Read Online The Way to a Man's Heart (The Miller Family 3) by Mary Ellis - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mary Ellis
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smiled and drank down the juice. “To our partnership!” Leah repeated, hoping her savings would be sufficient. She had no idea what diner partnerships cost these days. “I have three thousand dollars, and I’m willing to invest twenty-five hundred,” she blurted out. “Is that enough?”
April’s head bobbed backward. “You saved three thousand dollars from selling pies to the cafeteria?”
“Jah, and to the grocery store at the street level.”
“That will be a fine investment.” April put their glasses in the sink and then pulled a bowl of tuna salad from the refrigerator. “I’d better fix a few sandwiches since they’re the daily special.”
“I’ll slice fruit for fruit salad. That always does well on hot days.” Leah turned her cleaver on a watermelon with fervor.
“There’s one more thing,” April said, not taking her focus off the tuna salad.
“What’s that?”
“I decided during the drive in today to change the name of the place, providing you were interested in the partnership. The Diner sounds dreary, the more I thought about it.”
Leah set down the knife. “Change it to what?”
April grinned. “How about Leah’s Home Cooking? It has a wonderful ring to it. And since Amish people are flocking here to see you and partake of your wonderful pies, I thought it would be perfect!”
Leah felt as though she might faint. Every girlhood dream was coming true. God was granting her grace she hadn’t even asked for. It was as if He knew her hopes and wishes, which of course He did. She blushed with embarrassment. “Don’t you think your husband and daed would prefer to see your name above the door? After all, it’s still your place and your idea. I came in as an afterthought.”
“Not at all,” April said. “They want whatever will make this restaurant successful, and the new name is a giant step in that direction.”
A tiny voice in Leah’s head cautioned Slow down. Don’t get too full of yourself.
But she paid no attention to it. Leah’s Home Cooking danced through her head like a nursery rhyme as she sliced up a cantaloupe.
“I’m going to order a new sign after closing. This is so exciting!” April squeezed her shoulders in an impromptu hug. “But now I better check to see if any lunch customers have arrived. I thought I heard the bell above the door.”
It was then that Leah remembered her last customer—reading his newspaper, awaiting more coffee. She nearly chopped off a finger. “I’ll check, April. I need to refill coffee carafes anyway.” She fled through the kitchen door at a run.
But she was too late. The booth of the dark-haired man—the subject of porch swing chatter with Rachel—was empty. He’d left a neatly folded newspaper and a thirty-five-cent tip. Thirty-five cents…Leah didn’t think her service worthy of even that amount.
She’d been a full partner for less than five minutes and she was already chasing customers away.
April watched Leah climb up into her buggy, shake the reins over the horse’s back, and start for home. The girl hadn’t stopped smiling since the break between breakfast and lunch. She’d hummed a tune while scrubbing frying pans and whistled while mopping the floor—two chores that had seldom inspired song in the past.
Switching the “Open” placard to “Closed” in the door, she pulled the phone book from under the counter. She would order the new sign before she lost her nerve. Her husband had warned her about adding anything else to their credit card, but hadn’t she promised her partner? Because every booth and stool at the counter was usually occupied, April was confident they would have plenty of profits to pay the bill. After all, it would be weeks before it came in the mail, and a couple more before the payment’s due date.
She must stop worrying so much. This was her dream too, same as young Leah’s. One needed to take chances in life, especially to get ahead in this world. April called the
April’s head bobbed backward. “You saved three thousand dollars from selling pies to the cafeteria?”
“Jah, and to the grocery store at the street level.”
“That will be a fine investment.” April put their glasses in the sink and then pulled a bowl of tuna salad from the refrigerator. “I’d better fix a few sandwiches since they’re the daily special.”
“I’ll slice fruit for fruit salad. That always does well on hot days.” Leah turned her cleaver on a watermelon with fervor.
“There’s one more thing,” April said, not taking her focus off the tuna salad.
“What’s that?”
“I decided during the drive in today to change the name of the place, providing you were interested in the partnership. The Diner sounds dreary, the more I thought about it.”
Leah set down the knife. “Change it to what?”
April grinned. “How about Leah’s Home Cooking? It has a wonderful ring to it. And since Amish people are flocking here to see you and partake of your wonderful pies, I thought it would be perfect!”
Leah felt as though she might faint. Every girlhood dream was coming true. God was granting her grace she hadn’t even asked for. It was as if He knew her hopes and wishes, which of course He did. She blushed with embarrassment. “Don’t you think your husband and daed would prefer to see your name above the door? After all, it’s still your place and your idea. I came in as an afterthought.”
“Not at all,” April said. “They want whatever will make this restaurant successful, and the new name is a giant step in that direction.”
A tiny voice in Leah’s head cautioned Slow down. Don’t get too full of yourself.
But she paid no attention to it. Leah’s Home Cooking danced through her head like a nursery rhyme as she sliced up a cantaloupe.
“I’m going to order a new sign after closing. This is so exciting!” April squeezed her shoulders in an impromptu hug. “But now I better check to see if any lunch customers have arrived. I thought I heard the bell above the door.”
It was then that Leah remembered her last customer—reading his newspaper, awaiting more coffee. She nearly chopped off a finger. “I’ll check, April. I need to refill coffee carafes anyway.” She fled through the kitchen door at a run.
But she was too late. The booth of the dark-haired man—the subject of porch swing chatter with Rachel—was empty. He’d left a neatly folded newspaper and a thirty-five-cent tip. Thirty-five cents…Leah didn’t think her service worthy of even that amount.
She’d been a full partner for less than five minutes and she was already chasing customers away.
April watched Leah climb up into her buggy, shake the reins over the horse’s back, and start for home. The girl hadn’t stopped smiling since the break between breakfast and lunch. She’d hummed a tune while scrubbing frying pans and whistled while mopping the floor—two chores that had seldom inspired song in the past.
Switching the “Open” placard to “Closed” in the door, she pulled the phone book from under the counter. She would order the new sign before she lost her nerve. Her husband had warned her about adding anything else to their credit card, but hadn’t she promised her partner? Because every booth and stool at the counter was usually occupied, April was confident they would have plenty of profits to pay the bill. After all, it would be weeks before it came in the mail, and a couple more before the payment’s due date.
She must stop worrying so much. This was her dream too, same as young Leah’s. One needed to take chances in life, especially to get ahead in this world. April called the
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