Read Online Queenie's Cafe by SUE FINEMAN - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: SUE FINEMAN
Tags: General Fiction
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evening, Laura and Luke rolled the rest of the second coat on the walls while Ivy washed their dinner dishes.
Laura sighed and stretched. “This is more work than cooking, but it sure looks better in here.” The walls looked so much better, it made the furniture look more shabby.
The windows were bare. Queenie’s old curtains had gone into the trash on cleaning day. They were faded and rotted from the hot sun. The woven blinds Luke had shown her would look great in here. The pastel colors woven into the natural wood blinds would coordinate with the new carpet, and they’d be perfect with the wall paint she’d chosen.
She wanted a whole new look, but that would take new furniture, outside paint, a new roof, and a new parking lot, none of which she could afford. She couldn’t even afford the new flooring. She wished she hadn’t let Luke talk her into it.
After Ivy returned to her room, Laura turned to Luke. “I called my father last night to get his opinion on this partnership thing.”
Luke propped his hands on his hips. “What did he say?”
“He suggested I get references, names of other business owners you’ve worked with.”
“I’ll bring a list tomorrow, and I’ll take you out for dinner this weekend. This time, we’ll go to Titusville.”
Laura’s face warmed. He’d be taking her to one of his restaurants, so it was business, not a date. Still, she was going out to eat with a handsome guy.
Queenie wouldn’t like it, but Queenie wouldn’t like the partnership idea either. She’d expect Laura to do it all by herself, and then she’d complain it wasn’t good enough.
Nothing had ever been good enough to please Queenie.
<>
A man from Windsor Floors scraped off the old floors in the café. Luke helped. Watching the men work, Laura was glad she hadn’t attempted the job herself. It was messy, sweaty, hard work.
The new vinyl floors were installed two days later, and the new carpet went in the next day. While the men worked, Laura made new menus and a list of supplies. Luke handed her eight hundred dollars in cash. “You need money to stock the kitchen. It’s a personal loan.”
“Thank you. I promise, I’ll pay back every penny.”
“I know you will. I’ll send a contractor over to get some idea what the motel remodel will cost. When we get the figures back, we’ll sit down and discuss business.”
“All right.” She still wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. Luke seemed like a nice enough guy, but she didn’t want to give control of her business to anyone. She didn’t want someone else making decisions and telling her what to do.
She’d had enough of that with Queenie.
Chapter Five
S aturday evening, Luke took Laura to Chubby’s, in Titusville. The parking lot was nearly full. It didn’t look fancy like Bernie’s Place, but it wasn’t like Queenie’s either. It was noisy, for one thing. Laughter, country music, and wonderful smells filled the air. Barbecue. Luke watched Laura’s face and knew she liked it.
“It sure smells good in here,” she said, smiling.
Someone called, “Luke!”
They both turned to see a man with a huge pot belly coming toward them. “Hey, Chubby. How’s it going?”
“Great. Business just keeps getting better. Who’s this pretty lady?”
“This is Laura. She owns a little café in Kingston.”
“Another competitor? Aw, Luke, don’t do this to me.” Chubby waved at the room. “Find yourself a table. Two specials coming up, on the house.”
Luke found a table in the back corner, where it was a little more quiet. He brought her here to talk business, and he didn’t want to have to shout to be heard. “Well, Laura, what do you think?”
“It’s definitely not like Bernie’s Place. What was this before, a barn?”
“An expensive steak house. Too formal for the neighborhood. There are plenty of places like that along the beach and overlooking the river. They couldn’t compete.”
“This place doesn’t draw the same
Laura sighed and stretched. “This is more work than cooking, but it sure looks better in here.” The walls looked so much better, it made the furniture look more shabby.
The windows were bare. Queenie’s old curtains had gone into the trash on cleaning day. They were faded and rotted from the hot sun. The woven blinds Luke had shown her would look great in here. The pastel colors woven into the natural wood blinds would coordinate with the new carpet, and they’d be perfect with the wall paint she’d chosen.
She wanted a whole new look, but that would take new furniture, outside paint, a new roof, and a new parking lot, none of which she could afford. She couldn’t even afford the new flooring. She wished she hadn’t let Luke talk her into it.
After Ivy returned to her room, Laura turned to Luke. “I called my father last night to get his opinion on this partnership thing.”
Luke propped his hands on his hips. “What did he say?”
“He suggested I get references, names of other business owners you’ve worked with.”
“I’ll bring a list tomorrow, and I’ll take you out for dinner this weekend. This time, we’ll go to Titusville.”
Laura’s face warmed. He’d be taking her to one of his restaurants, so it was business, not a date. Still, she was going out to eat with a handsome guy.
Queenie wouldn’t like it, but Queenie wouldn’t like the partnership idea either. She’d expect Laura to do it all by herself, and then she’d complain it wasn’t good enough.
Nothing had ever been good enough to please Queenie.
<>
A man from Windsor Floors scraped off the old floors in the café. Luke helped. Watching the men work, Laura was glad she hadn’t attempted the job herself. It was messy, sweaty, hard work.
The new vinyl floors were installed two days later, and the new carpet went in the next day. While the men worked, Laura made new menus and a list of supplies. Luke handed her eight hundred dollars in cash. “You need money to stock the kitchen. It’s a personal loan.”
“Thank you. I promise, I’ll pay back every penny.”
“I know you will. I’ll send a contractor over to get some idea what the motel remodel will cost. When we get the figures back, we’ll sit down and discuss business.”
“All right.” She still wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. Luke seemed like a nice enough guy, but she didn’t want to give control of her business to anyone. She didn’t want someone else making decisions and telling her what to do.
She’d had enough of that with Queenie.
Chapter Five
S aturday evening, Luke took Laura to Chubby’s, in Titusville. The parking lot was nearly full. It didn’t look fancy like Bernie’s Place, but it wasn’t like Queenie’s either. It was noisy, for one thing. Laughter, country music, and wonderful smells filled the air. Barbecue. Luke watched Laura’s face and knew she liked it.
“It sure smells good in here,” she said, smiling.
Someone called, “Luke!”
They both turned to see a man with a huge pot belly coming toward them. “Hey, Chubby. How’s it going?”
“Great. Business just keeps getting better. Who’s this pretty lady?”
“This is Laura. She owns a little café in Kingston.”
“Another competitor? Aw, Luke, don’t do this to me.” Chubby waved at the room. “Find yourself a table. Two specials coming up, on the house.”
Luke found a table in the back corner, where it was a little more quiet. He brought her here to talk business, and he didn’t want to have to shout to be heard. “Well, Laura, what do you think?”
“It’s definitely not like Bernie’s Place. What was this before, a barn?”
“An expensive steak house. Too formal for the neighborhood. There are plenty of places like that along the beach and overlooking the river. They couldn’t compete.”
“This place doesn’t draw the same
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