Boone regarded him skeptically. “Tell me your thinking,” he suggested, rather than immediately blowing the idea out of the water based on costs alone.
“I think we could find our niche there, I really do,” Pete said, clearly excited by Boone’s willingness to listen. “Nobody’s doing exactly what we do.”
“Okay, let’s go with that premise,” Boone said, though he didn’t entirely buy that there weren’t plenty of seafood restaurants in a city the size of New York. “The cost for real estate is much higher than it is here, whether we lease or buy. Employee costs are going to be higher, too. So are food prices. That means we couldn’t serve a meal for anything like the prices on our menu here.”
“No,” Pete agreed, “but New Yorkers are used to paying more for quality.”
Boone continued to play devil’s advocate. He wanted Pete to realize the downside on his own. “And what happens when one of our regulars from here or one of the other cities goes to New York, decides to order one of our signature dishes they’re used to getting for under twenty bucks and sees a bill for twice that? Maybe even more?”
“How often would that happen?” Pete argued, though he seemed less sure of himself.
“More than I’d like, I’m afraid,” Boone said. “A lot of people who discover us here travel to other cities, Pete. I’ve had quite a few customers mention to me that they’ve been to our Norfolk location or to Charlotte. I don’t want them to walk into a restaurant of ours in New York and walk out feeling as if they’ve been cheated. And I don’t see any way around that happening.”
“But making it big in New York could establish us on the national playing field,” Pete said. “We’d have people begging us to open in other cities.”
“If it happened that way, it would be incredible,” Boone agreed. “I’m more worried that a failure could destroy our reputation.”
“We wouldn’t fail,” Pete said confidently.
Boone shook his head. “Sorry, Pete, I think we need to focus on these other options where we can provide quality food for reasonable prices.”
There was no mistaking Pete’s disappointment. Boone even understood it. Pete was eager to make his mark in the restaurant business, and he clearly believed the place to do that was New York where celebrity chefs abounded and fine dining was an art form.
“Pete, will you be satisfied with anything other than New York?” Boone asked pointedly. “One of the reasons you and I have always worked so well together is that we’ve been on the same page.”
“I have to admit it throws me that you’re questioning my judgment like this,” Pete admitted, then sighed. “But to be honest, I can see your point. I don’t like it, but I can see it.”
Boone studied his friend. He sensed there was something else behind this desire to tackle New York. “Is there some reason you’re so anxious to get to New York, other than the challenge of that competitive environment?”
For a moment Pete looked so startled by the question that Boone almost took pity on him and let it go.
“A woman?” Boone guessed.
Pete stared at him as if he’d suddenly displayed a previously unknown talent for ESP. “How the heck did you figure that out? I haven’t said a word about her.”
Boone grinned. “I recognized the symptoms. So, what’s the scoop? Are you serious about her?”
“There hasn’t been time to get serious,” Pete said with frustration. “We met in Norfolk when she was there to welcome her brother home when his navy ship got back into port after being at sea for a year. She’s been back a couple of times. I flew up to New York for a few days right before this whole hurricane thing came up and I had to get back here. She got me excited about the possibility of living up there.”
Boone thought of his own complicated long-distance situation. “And is living in New York the only way you can see this relationship working out?”
“Of course not,” Pete said. “I just got caught up in the idea, that’s all. Who knows if it will even work with this woman? She’s a high-powered attorney. We’ve had a lot of fun together. She likes good food and great wine, so we hit some excellent restaurants in New York. That’s when I started sizing up the competition.”
“And?”
“I think we’re as good as, if not better than, most. Lexie—that’s her name, short for Alexandra—agreed. I figure she’s pretty savvy.” He shook his head. “I have to admit, after seeing her on her home turf, I started wondering what she saw in me.”
“Even without a New York restaurant you can point to, you’re pretty successful in this field,” Boone reminded him. “You certainly know food and wine, which you said matter to her. Don’t sell yourself short.”
Pete grinned. “She seems to think I have a few other things going for me,” he admitted. “And thank goodness we can both afford the airfare.”
“Maybe I’ll even throw in a couple of tickets to New York with your bonus this year,” Boone said. “Now, let’s get serious about these other possibilities. Which one was at the top of the list if we leave your libido out of the mix?”
Pete laughed, clearly not taking offense. “I’d have to say Charleston, especially if we can find the right location in the historic district. I gave you my notes on a couple of properties that would work.”
Boone nodded. “I’ve always liked Charleston. Let’s take a trip down there in the next couple of days. I’ll have to bring B.J. along, but we should be able to get the lay of the land. See about setting up the usual appointments with a Realtor, the Chamber of Commerce, the mayor, maybe a couple of other key players.”
“Got it,” Pete said, his good mood restored. “When
