“In the morning, along with Rupert and the rest of the crew.”
They were driving from Dallas and had headed out two days before.
“We might need a wide angle to capture the whole space.”
Miss Gina leaned on Zoe’s arm. “Is he saying my kitchen is fat?”
Zoe laughed and turned when she heard Hope running in from the backyard, Sir Knight at her heels.
“Auntie Zoe!”
She knelt down and picked up Hope in a hug. “You’re getting too big for this.”
“That’s what Daddy said.”
Hearing Hope refer to Wyatt as her daddy warmed her soul. The girl deserved the best daddy ever, and Wyatt fit the bill.
The back screen door slammed against the frame, announcing the arrival of Mel and Wyatt. “Look what the wind blew in.” Mel moved in for a hug.
Zoe pulled back. “You look so damn happy.”
“Swear jar!” Hope ran out of the room to retrieve the silly thing.
The adults laughed and Zoe made the introductions.
Felix embraced them both as if he knew them and talked about how he planned to make Miss Gina’s Bed-and-Breakfast a hit, starting with their wedding.
By the time they moved from the kitchen to the living room, the front door framed Luke.
He stood there watching her; only her.
Zoe sucked in an unexpected breath and held it until she reached him. His arms slid around her back, his lips found hers for a proper hello.
They broke apart when Hope walked down the stairs, saying, “Eww . . . why is everyone kissing all the time?”
“It’s in the air,” Luke explained, his arm stayed snug on Zoe’s hip.
Hope shoved the swear jar in Zoe’s personal space. “A quarter for the D word.”
Zoe rolled her eyes and moved to where she’d left her purse.
“Now that is a very enterprising idea, young lady. Be sure and stick around when we’re filming, you’re bound to make a ton of money,” Felix told her.
“And come out cussing like a sailor,” Zoe added.
“I think maybe Hope should stay clear of that.” Mel encouraged Hope to sit close to her.
Hope tipped her jar and looked at the coins inside. “I make enough off Miss Gina. She cusses a lot.”
Miss Gina’s mouth dropped wide. “I do not!”
Everyone laughed except Felix.
While Felix set up production in Miss Gina’s kitchen, Zoe directed a team in Sam’s kitchen at the diner.
Ernie and Tiffany, her seconds on set, followed her into Sam’s diner after two o’clock the following day.
A sign on the door of the diner said they were closed the day of Mel and Wyatt’s wedding and for dinner the night before.
Sam met her at the door with a hug. His welcome made her feel at home. “My kitchen is yours.”
“You’re just saying that because you want a free meal.”
Sam patted his overextended belt line. “I can always use a good meal.”
Zoe laughed. “Tiffany and Ernie will be doing most of the cooking.”
“Any friends of yours are friends of mine.”
Zoe did a quick scan of the diner.
Sam lowered his voice. “She has the dinner shift.”
For some strange reason, tears filled her eyes. She didn’t want to see her mother, and it seemed most of the town knew that. “Thanks.”
She led Tiffany and Ernie into the first commercial kitchen she’d ever worked in. Sam had cleaned it. His effort lifted her heavy heart.
“Your shipments started arriving this morning.”
Zoe opened the massive refrigerators and found familiar supplies. She went through the inventory with Tiffany and Ernie standing close by, taking notes on what to expect. They went over the menu and discussed capacity of the ovens and storage.
Brenda welcomed her through the window while she tossed up an order. Sam flipped frozen hamburger patties on the grill.
Ernie and Tiffany exchanged glances but kept their comments to themselves. There was a difference between a cook and a chef. Sam had no issues with that. He liked the fact that Zoe Brown’s journey from cook to chef had started in his kitchen. Liked it even more when she was in town and helped fill the booths of his diner.
“We should have the fresh herbs in with the shipment, but if something isn’t right, let me know. I know a few people in town with gardens who can help in a pinch.”
Zoe pointed out issues in the kitchen she knew she’d had problems with in the past. One of the ovens ran hot, and one of refrigerators ran too cold no matter how many times Sam had it fixed. “I don’t need frozen romaine.”
“Who is going to be here from the staff?” Tiffany asked.
“Sam?” Zoe caught his attention. “Who did you assign to help?”
“Brenda volunteered. As long as she can watch the wedding.”
“All the food will be at the inn by then.” Or close enough to it.
They talked about when they could dominate the space and the time span for preparation.
By the time Zoe was leaving the diner, it was just before four.
Just when she thought she’d skirt out of Sam’s before seeing her mother, the woman nearly knocked down Tiffany as they were walking out the back door.
Sheryl stepped back, instantly irritated. “Who are . . .” Her eyes caught Zoe’s and her words stopped short.
Tiffany and Ernie had expectant faces.
Zoe didn’t feed them with an introduction.