Page 102 of Lady Luck

“This is what I’m thinking.” She turned her gaze to me. “You have experience serving, yes? I already know you are pleasant to be around. The customers will love you.”

When I confirmed my experience, she nodded. “Good. You and Monny will take the front today, and Liem and I will be in the back. We’ll be offering the crab cake and hot honey chicken biscuits again this morning. Monny already wrote your recipes down, but we’ll do one of each as a test. Once you both approve—” She glanced at her husband, then back at me. “—we’ll officially offer them.”

“I’ll make a sign for them to put on the counter if we have time,” Liem offered.

Mrs. Lott smiled her approval. “Any questions?”

Marching orders given, we dispersed, but not before Liem stopped by for a quick, sweet hug and a tug on my perfect French-braided pigtails.

Monny situated himself behind the counter, pulling himself out of his wheelchair and onto the raised chair behind the register as I started to take the chairs down from the tables, getting the small dining room ready for service before tackling the patio.

I pushed the information about Vinh’s possible negative reaction away, having faith that, over time, we would learn these things about each other.

And believing that no matter if we embraced, eased, or healed them, we’d do so together.

39

VINH

I’d been on the road for an hour and Bree hadn’t responded to the text I’d sent when I left, so I took the next exit and pulled over at the first gas station I found and texted Liem.

You guys good? I’ll be back in about an hour.

I filled the tank, and when I got back in the car, Liem had sent a photo message. I opened it, studying the selfie he’d taken in front of a giant pan of biscuits with Mom’s profile visible in the background.

Sweat broke out on my scalp and my heart went from canter to gallop. Was Bree at Ari’s too?

I really thought I’d dealt with a lot of this, or at least had been conditioned to it. My family members had all cooked in that kitchen regularly over the last few months, but the thought of Bree there….

Whether it was the anxiety of not seeing her for several days or being so off routine for so long, my mind decided to play a game of worst-case scenario.

Rapid-fire images of my worst fears flashed across my mind. A dry, misplaced towel, one carelessly placed pan of hot oil… panic resulting in bad decisions. I pressed my forehead against the steering wheel, trying to speed through the images as fast as possible so I could extinguish them, but they kept coming.

Dad needing extra help to get out with his wheelchair, his exit options limited.

Customers blocking the exits.

Mom or Liem—or both—trying to be a hero.

Bree getting left behind.

No.

No.

I flexed my hands on the wheel and forced myself to raise my head and take in my surroundings, but it was all a blur as spots danced in my vision.

Experience was a giant asshole in this instance because I’d lived through a freak accident. I’d survived one. I knew they happened and couldn’t unknow it. Even if I was older and wiser—or at least, more anxious and stringent about safety—my preparations could still be in vain.

Ari’s had brand-new detection systems and sprinklers that exceeded regulations and legal requirements.

I’d built ramps at every exit.

All the windows opened and were in good condition.

I lectured my family on safety protocol as often as people around here told alligator stories.

I mentally cycled through every bit of safety prep I’d done at Ari’s, the houseboat, their new rental, and finally the gas pumps came through in high definition, and the sun rose.

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