out of a girl's sails, Mr. Black Ink Foster. We're not
going to talk about money again, are we?"
"Yes," he said, taking his fleece jacket off and slipping
it over her shoulders. "You better take this. It's getting
chilly out here."
"Thank you," she said, feeling the warmth of the fabric.
"Well ... of course I would charge admittance to the open
house," she said. "But the idea of having a grand opening
is to get as many people in the door as possible. The more
people I can get to come into my restaurant, the better the
chances they'll be back, right?"
"Right. Will you serve wine?"
"Yes, but I won't go crazy. Just a few special vintages
I know of ... priced appropriately, of course."
"Of course. How about desserts?"
"So many desserts it would make your mouth water."
"And you'll take all of that into account when you set
the price for the open house buffet, correct?" Terry asked.
"Correct," she nodded. "It will have to be a good price
or people won't come. Maybe I could charge a discounted
admittance price and include most of the open house costs
with my loan application figures. Do you think the bank
would approve something like that?"
"The bank might raise an eyebrow," he said. "But they'd
understand that establishing a client base is important to your new business. They'd probably go for it." Terry
stopped, putting a hand on each of her shoulders. "Now
you're thinking like a business woman, Leedy," he said,
squeezing her arms gently. It was the second time he had
taken her by the shoulders that way. And she liked it.
"Well, I'm glad you finally recognize my business
savvy," she said, beaming with pride.
"Don't worry," Terry said, falling back into step beside
her. "I've noticed your business savvy, along with all your
other fine qualities." They walked on through the quiet
night. "You should also talk with Jo Anne Phillips," he
added.
"I plan on it. Do you know her?"
"Yes. I met Jo Anne when her husband came to the bank
asking for help in starting up his dental practice. She has
been a soccer mom for a few years, but before that she had
fifteen years of experience as a restaurant manager. Maybe
you and Jo Anne can ... What's the matter?"
She couldn't help it. Something about Terry's expression
as he talked made her burst into peals of uncontrollable
giggles.
"What's so funny?" he asked, defensively.
"Nothing," Leedy said, trying to stop laughing. "I'm
sorry . . . I don't mean to be rude."
"Well, you find something hysterically funny," he said.
"Come on, now. Spit it out. What is it?"
"Okay," she said. "But you asked for it ... I thought, for
a moment, that you were flirting with me, Mr. Foster. But
now I realize it was only my imagination."
"But I was flirting."
"Ha!" she said, between peals of laughter. "You were
too busy talking about business stuff, Terry. As usual. You can't flirt, because you have a one-track mind that can think
of one and only one subject."
"A one-track mind? Me?"
"Yes, you," she said triumphantly.
"What are you talking about?" Terry asked, an expression of both exasperation and delight on his face. They had
stopped walking and were standing on the outer edges of
the campus parking lot.
"I suddenly realized that ever since the moment I first
met you, you have talked about one thing and one thing
only. Hence, my theory that you have a one-track mind."
"You misunderstand. I have been a perfect gentleman,"
Terry said, inching closer to her. "And it hasn't been easy
on me."
"All the same," Leedy said, enjoying the warm feeling
of his body so close to hers. "You do have a one-track
mind. Unfortunately, that track is for business matters
only."
"Business?"
"Yes, business."
"Is that so?" he said, looking wounded.
"Yes!" She knew they were both flirting shamelessly, but
neither one of them seemed to care.
"Business matters only?"
"That's what I said."
"That's a dirty lie," Terry said, moving closer toward
her. His face was inches
going to talk about money again, are we?"
"Yes," he said, taking his fleece jacket off and slipping
it over her shoulders. "You better take this. It's getting
chilly out here."
"Thank you," she said, feeling the warmth of the fabric.
"Well ... of course I would charge admittance to the open
house," she said. "But the idea of having a grand opening
is to get as many people in the door as possible. The more
people I can get to come into my restaurant, the better the
chances they'll be back, right?"
"Right. Will you serve wine?"
"Yes, but I won't go crazy. Just a few special vintages
I know of ... priced appropriately, of course."
"Of course. How about desserts?"
"So many desserts it would make your mouth water."
"And you'll take all of that into account when you set
the price for the open house buffet, correct?" Terry asked.
"Correct," she nodded. "It will have to be a good price
or people won't come. Maybe I could charge a discounted
admittance price and include most of the open house costs
with my loan application figures. Do you think the bank
would approve something like that?"
"The bank might raise an eyebrow," he said. "But they'd
understand that establishing a client base is important to your new business. They'd probably go for it." Terry
stopped, putting a hand on each of her shoulders. "Now
you're thinking like a business woman, Leedy," he said,
squeezing her arms gently. It was the second time he had
taken her by the shoulders that way. And she liked it.
"Well, I'm glad you finally recognize my business
savvy," she said, beaming with pride.
"Don't worry," Terry said, falling back into step beside
her. "I've noticed your business savvy, along with all your
other fine qualities." They walked on through the quiet
night. "You should also talk with Jo Anne Phillips," he
added.
"I plan on it. Do you know her?"
"Yes. I met Jo Anne when her husband came to the bank
asking for help in starting up his dental practice. She has
been a soccer mom for a few years, but before that she had
fifteen years of experience as a restaurant manager. Maybe
you and Jo Anne can ... What's the matter?"
She couldn't help it. Something about Terry's expression
as he talked made her burst into peals of uncontrollable
giggles.
"What's so funny?" he asked, defensively.
"Nothing," Leedy said, trying to stop laughing. "I'm
sorry . . . I don't mean to be rude."
"Well, you find something hysterically funny," he said.
"Come on, now. Spit it out. What is it?"
"Okay," she said. "But you asked for it ... I thought, for
a moment, that you were flirting with me, Mr. Foster. But
now I realize it was only my imagination."
"But I was flirting."
"Ha!" she said, between peals of laughter. "You were
too busy talking about business stuff, Terry. As usual. You can't flirt, because you have a one-track mind that can think
of one and only one subject."
"A one-track mind? Me?"
"Yes, you," she said triumphantly.
"What are you talking about?" Terry asked, an expression of both exasperation and delight on his face. They had
stopped walking and were standing on the outer edges of
the campus parking lot.
"I suddenly realized that ever since the moment I first
met you, you have talked about one thing and one thing
only. Hence, my theory that you have a one-track mind."
"You misunderstand. I have been a perfect gentleman,"
Terry said, inching closer to her. "And it hasn't been easy
on me."
"All the same," Leedy said, enjoying the warm feeling
of his body so close to hers. "You do have a one-track
mind. Unfortunately, that track is for business matters
only."
"Business?"
"Yes, business."
"Is that so?" he said, looking wounded.
"Yes!" She knew they were both flirting shamelessly, but
neither one of them seemed to care.
"Business matters only?"
"That's what I said."
"That's a dirty lie," Terry said, moving closer toward
her. His face was inches
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