classes and there are about a dozen students who’ve already paid tuition for my Elegant Desserts and the Creams and Sauces classes, which begin on Monday.”
“Grandy—”
Drew cleared his throat, stopping Emily before she wasted that breath. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to make a call.”
Emily waited until Drew disappeared. “Grandy, I don’t think you should be worrying about this now. Besides, Margo and Rita are both more than qualified to cover your classes.”
Her grandmother looked at her as if she’d lost all of her common sense. “Rita’s sauces have more lumps than an old mattress, and Margo’s are just as hopeless. She might be a gem at Great Grilling and Roasting to Perfection, but that woman can’t even manage to whip up a cake from a box mix.”
Emily could certainly relate, despite her grandmother’s patient attempts to teach her otherwise. “Then you’ll have to postpone those classes until next semester.”
Grandy looked as if she’d just been insulted. “I’ll do no such thing,” she argued.
“Okay, I’ll find a substitute for you.”
“Emily, you know I love you. But you’re more lost in the kitchen than Forrest Gump at a Mensa meeting.”
She had her there. “True,” she admitted without an ounce of shame. “But I do have an MBA from Columbia. I believe that qualifies me at least to handle the administrative end of things for you until you’re up and around again.”
“You’re supposed to be on holiday.”
“I don’t mind, Grandy.” And she didn’t, especially since her vacation was going to last a lot longer than she’d originally planned. Anything was better than wallowing in her own problems. “I want to do it. In fact, I’m going to insist.” She gave her grandmother astern look. “From where you’re sitting, you aren’t in a position to argue with me.”
Grandy frowned.
Emily lifted one eyebrow in silent challenge.
Silence reined for a moment before Grandy let out a defeated sigh. “Oh, all right. You win. For now.” She wagged her finger at Emily as if she were a naughty child. “But I want final approval so you don’t hire any old Joe off the street who says he can cook.”
“I can handle it.”
“Call the agency in my address book and tell them exactly what we need. These are late-afternoon and evening classes, so there’s bound to be a qualified instructor looking for a little pin money.”
“I’ll take care of it, Grandy,” she said with practiced patience. She knew how important the school was to her grandmother, but just because she didn’t know a saucepan from a sauté pan didn’t mean she was a complete moron. “I know what to do.”
“You’ll have to sign them on to teach the entire course. And draw up a contract.”
Emily drew in a long, steady breath and let it out slowly. “Yes, ma’am.”
Before Grandy launched into more instructions, Drew returned. One look at his face had Emily tensing. Something was wrong. “What is it?”
“I just spoke to my captain,” he said, focusing his attention on Grandy. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Mrs. Norris. There’s been another fire.”
5
E MILY’S HEART gave a sudden lurch when her grandmother’s lashes fluttered closed. The moment her lips began to move silently, Emily knew Grandy was praying. Taking into account everything she’d been through recently, she didn’t think a few prayers were particularly out of order.
She almost wished Drew had told her first so she could break the news to her grandmother herself, except Grandy did have a right to know her property had been damaged—again.
Grandy opened her eyes, now filled with moisture. “Please, tell me no one was hurt.”
Drew shook his head. “Thankfully, no.”
“There wouldn’t be anyone at the school today,” Emily reminded Grandy. “Not on a Saturday.” She gripped her grandmother’s hand and held it tightly, for her own comfort or her grandmother’s, she couldn’t rightly say.
“Grandy—”
Drew cleared his throat, stopping Emily before she wasted that breath. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to make a call.”
Emily waited until Drew disappeared. “Grandy, I don’t think you should be worrying about this now. Besides, Margo and Rita are both more than qualified to cover your classes.”
Her grandmother looked at her as if she’d lost all of her common sense. “Rita’s sauces have more lumps than an old mattress, and Margo’s are just as hopeless. She might be a gem at Great Grilling and Roasting to Perfection, but that woman can’t even manage to whip up a cake from a box mix.”
Emily could certainly relate, despite her grandmother’s patient attempts to teach her otherwise. “Then you’ll have to postpone those classes until next semester.”
Grandy looked as if she’d just been insulted. “I’ll do no such thing,” she argued.
“Okay, I’ll find a substitute for you.”
“Emily, you know I love you. But you’re more lost in the kitchen than Forrest Gump at a Mensa meeting.”
She had her there. “True,” she admitted without an ounce of shame. “But I do have an MBA from Columbia. I believe that qualifies me at least to handle the administrative end of things for you until you’re up and around again.”
“You’re supposed to be on holiday.”
“I don’t mind, Grandy.” And she didn’t, especially since her vacation was going to last a lot longer than she’d originally planned. Anything was better than wallowing in her own problems. “I want to do it. In fact, I’m going to insist.” She gave her grandmother astern look. “From where you’re sitting, you aren’t in a position to argue with me.”
Grandy frowned.
Emily lifted one eyebrow in silent challenge.
Silence reined for a moment before Grandy let out a defeated sigh. “Oh, all right. You win. For now.” She wagged her finger at Emily as if she were a naughty child. “But I want final approval so you don’t hire any old Joe off the street who says he can cook.”
“I can handle it.”
“Call the agency in my address book and tell them exactly what we need. These are late-afternoon and evening classes, so there’s bound to be a qualified instructor looking for a little pin money.”
“I’ll take care of it, Grandy,” she said with practiced patience. She knew how important the school was to her grandmother, but just because she didn’t know a saucepan from a sauté pan didn’t mean she was a complete moron. “I know what to do.”
“You’ll have to sign them on to teach the entire course. And draw up a contract.”
Emily drew in a long, steady breath and let it out slowly. “Yes, ma’am.”
Before Grandy launched into more instructions, Drew returned. One look at his face had Emily tensing. Something was wrong. “What is it?”
“I just spoke to my captain,” he said, focusing his attention on Grandy. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Mrs. Norris. There’s been another fire.”
5
E MILY’S HEART gave a sudden lurch when her grandmother’s lashes fluttered closed. The moment her lips began to move silently, Emily knew Grandy was praying. Taking into account everything she’d been through recently, she didn’t think a few prayers were particularly out of order.
She almost wished Drew had told her first so she could break the news to her grandmother herself, except Grandy did have a right to know her property had been damaged—again.
Grandy opened her eyes, now filled with moisture. “Please, tell me no one was hurt.”
Drew shook his head. “Thankfully, no.”
“There wouldn’t be anyone at the school today,” Emily reminded Grandy. “Not on a Saturday.” She gripped her grandmother’s hand and held it tightly, for her own comfort or her grandmother’s, she couldn’t rightly say.
Similar Books
