Kelsey picked up a pillow and threw it at him.

  “Do you two ever stop?” his father asked.

  “Nope,” he said, reaching for the beer that his father put in a glass. “Thanks.”

  “So tell me exactly what things Hadley will do for you,” his father said.

  His father would always want to talk about business and how to expand. It was in his blood to keep investing in things. His father had even talked to him about co-owning Southside when the time came.

  He hadn’t told the Breatons that because he hadn’t made up his mind. Duke’s was his alone and he was sure he’d do the same with Southside. He’d weigh his options when the time came though. It shouldn’t make a difference to Stan and Louisa either way.

  “We set up all my social media accounts for Southside. Her parents didn’t have anything other than Facebook, which they gave Hadley access to manage. That was easy enough. She’s going to work on ads there since there is a following and going to go in and make sure she is drawing in as many of the family businesses as she can. I talked to a handful of my cousins today and sent out emails to get them on board to what was going on.”

  “And you know everyone is always willing to do that. It benefits them as well as you,” his mother said from the kitchen. She’d always had big ears.

  “It does,” he agreed. “Hadley is going to work on Duke’s website and get that up to date. I sent her a bunch of pictures I’ve taken in the last month. She showed me examples of posts she’s made from pictures of her cakes.”

  “Cakes?” Kelsey asked.

  “I told you she is a home baker. She had a side hustle of wedding and party cakes and designs back in Maine. She does beautiful work.”

  “Do you have pictures?” his mother asked.

  “I don’t, but she showed me what she has. She mentioned doing that here while she tries to figure out her life.”

  “Figure what out?” his father asked, frowning.

  “No clue. I just know she moved back here and it’s not my business why. She’s hardworking and looking for a job. She has a background in marketing and there isn’t a lot in this area for that. But in the meantime I’ve got her pretty much working full time at Southside between baking, working the pub and now doing the marketing and advertising for me.”

  He remembered her shocked face when he’d told her he was paying her different rates. Then the comment he’d said about her being told before to stand up for herself. He could see where she might struggle there in her life.

  Once they figured all the work out, she’d quoted him a price for her time weekly and he doubled it. Her jaw dropped. He’d already gotten estimates from Kelsey and knew what it should cost him. He wasn’t surprised Hadley was undervaluing herself once again.

  She’d argued and said to wait to see if he liked her work and he’d laughed and said he saw samples of it. He knew she was a hard worker. He trusted that if she said she was going to be doing the work she would. Now that he was paying her more, he expected she’d work even harder to prove she was worth it.

  He’d just have to let that go. It was better than having someone who took advantage of things, but he had no fear of that with Hadley.

  Hell, at one point he’d caught her staring at his arms while he cooked. Then she asked if she could just watch him.

  He knew it was all innocent enough, but there was part of his brain that felt like they might have been on a date and he was trying to impress her.

  They could have met at Southside, but he understood her reasoning behind not doing that.

  She’d even confessed that a few staff had asked why she wasn’t taking over the pub instead of an outside person. Change was hard for many, but Hadley had no interest in it. He didn’t need to have her say that multiple times to know it or believe it.

  “Does she want to do the cakes here on the island?” Kelsey asked. “Is that a conflict working for you?”

  “Yes, she wants to and I encouraged her to. Last week I had a customer I delivered the desserts out to check in and they were going nuts about the taste. They thought I’d made them and I told them it was their server that did.”

  His father laughed. “What was their reaction?”

  “They didn’t care about it. Hadley’s kind of quiet and shy. I wanted her to get credit for it and then mentioned she did cakes. The customers told her it would be great to have someone on the island that could. I agree. It’s not something I do or will offer.”

  “And it will only help not hurt your business,” his father said. “People will come there for her desserts or they will find out about her cakes from you. It goes back and forth and island business is always better than going to the mainland.”

  “That was my thought too.”

  He’d seen the website she was designing. She was keeping the name simple. Amore Island Cakes. He’d suggested she do more than cakes. Maybe cupcakes or cookies too. She said she would think about it. For now she’d start slow with the cakes.

  He wasn’t going to push too much. It wasn’t his life and he had no idea of her situation. Stan had told him Hadley was living in what could be considered a weekend rental unit in the backyard. She probably had a tiny kitchen and it might not be easy to start too big or make big cookie platters. He’d mentioned that could be a big hit too.

  She’d laughed and said she wasn’t a bakery and couldn’t be one either. He got it. It wasn’t efficient to make small batches of cookies. But if you did platters as specials and at certain times of the year, it could work out.

  Hadley seemed stunned when he’d said that. As if she hadn’t thought of it. Then she’d laughed and said she was taking things one day at a time and holidays were a long way off at this point.

  They’d dropped it after that and went back to the work she’d be doing for him.

  Just like he was going to drop all talk about Hadley now with his family.

  “Dinner is ready,” his mother said.

  Perfect timing in his eyes. They could talk food or something else and less about his life.

  13

  More In Demand

  Less than three weeks later, the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, Duke was in Southside prepping for the day at eight thirty.

