Chapter Eighteen

Kate

"I think we're about done with everything," Henry says as he sits next to me at the counter. In true diner style, the restaurant has a long counter with shiny red stools that swivel.

"That's great," I tell him.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

"Nothing. Why?"

"You seem distracted."

"I was just thinking about my parents. I can't believe how they acted last night. I mean, my dad's dating Celeste, so why was he looking at my mom like that?"

"He has a history with your mother. It's not surprising he still has feelings for her." 

"But he's going out with Celeste again."

"That doesn't mean anything. I'm sure Celeste is the one who talked him into it. Do you think your mother will get back together with the man in Florida?"

"No. He cheated on her. She doesn't take back cheaters."

"Speaking of your mother." He looks behind me and smiles as he stands up. "Angie, good to see you."

I turn and see my mom coming in the door.

"Hello, Henry," she says, then looks at me. "Hi, honey."

"Mom, I didn't know you'd be here today."

"Carol and I are having lunch at a place not too far from here so I thought I'd stop by. She wants to see the restaurant so we're meeting here, if that's okay."

"It's fine. So what happened last night?" I pause, realizing it sounds like I was asking her if she did something with my dad. "I mean, with that guy who tried to break in. Did Dad see anything on the cameras? Did the guy try to come back?"

"Your father said he didn't see anything unusual."

"So you can go back to your apartment now?"

"I could, but your father insists I stay another night."

Henry shoots me a grin. He thinks my dad wants my mom to stay longer because he's trying to get her back, but it's not true. He's just worried about her safety.

 "I should get back to work," Henry says, walking back to the kitchen.

Once Henry is gone, I say, "So was it strange? Staying with Dad?"

"It was fine." She smiles. "Your father was a gentleman, as always. And very sweet. He kept checking to make sure I had whatever I needed."

"Did you like his place?"

"I did. It's better than mine. The air conditioner actually works. I think mine is broken. I was going to tell the landlord but wasn't sure if I should since it's not my apartment. Technically, my friend isn't allowed to sublet it so I'm trying to hide the fact that I'm staying there."

"It's supposed to be really hot this week. Maybe you should stay with Dad a few more days."

"He mentioned that last night. I might take him up on the offer, but I'll go back to my own place on Saturday," she pauses, "in case he wants to bring his date home."

"Celeste?" I laugh. "I doubt he'd bring her home."

"Why wouldn't he? Are they not getting along?"

"I don't know, but I can't see him bringing her home. For one, I think Saturday is more of a work meeting than a date. And two, even if he liked her that way, Dad doesn't move that fast."

Her brows rise. "It's a work meeting? Not a date?"

Why does she care? Is she actually interested in dating my dad? After all these years?

"She's hiring him for a friend of hers so I'm sure it's a work thing."

"Huh." She chews on her lip, a faraway look in her eyes.

"Have you heard from Allen?" I ask.

"Who?"

"Allen. Your ex?"

"Oh." She shakes her head. "No. I haven't heard from him. And if he calls, I won't answer. Allen is history."

"Good. You deserve someone better than him. Way better."

"The restaurant looks great," she says, changing the subject. She smiles as she glances around the room.

"Yeah, it's pretty much done. We just have a few things to finish in the kitchen."

She reaches over and gives me a hug. "I'm so proud of you, honey."

"You taught me everything I know. And you had it a lot harder than me. You had to pay for it all yourself. I've hardly paid for anything. The renovations were all paid for by Mr. Walcott."

She steps back. "I wish you hadn't done that."

"Done what?"

"Taken his money. I wish you would've at least talked to me before you did it."

"Why?"

"Because I would've tried to talk you out of it. I don't like you being in debt to this man."

"I'm not in debt to him. He picked me for the Young Entrepreneur Award."

"But why you? It's not that I don't think you deserve it, honey, but I did some research on that award and every young person who's been picked in the past has a college degree from a prestigious school."

Having her question my award irritates me, but I try to pretend it doesn't.

"He's mixing things up this year. Trying something new. Not everyone has to go to college in order to have a successful business. You didn't."

"Yes, but this award was meant for—"

"He's paying for college."

"He's what?" Her brow furrows and she gets that wrinkle in her forehead that shows up whenever she's worried.

