Heck! Even her benefactor’s name, Geraldine Cook, had been nudging her in that direction.
Once she had accepted that she wasn’t going back to her old job, Dani had spent the months waiting for Mrs. Cook’s estate to be settled drawing up a business plan and completing the necessary legal and financial documentation to establish her company. With the details taken care of, Chef-to-Go, a combination of personal chef services, catering, and ready-to-pick-up lunches, had been born.
Now, she gazed speculatively at the three young women waiting for her to speak. Having in-house helpers would be a huge bonus to her fledgling enterprise. She certainly couldn’t afford full-time employees. And according to the online courses she’d taken, the availability of reliable workers could make or break a company.
“Come on,” Ivy said in a soft, singsong tone. “Our plan is totally solid.”
Dani narrowed her eyes. “Exactly how would this work?”
“Mrs. Edwards says we have to be out of our apartment by Sunday, and we’re all enrolled in the summer session at school, which starts the week after finals. Which, by the way, we currently have no place to live while we take them,” Ivy said. “If you give the okay, our parents will meet with you, then we’ll all sign some sort of agreement as to the rules and rent.”
“Hmm.” Dani thought it over, then said, “I’d also want a clause guaranteeing me a certain number of hours that you all would work for me.”
“Bring it on.” Starr motioned with her fingers.
“Totally,” Tippi agreed.
“No problem,” Ivy chimed in, then paused and added, “Oh, I almost forgot. Our parents also want Uncle Spence to check with you every week to see how we’re behaving.”
Tippi snorted. “Yeah. Can you believe we’re almost twenty-one and they think we need not one, but two babysitters?”
“Contrary to popular belief, no one owes you anything. Even your folks have met their obligations once you reach eighteen,” Dani pointed out. “You could always refuse.”
“Not really.” Red flooded Starr’s face. “We have three choices. The dorm. You and Spence. Or no more money from our parents.”
“Yep.” Ivy snickered. “They have us by the checkbook.” She shot Tippi a dirty look and added, “And not all of us are close to twenty-one.”
“All of us who aren’t geniuses,” retorted Tippi.
“Whatever.” Ivy stuck out her tongue at Tippi, then turned to Dani and said, “But we’d all be thrilled to stay here. We think it would be even better than the apartment.”
“My bad.” Tippi dipped her chin apologetically. “I’d love to live with you, Dani. I’m just ticked that my parents don’t trust me.”
“I understand.” Dani turned her face to hide her smile. These young women hadn’t yet learned that trust had to be earned. “However, I will need to look into the legalities and do some cost analysis to figure out how much rent to charge you.”
“At least as much as the dorms.” Ivy winked.
“Absolutely.” Dani grinned.
She was beginning to get on board with the idea. She already felt like the girls’ older sister. She could easily give them their freedom but with the security of rules to keep them safe. And with the added bonus of filling the three finished guest suites on the second floor without resorting to renting them out to strangers.
“You’ll give me your words that you’ll obey the rules and not sneak around behind my back?” Dani met each girl’s eyes.
“APAF!” the trio shouted in unison.
“Huh?” Dani blinked. What in the heck is an APAF?
Ivy snickered, then explained, “Absolute promise as friends.”
Dani chuckled. “Got it.”
Shaking her head, Dani hoped her dealings with Spencer Drake wouldn’t be too challenging. From some of Ivy’s comments, she thought that the old cop might be a bit of a curmudgeon.
Hmm. Would her new recipe for apple cider crullers win him over? Cops were supposed to love doughnuts, and she’d bet that applied to retired ones too.
Once Dani agreed, the girls immediately called their parents. To seal the deal, Dani made them her newest recipe creation, bruschetta pizza. The whole-wheat crust and balsamic vinegar–infused sauce was a big hit, and as they all worked cleaning up the kitchen, Dani’s heart warmed.
Having her young friends live with her was a good idea. It would be too easy to withdraw into this huge mansion. And the last thing Dani wanted was to turn into a bitter recluse like her father, who only left his house for work.
• • •
Less than a week later, after meeting with the girls’ parents and getting the rules and rent agreements signed, Ivy, Tippi, and Starr had moved in. The young women each had a private suite, which included a bedroom, a sitting area with space for a desk, and a bathroom.
Unfortunately, one of the three finished rooms had a pair of twin beds instead of the kings in the other two, and Tippi had drawn the short straw. This had caused a bit of a rift among the three friends, and Dani hoped Tippi would get over her disappointment before it hurt the girls’ friendship.
The girls were allowed full use of the first floor, but unless invited, they were forbidden from entering the third story, which contained Dani’s personal living quarters. All meals were provided, and each girl agreed to work up to ten hours a week for Chef-to-Go as part of the rent. Their parents had particularly liked that clause in the contract. And Ivy’s mother, who had been a master sergeant in the air force, had announced that KP would straighten out the girls and make them “fly right.”
While getting the mansion ready for Ivy, Starr, and Tippi to take up residence, Dani had begun an advertising campaign for her business. She’d already acquired quite a few steady customers for her sack lunches, as well as one couple who had begun hiring her as their personal chef a couple of nights a week. Now, she just needed to get the catering arm of her company off the ground.
A week after her tenants settled in, instead