  Things had been going well. Hadley had done more than he expected and got the word out and he decided last week to try the brunch idea along with the lunch menu.

  It’d been posted all over every social media outlet and in the pub and Duke’s. He had the menu he’d be serving up for that period of time. Only these select foods would be served between ten and one. At twelve, his normal menu would start and they’d just cross over for an hour.

  He was planning for it to be packed and was going to be here along with Zeke, and his other new cook, MaryAnn, was coming in at noon.

  He’d had a lot of turnover, as he expected, but it worked out better this way.

  Almost everyone was new but the hostess, the bartender that worked nights on the weekends, and two servers.

  Things were moving pretty smoothly and though he had until the end of October to decide fully what he was going to do, he was leaning toward purchasing the pub already.

  The summer was going to be busier and then slow down after Labor Day. That would be the last chance in his mind if he wanted to back out, but he didn’t see that happening now that he had all of his own hand-chosen staff working.

  “You’re here early,” he said to Hadley.

  He’d been trying to keep his distance from her since they met that one day at his house. Or at least his distance where they’d be alone.

  Once he realized she was on his mind more than he was used to having a woman there, he told himself to focus on his business instead. It was what everyone criticized him about anyway, so might as well continue with the norm.

  Whatever was going on in Hadley’s life wasn’t affecting her job, but he still had no clue either.

  To him she looked healthier. Like maybe she put a few pounds on and got some color in her face. She was smiling more and the customers loved her.

  He didn’t have one complaint about the work she was doing on the marketing end and definitely not from a baking standpoint.

  “I came in at eight,” she said. “You told me I could do one extra item today because of the brunch crowd and now that you are going to be open seven days a week with the start of the tourist season, I just wanted to make sure I had enough for tomorrow too.”

  “It will be fine,” he said. “If we run out of desserts then we do.”

  She looked appalled. “I can’t let that happen.”

  “Relax, Hadley. Restaurants run out of specials and food all the time. It just makes them more in demand.”

  “Oh,” she said, a frown on her face now. “So I will be making less?”

  “No,” he said. “You’re doing a good job at managing it. I’m just saying if one day we run out, then we do and it’s a success, not a failure.”

  That was the last thing he wanted her to think. “Thanks for that. I’m trying. This is all so new to me.”

  “You’ve been here almost a month at this point. You’re doing great.”

  “I appreciate you telling me that.”

  “What is it you are making as your brunch special dessert?” he asked.

  “Strawberry shortcake. I know it’s simple and all, but I do the biscuits from scratch. I’m going to get them all made and the strawberries macerated, then I’ll have the whipping cream all done for the other desserts anyway. I just thought it was a nice light dessert to have after brunch.”

  “That sounds perfect,” he said, watching her as she was mixing the dough. “Smells like you’ve been cooking already.”

  “I have been. I’ve got one batch in as a tester that will be done in a minute.” The buzzer went off on her phone and she laughed. “Time to try them. I made a small batch and wanted to taste it to see if I need to tweak it.”

  “Let’s give it a try,” he said.

  She pulled them out of the oven and they looked about perfect to him. Smelled it too.

  The minute she had them out of the pan, he was reaching for one and popping it back and forth in his hand to cool it off. “You should wait a few minutes.”

  “Nope,” he said. “Biscuits taste the best right out of the oven piping hot.” He took a bite and closed his eyes. “These are great.”

  “Thank you.”

  She was smiling and he walked over to get the butter and slathered it on. “I mean it. Not as good as mine.” She laughed at him. “But a close second.”

  “I didn’t expect to be as good as yours.”

  He winked at her. “I’m only busting. They are close to mine. Mine are a tad bit bigger and not as crumbly.”

  “Are they too dry?” she asked.

  He hated that he put the worried look on her face. “No. They are perfect for strawberry shortcakes. They really are. These are going to be a big hit and it might be a nice summer dessert to have on the menu too. I bet you get close to selling out by the end of the day.”

  “We’ll see,” she said. “I hope so. Since you are going to keep it on the menu all day there is a good chance.”

  “I think today is going to be a very busy day,” he said, getting to prepping himself.

  Zeke would be in any minute since he’d told him to get here by nine. He’d already shown Zeke how to make the menu items and the same with the line cooks. He had no worries that it wasn’t going to go well.

  “I hope so,” she said. “I tried to blast out as many posts as I could. It helped that you took so many pictures of what you were serving today and sent them to me. Did you see some of the comments people were leaving?”

  “I did,” he said. He wasn’t one to check social media often. He left Hadley to monitor that and she did. He’d scan through at the end of the night if he thought of it, but otherwise let it go. Who the hell had time for it? That was why it wasn’t getting done before now.

  But this past week he had paid more attention to everything and not only was Southside packed Friday and yesterday but Duke’s also had the longest wait for a table both days too.

  Normally he didn’t like to keep people waiting that long, but in his eyes it was a sign of success and not failure as he’d told her about the desserts.

