Page 74 of Savannah Sweethearts

I hadn’t known her exact age. She was only a few years younger than me and I felt relieved that she wasn’t younger. “I'm glad to hear that she broke up with him since you didn't approve.” At this point I was grasping for straws on what I might be able to say to keep her on the phone.

“It's not so much that I didn't approve of him as a person, just not for her at this point in her life. I feel like she'd be more suited to this Chef Tierney than to a professor almost fifteen years her senior.”

An idea came to me in a flash. “Why don't we set up a meeting between them? How about I set up a second interview with Chef Tierney and you and your sister can be the taste testers.”

“Mr. Daniels that is quite an idea,” she chuckled. “And I think I like the way you're thinking. Let me know when and we will be there and,” she added, “I hope you will be there too.”

“Guaranteed.” Wild horses couldn’t keep me away. I finished my jog with renewed energy.

The next morning, I set up a second interview for Aaron Tierney a few days later. By then I hoped to know the future of the venue as well. I sent a text to Amaya with the details. I wasn’t much on matchmaking, but helping her set her sister up with someone was turning out to be fun. And setting myself up with Amaya was becoming even more fun.

There was one last person interested in purchasing The Promenade. The more I thought about it, though, the more uneasy I was with the whole thing. I was growing more comfortable with the idea of staying in Savannah. The old city had a way of getting under your skin and settling its salty air in. Staying close to my mother was something else I realized was important. She wasn’t getting younger and while she wasn’t frail, I knew it would be coming someday.

My thoughts turned to Amaya. They were turning to her more and more with each passing day. Her desire to see me at this mock second interview with the chef bolstered my confidence in our mutual attraction. Could we run The Promenade together one day? The idea both warmed and terrified me.

Amaya

“Linny, this chef is not only amazing, but he’s hot, too.” I hoped this would convince her to hurry up so we could leave already. We were supposed to be seated for this special dinner in thirty minutes.

With a curling iron in one hand and hairspray in the other, Linaya was a flurry of activity. She wore a sapphire blue tiered sundress that showed off her sun kissed shoulders perfectly. It made me feel a little frumpy in the tailored red shirtdress I wore. It was a staple on my more casual work days.

I eyed my closet, knowing I didn’t really have time to change clothes, but the tight pencil skirt called my name.

“I’m ready, let’s go.” Linaya smiled, her full fuchsia lips on display.

The red shirtdress stayed, then. We headed over to The Promenade and sailed past Orlando’s office for the dining room. When we entered, I was met by a beautifully set table complete with candles and champagne flutes.

“Are you sure I was invited for this soiree? It’s so romantic,” Linaya whispered in my ear.

Three place settings of fine bone china graced the table. “Of course. But honestly, if you want to skip out so I can have an amazing dinner with a hot guy, I do not mind.”

“You’re here!” Orlando’s voice came from across the room. “Please come in and have a seat. Chef is just about ready for you.”

Ever the gentleman, Orlando kissed Linaya’s hand before helping her into her chair and pushing her in. He did the same for me and I was thankful for the low light hiding my blush. He disappeared into the kitchen for a moment before coming back out with a bottle of sparkling wine.

“Tierney selected the pairing himself, so please let me know if you think it works,” Orlando said. Before he served Linaya, he raised his brow to me. When I nodded, he poured her glass, though he kept it lower than our own.

I appreciated a man who looked out for people. Linaya wasn’t his responsibility, but he still made the effort to be sure it was okay to serve her alcohol and he definitely underserved her as well. His attempt to match her up with the chef, even if it was a ploy to see me, was also appreciated.

Before serving the food, Aaron came out to greet us. His reddish hair was pulled back under a baseball cap, but his blue eyes shone like diamonds when he saw my sister before him. “Mr. Daniels, Ms. Journet, a pleasure to see you again.” He looked to Linaya. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, miss. I’m Aaron Tierney and I’m hoping to be the chef at this fine establishment in the near future. Delicious, local, healthy food is my passion and I truly believe it’s a form of art. I understand, Miss Journet, that you’re a fashion major, so I’m sure you will understand.”

It was as if my sister was star struck and seated before Liam Hemsworth as opposed to a young chef. Her eyes were huge and she seemed to soak in every word Aaron said. She could only nod in reply to him. Linaya was never at a loss for words. This was a first.

As he had before, Orlando asked Aaron to join us for the meal, and this time he accepted with a little hesitance. I wasn’t sure if they had set this up beforehand, but a polo-clad waiter appeared with a fourth chair and then he retrieved an additional place setting. He seemed to know what he was doing without any direction. I shot a side-eye at Orlando and when he winked at me, I figured out his ruse.

As a foursome, we feasted on an entirely vegan dish that, Aaron proudly told me, was also nut and soy free. Chickpea noodles were served with a medley of roasted vegetables that anybody would swoon over. It was accompanied with a portabella steak that was seasoned to perfection. The conversation circled around the food, what farm it had come from, and just how artistic Aaron was. The last comment being from Linaya, of course.

“Aaron, truly, this was amazing. Could you serve this to two dozen people? Two hundred?” It was hard for me to turn my wedding coordinator switch off at times.

Aaron focused his baby blues from my sister to me. “With plenty of notice, which I understand I will have, it’s absolutely possible. With wanting to use locally sourced items to be as farm-to-table as possible, I would need a good bit of notice if you wanted two hundred portabella steaks, but as an alternate vegan meal or for a smaller party, it wouldn’t be problem at all.”

“I love that it’s all local,” Linaya gushed. “It really inspires me to create fashion looks from the Savannah skyline. Mixed textures, colors you see locally every day.” She spoke with her hands the same way I did.

Linaya and Aaron began an animated conversation about mixing colors and textures in food and fabric and I could tell that something was blossoming between them—be it friendship or something more, only time would tell.

I leaned over to Orlando. “This was brilliant. And I really like Aaron. I think you could turn this into a perfect luncheon spot if you wanted to.”

Orlando’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s a brilliant idea. I’ve wondered what we could do with this space during the week. I’ve thought of conferences, of course, but having a small dining room for luncheon during the week would be genius.”

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