Page 11 of Eden's Comfort Kitchen
‘I’m glad you came. Ralph’s keen to meet you. He says he might not have loads of shifts, but he’ll certainly have some spares until September if you want them.’
‘Doesn’t he want to interview me first?’
‘Oh, I expect so. Though his idea of an interview will be: what’s your name and when can you start? He’s pretty informal like that.’
‘He might not like the look of me.’
Livia blew a stray hair from her face and frowned with some humour. ‘Why not? You look normal enough. Or are you secretly aDoctor Whomonster?’
‘Nothing as interesting as that,’ Eden said with a smile, at ease once again. Livia seemed to have a knack for putting her at ease with very little effort.
‘Although Levi would have been made up if you were. He’s nuts about that programme. You want a drink?’
‘Have you got a nice gin?’
‘I’ve got about twenty gins – any in particular?’ Livia stood back to let Eden see a row of colourful bottles lining the shelves behind the bar. ‘The orange one is nice – at least I think so. Or if your thing is more spicy, we have one with cardamon in it.’
‘I’ll have the orange one. With lemonade, please.’
‘Can’t go wrong with that. Double?’
‘I…’
‘Go on, have a double. Life’s too short for single measures, that’s what I say.’
‘Double then.’ Eden smiled. ‘No wonder Ralph wants you to work for him – you’re a good saleswoman.’
‘I know, that’s what I keep telling him, but he still doesn’t put my wages up.’
While Livia was busy making her drink, Eden took a moment to glance around the room. There were mostly couples and families at the tables. Some were eating casual bar-snack-type food, though there was a menu on the wall, it seemed the Darling Dolphin’s dining options were quite informal. It wasn’t a big menu either – Eden counted a choice of eight dishes, all traditional pub grub like steak and ale pie, lasagne, and fish and chips.
‘Does your food do well?’ Eden asked.
‘Oh yes.’ Livia put the drink down in front of her. Eden got her card out, and Livia fetched the machine. ‘Especially in peak season. There’s a dining room out back – Ralph’s got separate staff for that. I don’t have much to do with it unless he’s really up against it; I prefer to work the bar. Quite honestly, I thinkRalph wishes he didn’t have to mess around with that bit of the business, but it brings too much money in for him to get rid of it.’
Eden was about to reply when Livia nodded at a man coming into the bar from a door at the side of the room. He was large in every way – tall and broad with the biggest, fullest beard Eden had ever seen. His cheeks were flushed and his movements confident, but there was a gentleness about him, despite his size.
‘Here he is,’ Livia said. She beckoned him over. ‘Ralph…this is Eden come about the job.’
Ralph came over and offered a huge hand. Eden shook it, suddenly feeling like a child visiting Santa’s grotto.
‘Livia tells me you’ve taken Four Winds.’
‘For the next six months, yes.’
‘God help you in the winter up there. Pleasant enough now, I expect.’
‘I can’t say I thought as far ahead as winter,’ Eden said, feeling foolish that it hadn’t even occurred to her what winter might be like in her remote outcrop.
‘You’re looking for work then?’
‘If you’ve got some. I don’t have any bar experience – does that matter?’
‘Won’t take you long to pick up. How do you feel about waiting tables? Not that I need anyone on there just now, but from time to time, Livia picks up the slack in the dining room for me.’
‘I haven’t done that before either, but I’m a fast learner.’
‘What did you do before?’