  He turned over tables fast. They got people in and out as politely and quickly as they could. The nice weather definitely played a part in it too.

  “There are so many people that were excited. I just have to try to not sneak one of the brunch burgers in the back on my break.”

  “I’ll make one for you to eat before the lunch crowd starts,” he said, winking at her. What the hell? He’d never winked at a woman before in his life.

  “I’m just picking on you,” she said. “I’m fine and won’t have time for one anyway if it’s going to be as busy as we hope. Good for the pockets too with all those tips.”

  “You’ll earn them today,” he said.

  “My parents are thrilled at how well everything is going,” she said. They were both working now and not that far from each other.

  “I’m glad.”

  “They don’t regret anything,” she said. “Don’t think that. I mean they are happy it’s turning into what they hoped for. I just wanted you to know that.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “They said they’d never be able to get it like this. They didn’t know how to run it like you are.” She stopped what she was doing. “I’m not telling them secrets or anything like that. Just it’s so clean and smooth when I’m working. Not like when they ran it. It’s like this even when you’re not here.”

  “It’s fine,” he said. “I know what you’re saying. Having good staff goes a long way.”

  “I know,” she said. “At my last job it was easy to see that one bad person could make it hard for everyone else.”

  He lifted his eyebrow at her. “Did that happen to you?”

  “What?” she asked. “I wasn’t a bad employee.”

  He smiled at her grin. “That wasn’t what I meant.”

  She sighed. “I know. I just kept to myself there like I do here. It’s easier that way. But like any place that has a lot of employees, there are cliques. I’ve never been one to belong to groups so that helped.”

  Or it could make it worse because you are more easily ganged up on too. He wouldn’t say that.

  “Morning,” he heard and turned to see Zeke coming in the door.

  “Morning,” Hadley said. Zeke winked at Hadley and he tried not to get annoyed over it.

  “Ready for a busy day?” he asked Zeke.

  “I am,” Zeke said. “Glad that Hadley is on desserts. People are coming in just for her sweets. I’ve been trying to pump her up more and get her to tell me some of her secrets.”

  He looked over at Hadley and saw her head down working. There was definitely flirting going on here from Zeke. He wasn’t sure if Hadley was receptive or just not showing it because the boss was here.

  “She’s a pretty tough nut to crack, but she bakes like a dream,” Duke said.

  She looked over at him and smiled softly. No eye contact with Zeke.

  Interesting. He was guessing there were no thoughts in her mind for Zeke. If she had any for him though, he had no idea.

  At three he was in his office checking over the schedule for next week. He hadn’t planned on being here this long and was going right to Duke’s when he left to finish the night off in the kitchen there.

  He saw Hadley walk by his door and called out to her. She stopped and moved back. “Yes?”

  “Taking a break?” he asked her.

  “I am. It’s slowed enough for me to do it now. I put an order in and am going to get some air.”

  “I’m just leaving,” he said. “I’ll walk out with you.”

  He grabbed his keys and got up. She had a drink in one hand and a piece of his quiche on a napkin in the other. His eyes dropped to the bite she’d taken. “It’s really good,” she said. “But I’m sure you know that.”

  “There wasn’t much left,” he said.

  “No,” she said. “I grabbed the last piece now before someone else got it.”

  They got outside and she continued to eat her snack. “Is Zeke bothering you?”

  “No,” she said quickly.

  “Looks like flirting to me. Which is fine if it’s reciprocated or the person on the receiving end doesn’t feel uncomfortable by it. I just want to make sure.”

  “I’m not interested in him,” she said. “He’s just young and goofing off.”

  “Are you sure that is what it is?” he asked, relieved she didn’t have her eye on Zeke. Not that he’d have much say if she did.

  “Yes. He hasn’t asked me out or anything and I don’t think he will. There have been a few times he’s made comments about women, not mean or anything like that, but I’ve said something to him.”

  He frowned. “Like what?”

  “I don’t want to get anyone in trouble. It’s not mean. Just that he likes women to work to be with him. Like he wants to know they are all in.”

  “So he’s got a big head and is cocky?”

  “Yes.”

  “What did you say back?”

  “I said what if a woman likes that from a man?”

  Oh shit no, he thought to himself. “Do you like that?”

  “No,” she said. “I don’t think one person should put more work into a relationship than another. I just wanted to see his response.”

  “And?” he asked. “What was it?”

  “That she wouldn’t be for him. I think I’ve given off the impression I’m like that.”

  Which told him that she wouldn’t want to be put on the spot to say no. That made it worse for him because he’d like to get to know her more, but being her boss, there was no way he could ask now.

  “But you’re not like that?” he asked.

  “No. When I like someone they know.”

  “How is that?” he asked.

  They were by his SUV now and she was still eating her snack. Her eyes moved over his arms slowly with a soft smile on her face. He was wearing a T-shirt and the bottom half of his chef uniform. He would go home and shower and change before he went into Duke’s. He had his chef’s coat over his arm and would get that cleaned too.