Page 26 of Forty, Flirty & Fall Inn

"Brave would have been leaving before Derek cheated with my best friend’s fresh-out-of-college daughter," I mutter.

Linda resumes her work, humming what sounds suspiciously like a wedding march."Sometimes we need big shock to make big change."

"Exactly," Claire agrees."And now you're available for someone better.Like inn-crashing, blue-eyed billionaires.”

"Speaking of the inn," I say, desperate to change the subject."I need help.The Johnson wedding expects catering for thirty people Saturday night, and…” realization dawns, “…shit.”

“What?”

“I sort of double-booked with Luke on Saturday.”

Claire's eyes widen."Sage, that's in two days!"

"Hence the panic.I can cook for maybe ten people if I stretch it.Thirty is?—"

"Impossible," Harper finishes."Unless you have help."

"Which I don't.Tommy can fix a drain but not a beef Wellington.Mira's terrified of the stove ever since the flambe incident.And I can't afford to hire anyone."

Harper pulls out her phone."La Famiglia has a new catering service."

"La Famiglia?That's..."I try to calculate the cost."I can't afford them either."

"Mac Gallo-Drake has been helping expand the business.They're doing special rates for local venues."Harper's already typing."I may have already made some inquiries."

"You already—when?"

"Three weeks ago.When you mentioned the chef quit."She looks up from her phone."I'm your sister, Sage.Anticipating your disasters is basically my part-time job."

"I don't have disasters.I have...situations."

"You have disasters," Claire says."Remember the great turkey explosion of 2018?"

"That was one time!"

"The ceiling still has scorch marks," Harper adds.

Linda moves to my other foot, shaking her head."This one even worse.Like you kick rocks for fun."

"I've been doing repairs," I mutter.

"In designer shoes?"Harper asks.

"They're the only nice ones I have left from Seattle.I can't meet guests in sneakers."

"God forbid you appear human," Harper says, but her voice is softer now."Mac says they could help, but there's a catch.Her sister Lucia just left them short-staffed."

"Left?"

"Took a job with some culinary empire in New York.Julian something?Mac said Lucia went out there for what was supposed to be a quick restaurant assessment, called three days later, sounding like she’d been shell-shocked, and then announced she was taking a permanent position."

"That seems sudden," Claire says.

"Very sudden," Harper agrees, giving me a pointed look."Apparently she kept muttering about 'professional boundaries' and something about fork policies?The whole Gallo family's in an uproar."

"Fork policies?"I ask.

"Who knows.The point is, she ran across the country for a 'career opportunity' when everyone could tell something else was going on."Harper's stare intensifies."Sound familiar?"