"Not four years. Just a class. He's paying for me to take a business class. He thinks it would help if I knew more about business. And I agree. So I'm taking an entrepreneurship class this fall at Moorhurst College."

"You got into Moorhurst?"

I roll my eyes. "Mom, seriously? I got into college before. I just didn't want to spend four years there. It wasn't because I'm not smart enough."

"Honey, I know. That's not what I meant. I just find it strange this man would pay for your education. He doesn't even know you."

"But he believes in me. He said I have potential."

She's quiet, then suddenly walks off. "I don't like this. He shouldn't be doing this." She starts pacing the floor. "He shouldn't be this involved in your life."

"He's not involved in my life. He's involved in the restaurant. That's it."

"And your education. And then what? Where does it end?"

"Mom, you're overreacting. Mr. Walcott is just trying to make sure the business does well. He's helping me out. He wants the restaurant to succeed as much as I do. And he wants me to succeed. There's nothing wrong with that."

"That you know of!" She stops abruptly in front of me, her face getting red. "I had a man tell me I had potential once and—"

"And what?"

She takes a big breath and lets it out. "Nothing."

"Who were you talking about? What man?"

"Nobody. Let's get back to you. If Mr. Walcott offers you anything else, I don't want you to take it. I want you to tell him no."

"Fine. Whatever."

"Kate, I mean it. I don't like people like him. I don't trust him, and neither should you."

"What do you mean 'people like him'? Rich people?"

"Not just rich, but rich and powerful. People with that kind of money and power can't be trusted."

"Gavin's family is rich."

"Which is why he's not the boy I would've chosen for you."

"You don't like Gavin?"

"He's a nice young man but he was raised with money. In a mansion. That had to have affected him."

"Affected him how?"

"By making him spoiled."

"Gavin's not spoiled. You've seen where we live. It's nothing fancy."

"I don't mean that kind of spoiled. I mean the kind where he does what he wants. If people tell him no, he does it anyway. Or he doesn't tell them at all so he can do what he wants without any consequences."

"That's not Gavin. You barely know him. You just met him."

"I know enough about rich people to know what they're like. After catering parties with Carol all those years, I saw how these people act. They aren't good people, Kate."

"Gavin is. He's not anything like you described. He's not selfish or spoiled. He's always trying to help people. That's why he's working at a job that helps people have access to better housing."

"You said he's working for a politician."

"Only a couple days a week. Mom, I don't want to get into this. I thought you liked Gavin, but if you don't then—"

"I like him. I just wish he hadn't grown up in that environment."

The door opens and Carol walks in. She looks around as she comes up to my mom and me. "Kate, the place looks wonderful. I really like the design."

"Thanks." I glance at my mom. She gives me the look that says she's calling a truce. I smile to let her know I'm not mad. My mom and I rarely fight, and when we do, we end it quickly.

"So Angie," Carol says, "everything go okay last night?"

"We can talk about it at lunch."

Carol winks and nudges her arm. "It must've gone better than okay."

"Stop it." My mom smiles. "It was nothing like that."

"But it could be," Carol says. "I bet Kate would like that. Seeing her parents back together?" She glances at me.

"I'm not offering up an opinion," I say, although truthfully, I think it'd be weird if they got back together. "Whatever they want to do is fine with me."

"I'm voting you two at least go on a date," Carol says to my mom. "Test the waters. See if there's anything still there."

It's definitely there. I saw it last night, but that doesn't mean my parents should get back together.

"Even if I wanted that," my mom says, "it wouldn't be right."

"Why wouldn't it be right?" I ask.

"It just wouldn't," she says abruptly.

She's acting strange, her eyes darting around, her hand rubbing the back of her neck.

Carol pretends not to notice and says to me, "Has your father been by to see the restaurant?"

"He was here last week. He stops by once or twice a week."

"What about your investors?" Carol asks. "Have they been by?"

"A few times." I glance at my mom, who's now digging through her purse for something.

"How many?"

I look back at Carol. "What?"

"How many have been by?"

"Um, I don't know. I haven't kept track. Why?"

"I was just curious how this works. I assumed the investors wouldn't be that involved, at least not involved enough to make in-person visits."

