Page 73 of Cooking Up My Comeback

“What do you think?” she asks. “About Joe’s approach, I mean. Community over profit?”

“I think he’s found a way to make them the same thing. Happy community equals sustainable profit.”

“That’s very philosophical of you.”

“I have my moments.”

We finish lunch and walk through the village, ostensibly to observe how other businesses operate but really just to enjoy the afternoon. The streets are lined with weathered cottages and massive live oaks, everything moving at the kind of pace that reminds you there’s more to life than deadlines and stress.

“Ice cream?” Amber asks, nodding toward a small shop with a hand-painted sign.

“For research purposes?”

“Obviously. We need to understand local dessert preferences.”

We buy ice cream and find a bench overlooking the harbor, eating in comfortable silence while tourists take pictures and locals go about their Saturday afternoon business.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Amber says.

“Just thinking about what Joe said. About knowing who you’re serving.”

“And?”

“I think we’re serving the same community. People who want good food, fair prices, and a place that feels like home.”

“Even when we disagree about how to get there?”

I look at her, remembering our conversation in her kitchen, the way she challenged me to think beyond just business metrics. “Especially then. We balance each other out.”

“Is that what we do?”

“Among other things.”

She’s quiet for a moment, then says, “I’m glad we came today. Not just for the research, but for this. Time to talk without worrying about permits or schedules or what Penelope’s planning next.”

“Speaking of Penelope, any word on when the council’s making their decision about waterfront development?”

“Not yet. But I have a feeling she’s not done trying to undermine us.”

“Let her try. After seeing this place, I’m more confident than ever that we’re on the right track.”

“Even with all my community-over-profit idealism?”

“Especially because of that.” I turn to face her fully. “You were right, you know. About caring being what makes it worth doing. I needed to remember that.”

“And you were right about needing solid business practices to make it sustainable. We need both.”

“Partners who balance each other out?”

“Partners who balance each other out,” she agrees.

But there’s something in the way she says it,something that suggests we’re talking about more than just business partnership. And when she reaches over to brush a drop of ice cream from my shirt, her hand lingers just a moment longer than necessary.

“We should probably head back,” she says finally, checking her watch. “Don’t want to miss the ferry.”

The ride back is different from the trip over. Quieter, but not uncomfortable. We stand at the rail as Hatteras Island shrinks behind us, as I process not just what we learned about running a restaurant, but what we confirmed about working together.

“Thank you,” Amber says as the mainland comes into view. “For being open to Joe’s approach today and not rolling your eyes when I got sentimental about community values.”