vacation a few times a year since we had the pub and instead of taking time off to relax, she’d work and fill in where we needed her. She’s good with people. She’s worked the bar, the hostess table and has been a waitress. The only thing she hasn’t done is work in the kitchen. She could do easy things if we needed, but it’s never been a need while she was here.”

  He needed help in all those places and if she could float between them, even better.

  “Do the staff know her?” he asked.

  “She hasn’t been in here in close to ten months,” Stan said. “She’s had a rough year and needs to start over.”

  Duke didn’t know what that meant and wondered what drama he could be opening himself up to, but if Hadley had the same work ethic as her parents—even half that—then it’d be worth it for now.

  “I can always use the help,” he said. “If you want to have her come in today, I’ll be here all day.”

  If Hadley couldn’t make the time to show up today then she wasn’t that interested.

  “She’ll be here,” Stan said. “We don’t live that far and she’s staying in our guest house. I’ll just send her a text to come over now if you have the time.”

  He wasn’t sure how much of this was Stan trying to save his daughter from being a bum on his property or actually helping her out.

  Maybe this chick didn’t want to work here.

  No, he couldn’t think that. Not when Stan said she came here on her vacation and spent the time working.

  “Sure,” he said. “Let her know. I’ve got time.”

  He wasn’t opening for another two and a half hours. He’d get some work done while he waited. He was going over the menu and looking at food costs and what was available this week for specials. He ordered a few times a week, but most of the food had to come over on the ferry. He’d get a shipment on Tuesday and Friday. If he needed another over the weekend, he’d do it, but he tended to plan well enough to not worry.

  Plus he could always cover with stuff from Duke’s. He’d figured it out as he always did.

  He continued to work, Stan having left to go outside after he said he’d introduce them when Hadley arrived.

  He’d try to keep an open mind but wasn’t holding his breath either.

  4

  Her New Boss

  “Thanks, Dad,” Hadley said ten minutes later. She’d known her father was coming here to talk to Duke Raymond this morning and wanted to be prepared in case the guy wanted to meet her.

  Any embarrassment she had over her father getting her a job had to be pushed aside.

  Even though she’d known she was moving here a few weeks ago and was looking for jobs and sending out resumes, she wasn’t getting too many bites.

  She found it odd since they were always looking for employees on the island. And though she said she’d take any old job, she knew she would at some point. If she could make enough to get by here, that would buy her time to find something more than a filler job.

  And it’d let her get her wedding cake business going. She hadn’t said anything to her parents about that. They didn’t even know she did it.

  It was something she started years ago for fun. Making cakes for parties and weddings of friends. She’d charge a little for her time or supplies but not much more.

  The better she got, the more people wanted them and she kept doing it on the side for extra income.

  Taking care of Eddie hadn’t allowed her to take on too many jobs, but she was hoping she could get back to that here on the island.

  Her research showed her there were only two bakeries on the island that did it or people were buying their cakes off the island and having to get them here on the ferry.

  That might work to her benefit to not worry about that.

  “You’re welcome. Duke is nice. I knew he’d agree.”

  “I feel like you probably put him on the spot,” she said.

  “No,” her father said. “He’s not that way. Trust me. He’s a good guy. I think it helps that you’ve worked here before.”

  She thought that might hurt. In her experience, if someone was starting something over or new they didn’t want old employees to stick around.

  “We’ll see,” she said.

  Her father went in the back door where it was open. She’d seen the big SUV parked back there. A black Escalade. It had to be Duke’s. Her four-year-old Honda looked tiny in comparison. The only thing she could be happy about was in one year it’d be paid for. One less bill to have.

  “Duke,” her father said. “This is my daughter, Hadley. Hadley, Duke Raymond.”

  All she saw was the big man’s back and a lot of dirty blonde hair in a ponytail on his head.

  Then he turned and she noticed the light blue eyes and a face that should be on an angel. Holy shit. She had to work with this guy.

  He wasn’t smiling though. Just walked forward. “Nice to meet you,” he said in a deep voice. “Your father said you’re looking for some work.”

  She had to fight the heat from filling her face. God only knows what her father said to Duke and she’d have to find out later.

  “Yes. I’m back in the area and looking for a full-time job. I’d hoped to help my parents out nights and weekends like I was used to doing when I visited. Right now though, I’m pretty available to do anything. Did my father tell you what I’ve done here before?”

  “I did,” her father said. “I’ll leave you two to talk. Your mother and I were going to go to Cape Cod for the day. I’ll talk to you later, Hadley.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” she said, her father leaving her alone with the man who was going to be her new boss.

  A sexy boss at that.

  “Your father said you’ve filled in everywhere in the front.”

  “I have,” she said. “They always needed the help when I’d come to visit them. They were here half the time. It felt like the thing to do.”

  “Do you like the work?” he asked her.

  “What?” she asked. She hadn’t expected that question.

  “Do you like working in hospitality?”

  “You know, I think I do. It’s not what I went to college for. Doesn’t seem like I’ve had a lot of luck with that field either. Or doing what I hoped for. I like people. I’m pretty easy to get along with. I’ve enjoyed the time here too. If you’re asking if I want to make this my career, I’d have to say no. I wouldn’t lie to you about that.”

  He laughed, but it didn’t come off as a happy noise. “No. I don’t think that. Your father said you had a rough year and I got the impression this was a sudden move and that maybe you need to get on your feet?”

  She let out a sigh. She wasn’t one for airing out dirty laundry, but she did need the job. “Yes,” she said. “It’s a long story, but I’m not going anywhere. Don’t worry about that. I’ll be looking for a full-time job and I hope to find something, but I’d like to find something I can enjoy. If I can make do working here until then, I’m content with that. I’d like to continue on if I do find a full-time job. If it works out for both of us.”