"I'm not sure how it normally works but as for Mr. Walcott, he's very involved. Personally, he's only shown up here a few times but he sends his employees here at least once a week to check out the progress. But I think that's because I'm so new at this. He wants to make sure everything's getting done."

"Which it is," my mom says, smiling at me. "Because my daughter is smart and hard-working and sure to be a success."

I smile back. "Words only a mother would say."

"You're basically working for them," Carol says.

"What do you mean?"

"You're working for the investors until you've paid them off. And given how hard it is to make a restaurant profitable, you may not pay them off for years."

"I realize that but I'm going to do everything I can to pay them off as soon as possible, even if it means taking out a loan."

"You weren't able to get a loan before."

"Well, yeah, but once the restaurant is up and running, I'll go back to the bank and try again."

Why is Carol being so negative? She's never been a very positive person but I thought she'd at least be supportive of me. When I worked for her, she used to encourage me to open my own restaurant but now she's acting like she doesn't want me to do well.

"Carol, we should get going," my mom says, sensing my annoyance with Carol's comments.

"I need to use the restroom first," she says.

"It's back there," I tell her, pointing to the sign. She leaves and I say to my mom, "What's the deal with Carol? Why was she saying all that?"

"She's just worried about you. She knows how hard it is to open a restaurant."

"But she wasn't talking about how hard it is. She was lecturing me about having investors. Acting like I was stupid for accepting their money."

"Honey, you're reading too much into it. Carol doesn't think you're stupid and neither do I. We both just have concerns that those men will take advantage of your lack of experience."

"Meaning what? What do you think would happen?"

"They might start treating you more like their employee than their partner. They might try making decisions without your consent or without even telling you. Or if the restaurant turns out to be a success, they could try to take it from you."

"They can't do that. I own half."

"Mr. Walcott is a very wealthy and powerful man. He didn't get that way from playing fair. That's why I didn't want you involved with someone like him."

"He's not trying to take over. Every time I meet with him, he's always asking my opinion and he only offers advice if I ask."

"I still want you to be careful, and not just with him, but whoever he sends over here. Be careful what you say around them and don't offer up information unless you have to as part of your contract with Mr. Walcott."

"Yeah, I'll be careful." I glance behind me at the restroom. "I still don't understand why Carol was acting that way. It was more than her being concerned. She almost seemed mad at me."

My mom sighs. "She's not mad. I think she's just envious that you're doing this and she's not."

"But she has a successful catering company. Why would she be jealous of me having a restaurant?"

"She talked about having her own restaurant for years. It was her dream."

"Then why didn't she do it?"

"I'm not sure. When I've asked, she doesn't really answer, but personally, I think once her catering company took off she stopped even considering opening a restaurant. It's hard to give up a successful business for one that has a high risk for failure."

I roll my eyes. "Great. Thanks, Mom."

"Honey, I didn't mean it like that. You're going to do great." She glances around. "A modern twist on a diner? People are going to love it. This place will be a huge hit."

"I'm ready," Carol says, rushing up to us. "Sorry it took so long. I had to call my seafood supplier. He was late with a delivery."

My mom starts walking to the door. "We'll see you later, Kate."

Carol follows, but turns back to me. "The place looks great!"

"Thanks."

The two of them leave and my mind wanders back to what my mom said about how it wouldn't be right for her to get back with my dad. Why wouldn't it be right? Because she just broke up with Allen? Or because my dad is dating Celeste?

In the afternoon, I'm testing recipes when Gavin calls.

"I'll start by saying I'm sorry," he says.

I sigh. "You're working late again."

"Yeah. I'm really sorry. I just have so much to do I can't get it all done during the day."

"Okay, well, don't worry about it. I'm going to be staying late here at the restaurant so I guess I'll just see you in bed tonight."

"If you're still awake when I get home."

"You're going to be that late?"

"Maybe. I don't know. Depends on how much I get done. How's your day going?"

"Good. My mom stopped by. And Carol. They were going to lunch."

"That's good. Hey, I gotta go. I love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

That's it. That's all the conversation we'll get today and it sounds like I won't see him at all tonight. I'll be asleep when he gets home.

Our situation is getting worse, not better, and I don't know how to fix it.