I struggle to keep the smile on my lips as I walk out to the SUV. All week I was looking forward to this meeting and showing Jonathan all of the progress that we've made.
Today Joseph was going to wow him with the new menu and Erin was going to share the rebranding plan. It's only fair after how much effort she's put in that the restaurant carries her name, not Damiens.
I feel my eyes begin to water as I pull onto the bypass, heading to the restaurant. There's no reason to be this upset, he offered to cancel and I told him not to...
But I wanted him to...
Before my makeup can be ruined I crack the windows and turn up the radio, trying to clear my mind. Erin has worked so hard I owe her my full, unburdened attention.
The full parking lot as I pull up to the restaurant makes me smile. Business has steadily grown and word of mouth is travelling fast.
Erin is waiting at the podium as I walk through the front entrance. She beams at me instantly walking over to greet me.
"Your timing is perfect as always," she says, guiding me towards one of the private rooms. I notice on our way through the main dining area the subtle upgrades they've done.
They've opted to keep the Mediterranean decore the same as it fits the new brand. Everything from the earth tone colour scheme to the natural wood accents will stay but they've opted to update the lighting to a more rustic motif.
I don't miss how full the interior is, nor the happy chatter and delicious aroma completing the atmosphere. For a weekday lunch crowd I'm blown away and curious what the weekends are like.
"Are you sure you're not too busy?" I ask, nodding to the masses.
Erin grins and tucks a loose strand of her flaming locks behind her ear. "They've got this, if they need something, don't worry, we'll hear about it."
I sigh and sink down in the chair, savouring the silence of the private dining room as she closes the door behind us. The table has numerous documents spread across it, clearly waiting for my arrival.
"I take it Jonathan won't be joining us?" She asks cautiously. When I nod I see a flash of disappointment in her warm brown eyes but she recovers instantly.
"Sorry," I mumble, tucking my purse away.
"Don't be." Erin smiles and hands me a glass of ice water. She bites her lip for a moment as if debating something with herself and takes a deep breath. "Maybe this is for the best... I had something I wanted to discuss but was originally going to wait until after we finished the contract."
Her cryptic phrasing has my attention as Erin always cuts to the chase. "What is it?"
"Well, as you know we've already cut out payback time in half right?" She leads as if softening a blow.
"Yeah, down from six months to three, do you need the full six now?" I ask trying to follow. Erin has been working extra hard to clean up the mess Damien left her in and with business booming she's made the most of it.
"No, well maybe?" She scrunches up her face and slumps in her chair.
"Which is it?" I ask with a laugh.
"We have an opportunity. One that wasn't supposed to come up for a few more months," she leads, watching for a reaction.
"When you'd be free and clear," I finish for her, catching on. "So what is it?"
"The marina adjacent to the restaurant is available. Now I know what you're thinking," she blurts out, digging through the papers to pull a site map and balance sheet to the top.
"It's barely a marina, just a few docks but more than enough space to accommodate our marine patrons! And we could open a dockside patio seating area for the summer." Erin talks non-stop for twenty minutes going over every advantage and possible drawback as well as her projections.
Half of what she says goes right over my head but the thought and effort she's put into working out every detail speaks volumes. In a well-developed area like this, I can see just how rare of an opportunity this is.
"What's the bottom line?" I finally ask, cutting off her further explanation.
She sighs and her shoulders slump as if she thinks I've already said no. "The bottom line is we'll either need an extension or a new contract."
"How long?" I ask as I flip through their current statement.
"Six months?" She replies with a shrug. "Honestly I can't tell? Business is great, but we can't seat any more patrons, this would give us more seating, but there are inspections, and no one has gotten back to me..."
I struggle to suppress a laugh, remembering when the city tried to give Anne the run around on inspection. She showed up and let them know exactly who they were dealing with and had her inspection in the week.
"I might know someone to help with the inspectors," I offer.
"Seriously, that would be amazing! The old man that lived there kept the dock in pristine condition, we just have to upgrade the railings and put in an awning." Her eyes light up like a kid on Christmas, imagining the possibilities.
Inwardly I debate if I should give her the greenlight without talking to Jonathan first, but I've seen the accounts. He's not relying on her payback for any projects and he did say she is my account to manage...
"So what do you think?" Her hands are locked together as if in silent prayer as she waits on my answer.
"I look forward to reserving a spot on the new patio," I answer with a smile. Erin lets out a short squeal and claps, barely able to contain her excitement.
"You won't regret this!" She promises.
The next two hours are spent testing out menu additions and going over branding options. With the expansion on the waterfront, she decides to hold off on renaming until after the reno.
I leave the restaurant feeling lighter than when I got there. Even grocery shopping is a breeze. I make sure to get Jonathan his junk food, the man has an insatiable sweet tooth and we're long past due for a movie night.
As I head out with my full cart to my car I spot Leo waiting by his cab. He waves and jogs over with an easy smile. "Fancy meeting you here," he chirps.
"Likewise," I reply with a laugh, pausing at my trunk.
"Mrs. Brown's weekly trip," he replies with a shrug. "She likes for me to wait, but refuses to let me come in and help. Speaking of that, let me get that for you." Leo doesn't wait for my answer and picks up the heavy case of water and sets it effortlessly into the back of the SUV.
"Oh you don't have to do that," I say, feeling my cheeks heat. Leo just grins as he quickly empties the cart.
"Gives me something to do while I wait." He pauses a moment as he looks me over, like he sees me in a new light. "You look good...happy."
My whole body heats under his attention and I nod. Suddenly I remember the last time he saw me was when I tried to run away, I felt so crushed thinking that Jonathan didn't want me anymore. Leaving would have been the biggest mistake of my life. "I am."
"Looks good on you," he replies with a wink as he pushes the empty cart to the cart corral. "Was great seeing you again, but duty calls." With a final wave, Leo jogs back to his cab where an elderly lady waits with her cart full of groceries. "Don't be a stranger."
With a final smile I pull out and head for home, feeling back to myself. By the time I get there, Jonathan should be finished with the last appointment of the day and I can cook us a nice dinner and maybe we can do a movie night.
The driveway is empty telling me my thoughts were right and the client is long gone. I grab the first two bags and head up to the front door. Just as I reach for it, the door swings open revealing a shirtless Jonathan.
I stand frozen in place as my gaze roams across his damp chest, noting the water droplets still clinging stubbornly to his freshly trimmed beard and messy hair.
"Hi," I breathe out, forcing my witts to come back. Jonathan grins, clearly pleased with his effect on me.
"Angel," he greats, stealing a quick kiss and the bags from my arms.
"Thanks." My heart flutters wildly in my chest as I watch him disappear into the kitchen.
"Did you have a good afternoon?" He calls, stopping me before I can make it back to the car.
"Very." I smile. "Though I ate enough for both of us."
"Oh?" He asks, walking back over with his brow arched. "So you're in no rush for dinner then?"
"No, but I can still cook..." The dark grin on his face wipes the words from my mind as I feel the very air around us shift.
"In that case," he says, stalking towards me. "I want you to go upstairs and take a quick shower."
"B-but the groceries," I stammer, my wide eyes locked on his.
"Bella, they can wait." His tone has my core clenching in anticipation. "You have half an hour. I'll take care of them, I want you to present at the end of our bed. Half an hour Bella." Jonathan doesn't even wait for my answer before he heads back out for the rest.
"Yes Sir."