He hurried off to his office and shut the door, leaving her standing there stunned.
“Did you mean to get roped into that one, Lena, or did Brad badger you into it?” Mrs. Watkins was leaning her elbows on the counter watching her, a knowing smile on her face.
What the hell did I just let myself in for? “Um, I don’t really know what happened.” Lena wiped a hand across her brow before she turned to the school secretary. “What’s the Grill and Swill? Please tell me it’s not what I think it is.”
Mrs. Watkins smiled and nodded her head. “I think it is. Sorry, Lena. But it’s the biggest fundraiser we have and we really need the money or we’ll have to close the pool down. The kids don’t want that and neither do the parents, so we have no choice but to raise the cash ourselves.”
This was all happening way too fast. “Shit.” She shook her head feeling the sides crawling in on her. First Gail wanting cakes, then cooking for the guy next door, and now this. Nothing was going the way she’d planned on it when she decided to move back home. “When is it?” Please say next year or next century.
“In about four weeks. We usually have a couple of the dads man the barbeque, but they can’t do it this year and nobody else has put their hand up. Probably why Brad pounced on you so fast.” The secretary watched her, no doubt waiting for her to come up with excuses for why it wouldn’t happen, much like the homework excuses Lena used to make when she was given detention for failing to produce on time. Being an adult meant she had to act like one now.
Just give in gracefully or you’ll look like a loser. “I guess I’m stuck then, but I need more information. How many people, when and where, what to cook, you name it. I need to know everything you can tell me.” She twisted her hands together, the knot in her gut churning away. “What’s the budget? Who’s going to tell me all this?” Stupid is as stupid does, Lena, stupid.
“Are you still talking to Gail Wilson, I mean Gail Masterton as she is now?”
“Yes, I’m on my way there soon as I finish here to catch up over coffee.” I’m going to need more than coffee at this rate.
“She’s head of the P & C. Ask her anything you want to know. Gail has it all under control.” Mrs. Watkins patted Lena on the arm in a motherly fashion. “You’ll do fine Lena. We all know what a great cook you turned out to be and a real trooper to boot. This year is going to be special, you mark my words.”
Oh great, no pressure. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. I mean that too.” How the hell do I manage to get myself roped into these things? Lena turned and walked out of the office, and headed for her car.
* * *
“I don’t believe he conned me like that.” Lena sipped the strong brew and sighed. “How could I be so stupid as to get caught up in it?”
Gail plated the pastries Lena’s father had delivered that morning. “You girl, can cook like a legend so you can’t use the old ‘I’m no good at that,’ excuse. I’m so glad you came home.” She licked her fingers before reaching for a cloth. Gail wiped her hands, and then she placed the plate in the cool cake display case. She stood back and looked at what she now had for sale. “Girlfriend, you are awesome to save me like this.”
“Seems everyone wants me to save them.” Who’s going to save my butt? Yeah that’s right, no one. She groaned when Gail laughed.
“Look, the last thing you need to do is mope around the house. You can’t argue with me cause I’m right, you’re happier with a spatula in your hand whipping up something delicious and don’t say you aren’t. After all the years we spent together, I know you too well.” Gail perched her butt down on the stool next to Lena and grabbed her coffee mug, taking a quick sip. “Tell me what’s going on. Who wants a piece of you?”
One very handsome guy. “Have you met the new neighbor? Adam, the guy who brought the old dairy farm?”
“Yes, a couple of times actually. He’s been in for coffee, why?”
“The parents get on well with him and he was over last night for dinner. Seems he’s been in my old restaurant in Sydney and told me to be sure to make him a meal every now and then if that’s going to help me out.” She rubbed her hands over her face. “I didn’t even want to start cooking again until I had a chance to work out what I want to do with my life.”
“And then I stuffed up your well laid out plans eh?” She grinned and Lena couldn’t help but smile back when Gail nudged her with her knee. The gesture brought back childhood memories and a rush of nostalgia to the pair of them.
It was good to be home again. “Yes you did, again or should I say as usual.” This is what she’d needed. A sense of security washed over Lena, something she knew had been missing while living in Sydney. “Seems Papa’s been talking to him and thinking ahead as he does and all but signed a damned lease for me. And to top it off, I was at school signing Kyle in this morning and I don’t know what the heck happened but I got roped into being in charge of the Grill and
