me. I automatically look at things like that when I enter a business and it just kind of…started developing in my head. So I decided to throw it in the computer to see what there was.”
“And did Meryl say she was going to get back to you or anything?”
“Yeah. I left her a copy—it’s a lot nice r than this; more formal,” he smiled, “—And I told her I’d be back next week, or she could call me.”
I took a deep breath for some reason and began thinking over the situation. Here was this guy that I was totally hooked on, and it turns out he just wanted to div e into another business venture? I wasn’t sure what to think, but I did look at my watch and say that I needed to get back to work.
“Don’t you want to look over the pros?” he asked with a tiny smile.
I paused but eventually took the paper from his hand. My hackles kind of went up when I saw that it was a very short list, probably a fourth of the cons list.
But I read the first line, Staff is incredible , and I had to smile. The other few things on the list were pretty simple—great food and drinks , very clean and well managed, fair prices, and exceptional service. I guess those were the biggest parts of a restaurant, and I couldn’t complain.
“The heart of this business is already what it should be,” Austin told me. “The foo d, the people, and the service. The other little things—the aesthetics and the things that will entice people to come in here—will just be simple changes to the surface. But those changes are what will bring Clover’s the business it deserves.”
“What about the name?”
“The name?”
I found a line on the cons list and pointed to it. “ ‘May need a new name.’ ”
“Being that we went over the café/diner thing, it was just a thought .”
“But the name Clover will have to stay. Meryl won’t change that.”
“Okay. I actually like it; it’s different. W hat’s the significance?”
“Uh, i t was my mother’s name.”
He slightly nodded. “Ah, I see.” He glanced at his watch and said, “ Speaking of moms, I gotta head north. It’s my mom’s birthday and we’re having a party for her tonight.”
“Oh, that’s nice. How funny, though . My mom’s birthday is tomorrow .”
He studied me for a few seconds, and even though I had smiled when I said it, he looked like he felt sorry for me.
“Well, have a safe drive,” I said, standing up from the table. “I hope you have a good weekend.” He slowly stood, and as he did I said, “Do you want me to cash you out?” I went to pick up the check and his money, but he put a hand on mine to stop me.
“No, that’s fine,” he replied.
I looked at the twenty and chuckled. “She didn’t charge you for mine , you know .”
“I noticed that, but I always leave a tip.”
“ Eleven bucks? That’s a very nice tip. Especially since she’s barely come over here, just to leave us alone.”
I was instantly embarrassed for saying that, and I could tell he knew that. But he just smiled and said, “I’ll see you next Friday, Nova.”
Chapter Five
I hated making decisions. Maybe most people did, but for me it was a tremendous challenge. I knew we had to make choices every day, but sometimes even the smallest ones made me anxious.
The morning after I saw Austin , I picked up my grandpa and we drove to the cemetery where my mom was buried. We put fresh flowers on her grave for her birthday and then sat on a bench and talked for quite a while. I told him all about my lunch with Austin the day before, particularly the business with the diner and the offer to work at his parents’ ranch. Gramps really didn’t have much to say opinion-wise, and he seemed to only ask questions.
Finally I asked him straight out what I should do and he replied, “How the hell should I know?” It made me laugh, but he did go on to explain that some decisions should be made on my own.
“You shove your opinions down my throat about silly
“And did Meryl say she was going to get back to you or anything?”
“Yeah. I left her a copy—it’s a lot nice r than this; more formal,” he smiled, “—And I told her I’d be back next week, or she could call me.”
I took a deep breath for some reason and began thinking over the situation. Here was this guy that I was totally hooked on, and it turns out he just wanted to div e into another business venture? I wasn’t sure what to think, but I did look at my watch and say that I needed to get back to work.
“Don’t you want to look over the pros?” he asked with a tiny smile.
I paused but eventually took the paper from his hand. My hackles kind of went up when I saw that it was a very short list, probably a fourth of the cons list.
But I read the first line, Staff is incredible , and I had to smile. The other few things on the list were pretty simple—great food and drinks , very clean and well managed, fair prices, and exceptional service. I guess those were the biggest parts of a restaurant, and I couldn’t complain.
“The heart of this business is already what it should be,” Austin told me. “The foo d, the people, and the service. The other little things—the aesthetics and the things that will entice people to come in here—will just be simple changes to the surface. But those changes are what will bring Clover’s the business it deserves.”
“What about the name?”
“The name?”
I found a line on the cons list and pointed to it. “ ‘May need a new name.’ ”
“Being that we went over the café/diner thing, it was just a thought .”
“But the name Clover will have to stay. Meryl won’t change that.”
“Okay. I actually like it; it’s different. W hat’s the significance?”
“Uh, i t was my mother’s name.”
He slightly nodded. “Ah, I see.” He glanced at his watch and said, “ Speaking of moms, I gotta head north. It’s my mom’s birthday and we’re having a party for her tonight.”
“Oh, that’s nice. How funny, though . My mom’s birthday is tomorrow .”
He studied me for a few seconds, and even though I had smiled when I said it, he looked like he felt sorry for me.
“Well, have a safe drive,” I said, standing up from the table. “I hope you have a good weekend.” He slowly stood, and as he did I said, “Do you want me to cash you out?” I went to pick up the check and his money, but he put a hand on mine to stop me.
“No, that’s fine,” he replied.
I looked at the twenty and chuckled. “She didn’t charge you for mine , you know .”
“I noticed that, but I always leave a tip.”
“ Eleven bucks? That’s a very nice tip. Especially since she’s barely come over here, just to leave us alone.”
I was instantly embarrassed for saying that, and I could tell he knew that. But he just smiled and said, “I’ll see you next Friday, Nova.”
Chapter Five
I hated making decisions. Maybe most people did, but for me it was a tremendous challenge. I knew we had to make choices every day, but sometimes even the smallest ones made me anxious.
The morning after I saw Austin , I picked up my grandpa and we drove to the cemetery where my mom was buried. We put fresh flowers on her grave for her birthday and then sat on a bench and talked for quite a while. I told him all about my lunch with Austin the day before, particularly the business with the diner and the offer to work at his parents’ ranch. Gramps really didn’t have much to say opinion-wise, and he seemed to only ask questions.
Finally I asked him straight out what I should do and he replied, “How the hell should I know?” It made me laugh, but he did go on to explain that some decisions should be made on my own.
“You shove your opinions down my throat about silly
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