Page 89 of A Journey For Jasmine

“I’ve thought of it. Things to work out for sure. My point is, I want to find ways to keep the customers coming in the winter. Maybe have events. Like a Super Bowl party. Things like that. A Halloween themed bash. I don’t know. Throwing ideas out there but need to get moving on them too.”

“All sound like good ideas to me,” he said. “This is your area. I just want to know what it’s going to cost.”

His mother laughed. “You always do. After this weekend, I’m going to talk to the staff that have been here for a while. Get their thoughts and ideas and go from there.”

“That is the best thing to do,” he said. The bartender placed his burger in front of him. His mother reached for one of his fries.

“Have you talked to Jasmine today?”

“Earlier,” he said. “She was at the airport waiting for Dahlia. My guess is they are back at her apartment by now or close to it. They were going to order dinner and stay in to rest and catch up.”

“Are you nervous about meeting her parents tomorrow?”

He laughed. “Hardly. Why would I be?”

“You haven’t met the parents of someone you were dating since Noelle.”

He didn’t need the reminder of it. He was still feeling the burn of his father being in town last week and the great impression that it gave off to Jasmine.

“I’m not in my early twenties anymore and looking to impress anyone.”

His mother shut one eye at him. “You should always look to impress the family of the person you love.”

“Who said anything about love?” he said quickly.

“Wesley. I get it. You didn’t. But I know my son. You have deep feelings for Jasmine. It’s easy to see. She probably sees it too.”

“And if she does she isn’t saying anything.”

“So that is the problem? Because she isn’t, you aren’t?”

“Drop it,” he said. “It’s not a conversation to have here. Or one I want at all.”

“Heard,” his mother said, smiling.

He picked his burger up to take a bite and then looked around the restaurant. His mother had turned this place into something great.

“If I haven’t said it before, I’ll say it now. You’re doing a great job here. I wasn’t sure we could pull this off. I’m still not positive. It’s only been a few months and those months have been the busy season. The first year will give us a better idea.”

“I don’t think you’re too worried about it,” his mother said. “We are both smart people. We looked the books over. We had two other outside sources look at the financials here before we bought it. The business was more than holding its own when it was put up for sale.”

“It was,” he said. “Which is what made it so easy to buy. I’m not looking to get rich here.”

“We are already rich,” his mother said, laughing. “This was a life change for us. Something to give us both a purpose. A new career. A different way to live our lives. So far, I think it’s working out well for us.”

“It is,” he said. “I like that we were able to keep the jobs for people. The more I learn, the more things I’ll adjust and change. Just like you are with the restaurant.”

“I’ve got four weddings booked for next spring already. I got a call a few days ago to meet with someone for a winter wedding right after the first of the year. I want to think about catering too.”

“Wow,” he said. “You’re going all out.”

“That is part of the takeout menu. If it goes well and we can get the food done and delivered, why not do things like graduation parties or summer parties people have and don’t want to cook?”

“Why not?” he said, smiling. “If there is a need. You have to figure that out.”

“Picnic baskets on boats,” she said. “I came up with that one the other day. It’s too late to do it now, but next spring we can work on it.”

“It seems to me you are in the groove now. This is exactly what you should have been doing.”

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