She closed the lid on the laptop in the early hours of the morning and headed for bed. She had found nothing. Nothing at all that she could afford.
~ * ~
Owen got back to Comfort Crossing early evening the next day. He had made a quick run into New Orleans to look at a property in the warehouse business district near the French Quarter. His research team had sent him a preliminary report on a restaurant there and he wanted to take a look at it in person. Putting a restaurant in a larger city, known for their fabulous food, would be a new business opportunity for his company and he had been debating heading in that direction. As long as he was learning the restaurant business anyway, he might as well branch out. He had liked the area and the research said that part of the city was booming with fancy restaurants and hotels converted from old warehouses. He had sent a report back to his team of further information he needed before he could come to any decision.
He had driven back to Comfort Crossing in the dwindling light. His stomach growled, reminding him he had once again skipped lunch. He pulled into a parking spot outside Magnolia Cafe. Might as well sample something else from their menu. Besides, the restaurant was comfortable, welcoming, and he wanted to try another piece of their delicious pie.
He got Becky Lee as a waitress again and a table by the window. Just a few minutes later, Izzy came into the cafe. He waved at her as soon as she spotted him. She gave him a friendly wave back, then paused to speak with Becky Lee.
Izzy was dressed in a print skirt, practical flats, and a simple green knit top. He bet the green of the blouse brought out the emerald in her eyes. If she would just come a little closer, he could tell.
The next thing he knew, it was like Izzy had read his thoughts. She threaded her way through the tables toward his.
“Hi, Owen.” She flashed him a smile and he could see that, yes indeed, the blouse did bring out the emerald shade in her eyes.
He pulled away from staring at her eyes. “Hi there. You eating alone?”
“Just going to grab a quick dinner.”
“Do you want to join me? I haven’t ordered yet.” He thought it would just be a welcome change from eating alone, that was all.
She paused for a brief moment, then nodded. “That sounds nice. Becky Lee always feels like she has to hover over me if I’m in here eating alone.” Izzy slipped into the seat across from him.
“You need to see my menu?” Owen held it out to her.
Izzy laughed a friendly laugh that poured over him in melodious waves. “No, I pretty much have it memorized. Been the exact same thing for years. Keely, the owner, keeps trying to change it, but her mother shoots her down every time. I guess her mother is technically the owner, but Keely has run the cafe ever since her father died quite a few years back.”
Owen was amused at the fact that Izzy knew the little details in the cafe owner’s life. He doubted if anyone around his condo in Chicago off Michigan Avenue knew a thing about him, much less anyone in the building where his company was located. He had a fascination with small towns, which probably led to him investing in businesses in small towns and helping them turn a profit. Okay, it might have been because his father had always run the company by buying out businesses and closing them. When Owen took over the company, he started doing the exact opposite of his father, he helped to make them profitable.
Becky Lee came over to their table. “So, you two are going to eat together? Good. Hate to see people eating alone. Izzy, glad you decided to come in and eat instead of skipping yet another meal. You work too much, you know that? You should eat more regular meals. What will you have? We’re out of the beef stew.”
Owen listened while Becky Lee rushed through her spiel, a little lost in her staccato jumping of topics. Izzy didn’t even blink at the chastisement or the ramble.
“I’ll have a burger and a vanilla shake.” Izzy turned and looked at Owen.
“I’ll have the same. Fries come with that?”
“Sure do.” Becky Lee nodded as she jotted down their order. She turned and headed back towards the kitchen.
“I’d really like a cold beer with my burger, but Keely’s mom won’t let her get a liquor license for the cafe.” Izzy nodded toward the front of the cafe. “That’s Keely up there in front with the long brown hair.”
“So Keely runs the cafe, but her mother makes the decisions?”
Izzy grinned at him. “That about sums it up.”
He was glad he got to make his own decisions about his company without answering to anyone else. He was pretty sure that he was past the point where he could ever deal with having a boss or having his decisions second guessed. He hadn’t had to deal with that since his father had passed away.