Running her hand lovingly across the four-sided stainless island that contained two commercial stoves, a griddle, a broiler, a salamander, sink, pot filler, and a built-in ice container all integrated in the countertop, she still wondered why Mrs. Cook had thought she needed such a lavish setup to serve breakfasts. Oh well. She wasn’t about to look a gift benefactress in the mouth.
Dani patted the island affectionately. She was so lucky to have a space versatile enough to use for all three parts of her company. Simultaneously handling the trio of businesses was going to be tough, but the mansion’s setup made it a lot less stressful.
The kitchen was spacious enough to prep all the food she would need for her catering gigs, and with the addition of the pass-through window that she’d had installed near the back door, it made selling the sack lunches a snap.
And the restaurant-sized refrigerator was a dream come true for storing the perishables she needed for her personal chef services.
Dani hummed her satisfaction as she began to clean up the mess she and Ivy had left behind in their haste to get the lunches ready. She was placing the last dirty bowl into the dishwasher when a bell chimed to indicate that her first customer had arrived.
Sliding open the window, Dani smiled at one of her regulars and said, “Good morning, Abby. Today, we have the Fowling for U, a turkey sub, fresh fruit, and an oatmeal carmelita.”
Abby Goodman had told Dani that she was finishing her sophomore year at NU and struggled to find healthy eating options on campus. From her unhappy manner, it seemed she was struggling with more than her quest to find nutritious food.
“Sounds yummy.” Abby’s mouth tilted up briefly, then she wrinkled her brow and asked, “How many carbs in the dessert?”
Dani glanced at the printed list taped to the wall and said, “About thirty grams.”
“Sugar?”
“Close to eleven grams.”
Initially, Dani had been surprised at the questions her patrons had asked her about carbs, calories, and fats, but now she was prepared.
“That’s acceptable.” Abby tapped her credit card on the machine attached to the narrow shelf. Taking the red-and-white-striped paper sack, she waved and said, “See you tomorrow.”
Marveling at the girl’s willpower, Dani watched the young woman hop onto her bike and head toward the university. Abby routinely refused any part of the meal that didn’t meet her nutritional goals. The gorgeous college coed was already model-thin. Apparently, she intended to stay that way.
When the serving window swished open next, Dani’s eyes watered and she blinked back tears. It was another of her frequent flyers, a guy that Dani had nicknamed Smokey. He always stank of cigarettes, stale sweat, and beer. Dani hadn’t been surprised that he ordered the indulgent meals versus the nutritious ones. Healthy habits didn’t seem to be high on this student’s priority list.
It was a little after two by the time Dani sold the last lunch-to-go and finished prepping for the following day. Her boarders’ supper was in the slow cooker, and she didn’t have to be at the Karneses’ until six o’clock to begin her personal chef duties. The university professor and his plastic surgeon wife liked to eat at seven thirty, and even with the two additional guests they’d added at the last minute, it wouldn’t take her more than ninety minutes to cook their dinner.
Because the university’s summer classes were three to four hours long and each course required more study time than a semester-long class, Ivy, Tippi, and Starr were gone most of the day. This meant that the house was empty, and she intended to enjoy the solitude.
Yawning, Dani rubbed her tired eyes. This past month, she’d really been pushing herself and she was bone tired. But she couldn’t let up now. Not when the business was still in its infancy. She just needed a long bubble bath and maybe a power nap. Then she’d get her second wind and be ready to feed the picky professor and his snooty wife.
Climbing the stairs to the third floor, Dani admired Mrs. Cook’s taste. Her grandmother’s friend had possessed an excellent eye for both form and function. Unlike the antiques in the first-floor rooms, the well-appointed owner’s quarters contained beautiful yet comfortable furniture. And the spa-like bathroom was straight out of HGTV.
While the claw-foot tub filled, Dani grabbed her MP3 player from the bedside table and Mrs. Cook’s journal, then stripped off her clothes. Sinking into the hot water, she felt her muscles relax.
The first time Dani had met with Mrs. Cook’s lawyer, he had handed her a stack of books. There was a note rubber banded to the covers, and in beautiful copperplate handwriting, Mrs. Cook had asked Dani to read her diaries. Mrs. Cook had started journaling when she entered college, and Dani’s grandmother Kathryn was mentioned on nearly every page.
Dani had been going through the books for the past six months and was currently reading the year in which her mother and father had gotten married. Evidently, Dani’s mother and grandmother had been at odds from the very beginning.
Mrs. Cook had recorded a conversation she’d had with Dani’s grandmother. Apparently, Kathryn had found the perfect dress and showed it to Dani’s mom, Jenna. A week later, Jenna had called Kathryn and told her that she couldn’t wear the dress because her own mother was wearing one just like it.
Mrs. Cook had been surprised that Kathryn didn’t argue and readily agreed to get a new gown. Mrs. Cook had asked her friend if she was returning the original dress since she wouldn’t have any other occasion to wear something that fancy,
