Dinner Time Romance
Mindy strapped on her waitress apron, sticking her server book in the front. Britney had called in sick again and she was short staffed. If it wasn’t for the long list of things needing to be done, she wouldn’t mind. She loved dealing with customers.
Especially tall, dark, handsome customers with twinkling eyes and a hearty laugh. She noticed Gary as soon as Shel, her hostess, led him and his gorgeous, blonde haired date into the dining room. He usually ate alone or with business associates. Not today. Mindy watched him pull out the blonde’s seat. Today, he was clearly on a date.
She didn’t know why that made her sad. He wasn’t anything to her, only a favorite customer. She plastered a smile on her face as she approached the table. “Good evening. I’m Mindy. I’ll be your waitress today.”
“I think not,” the blonde snipped, refusing to sit. Gary stood behind her, his knuckles white on the chair back.
“P…pardon?” Mindy blinked.
“I’m not eating here.” A blood red top lip curled. “I didn’t wear this.” She smoothed down a designer dress, her gold sandals glittering. “To eat here.” Blue eyes looked around the family style restaurant with horror.
Mindy stared at the beautiful woman, unsure of what to do. The restaurant was called Mama’s Place. What did she expect?
“The food’s great here, Gwen,” Gary’s soothing tones rolled over Mindy, pacifying her. He wouldn’t eat there once a week if he didn’t think the food was great.
“It’s Gwenyth and I’m sure they have best burgers in town.”
Mindy opened her mouth. They DID have the best burgers in town.
“What about me says burgers and fries, Gary?” She turned to him.
Gary’s brown eyes met Mindy’s. “You’re right, Gwenyth.” Extra emphasis on the ‘yth’. “I don’t know what I was thinking.” His smile was sad. “Sorry about this, Mindy.”
“Not a problem. I understand.” That she might be losing him as a customer, especially if he continued dating the burger hating beauty.
“You apologized to her? Our waitress?” Mindy heard the blonde sneer as they left. “You should be apologizing to ME.”
Flowers arrived for Mindy the next day. No message, only a scrawled G on the card.
“Mindy.” Deb paused by the beverage station, a loaded drink tray in her hand, a nervous smile on her face. “Would you be able to help me with table number eight? The Japanese tourists have me running.”
“Of course.” Deb was her best server. She wouldn’t ask for help if it wasn’t absolutely needed. Mindy grabbed her apron.
Then she saw who was seated at table number eight. Had her running, her foot. The girls had been tittering about him ever since the flowers. Now there he was. Gary was seated, handsome as always, this time with a brunette wearing a wonderfully cozy looking knit sweater. The woman chattered away, bright eyed, smiling. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he spotted Mindy.
Mindy waited near the table for the woman to stop talking. And waited and waited and waited. Was she invisible? Did Gary’s date not see her?
Finally, Gary broke in. “Pats, dear, Mindy is here.” Mindy, not ‘our waitress.’
Mindy felt a bit better. “Good evening. I’m Mindy. I’ll be your waitress today.”
“Mindy.” A genuinely warm smile from the woman. “I’m glad you’re here, Gary has told me so much about you.” He had? “I’ll need help ordering. I feel like fish but not salmon and not something caught in the wild. Though sometimes I wonder why catching fish in the wild is worse than farm fish.” Gary cleared his throat. “Wouldn’t the fish in the wild at least have some freedom? While farm fish are in little fish prisons. Those poor fish. Like the documentary I saw last night with the chickens.”
“I’ll have the meatloaf,” Gary interrupted.
“Extra onions, extra sauce.” Mindy knew the way he liked it.
“Yes.”
“Oh, Mindy, Gary said you were the best.” He did? “About the fish, I see you have Atlantic Cod…”
Then next day, more flowers were delivered. The card was signed with a floating ‘G.’ Under the ‘G’ was an email address.
“Table number three refuses to have any waitress other than you, Mindy.” The now too healthy Brit bounced into the kitchen.
“Me?” Mindy poked her head out of the walk in fridge.
“No one but you.” Brit grinned. “Oh, you’re his faaaavvvvorite.” She hugged herself, making smacking noises with her teenaged lips.
“Brit, respect zee boss.” Mindy was about to thank Maurice when he added “Et respect l’amour.” The chef air kissed his fingers. “L’amour et la nourriture, zee love et zee food, zhey make life worth living.”
“Give it a rest, guys. Six to one, he’s on another date.” Though Mindy hoped not as she hustled into the dining room, smoothing down her flyaway hair.
That hope faded as she saw the tall, dark haired lady sitting across from Gary. A date. After the emails, the daily telephone calls, she started to believe that… but no, he must see her as a friend.
“Mindy.” Gary scrambled to his feet. His date did the same.
“Good evening.” She gave him her brightest smile. “I’ll be your waitress today.”
“Mindy, this is Katherine.” The lady stuck out her hand. Mindy took it, feeling awkward. Her fingers were gently squeezed and then released. “She’s the sister I’ve been telling you about.”
Sister. THAT Katherine.
“Don’t believe everything you hear.” Katherine’s smile was identical to her brother’s. “Though I hope I can. Gare tells me the meatloaf here is out of this world.”
“He does like it.” Mindy gazed at him fondly.
“Mindy, I thought, I figured.” Gary shuffled nervously. “Eat with us,” he blurted out.
“I…” He was asking her to join him?
“Gare, did the move damage your social skills?” Katherine swatted the back of his head. “Truly.” She turned to her. “Mindy, dear, can you do us a favor? Gare is relatively new to town and obviously suffering from some sort of mental illness.” An eye roll in his direction. “And as you’re a local, you’ll know. Do you have a minute to help us decide what to do tomorrow?”
“That is, if you’re not too busy.” Big brown eyes pleaded. “Please Mindy. I have no clue.”
“About women.” Mindy heard his sister mutter.
“I suppose.” But after this, she’ll be having a staff meeting. It shouldn’t take four waitresses and one head chef to clear table number two.
“Great.” Gary pulled out a chair for her.
“What is it?” Mindy asked the manager as she hurried into the restaurant. The first thing she noticed was the quiet. It was never this quiet. Her stomach dropped. Or empty. It had to be bad. The restaurant was always slower on a Tuesday but to be completely empty? “Was there a fire?” The disaster all owners feared.
“No, no,” she was assured. “We just need your answer on something.”
“But…” Mindy followed her. Where was everyone? “Our guests?”
“The restaurant has been rented out for a private function tonight, remember?” said over her shoulder.
Right. Mindy relaxed. But shouldn’t that function have started? It was six o’clock. “Did we run out of something? You know you don’t need an answer from me for that. You have approval to-”
“She isn’t the one asking the question, Mindy.” Gary stood, perfection in a black suit, white shirt, dark tie.
Mindy stopped short. “You had business tonight.” That’s why they couldn’t spend the evening together.
Why were there flowers on the tables? And classical music, not top forty, playing softly?
“I do have business.” He took her left hand. “Serious business.” He dropped to his knee and Mindy’s heart dropped with him. “Life changing business.” He fumbled around in his breast pocket, taking out a blue box. His hands were shaking. “Mindy, you know I love you…” A pause. “And your meatloaf.” A grin. “But mostly you. Would you feed me for the rest of your life?” He opened the box. A diamond winked back.
For the rest of her life. Forever with Gary. Mindy gave him a nervous, wet smile. “I will. I will.” And she was being swung up, into his arms, his lips on hers.
There was clapping and cheering from the kitchen. “We have zee love,” a big voice boomed, “now for zee food!”
