Part 14 (1/2)
”Do something,” he told Penny. ”She's asking my opinion about waiters.”
”There are so many to choose from,” Naomi said, suddenly focused on Reid. ”Well, h.e.l.lo. You didn't head off to spring training.”
”Not this year.”
”That's too bad. I always enjoy watching you work. You move really well.”
Penny s.h.i.+vered. ”Stop it. You guys are my friends. I can't deal with this.”
Reid flashed her a grin. ”You're going to have to get over it.” He held out his hand to Naomi. ”Shall we?”
”We shall.”
They strolled off together.
Penny watched them go. ”I don't know which one to worry about. I suppose it's been inevitable. They've known each other for years. But Reid was always coming or going and Naomi...” She paused. ”I'm not sure why she waited this long. At least she'll help keep his mind off the season starting.”
”Nothing against your friend, but no woman could do that.”
”Then she'll be a distraction.”
Cal shrugged. ”Probably.”
”Naomi can handle him. She can handle anyone.”
”She's had the practice.”
Penny was about to take offense for her friend when she realized Cal wasn't talking to her. Oh, he'd faced her and was therefore pointing in the right direction, but his attention was far more on her chest than her face.
She'd never had the kind of body that commanded men's attention and it felt good to have it now. Twisted, but good.
”Shall we?” she asked, pointing to the crowd.
”Why not?”
They dove back in.
CAL WOKE UP in a great mood. The party the previous night had gone well and he was expecting a lot of positive press from the event. Even more important, people would talk about Penny's food and that would bring in customers as much as any article. If the opening went as smoothly as the party, then he would have achieved the success he wanted in four months and he could bow out and return to The Daily Grind.
He showered, shaved and was about to pick out his clothes for the day when his phone rang. He glanced at the clock. Who the h.e.l.l would be calling at ten past seven in the morning?
He instantly thought of Walker. Had something happened to his brother? He reached for the phone.
”Dammit, Cal, this is your fault,” Penny yelled before he had a chance to say h.e.l.lo. ”Get down here right now. To the restaurant,” she added. ”I mean it. You have twenty minutes.” Then she hung up.
A push, but he made it with forty-five seconds to spare. Whatever the crisis was, he planned to have a little talk with her about manager-chef relations.h.i.+ps. She might be in charge of the kitchen but that didn't make her boss of the world.
He pulled into the parking lot and circled around back. As he'd suspected, the morning deliveries were stacked outside the rear of the building. Penny stood there with a very tousled Naomi at her side.