Chapter 1
" You're hired an ex- felon to be a sous chef. Are you crazy? Once this gets out, my restaurants will be ruined. He is to be fired before you open up today. If you ever hire an ex felon or criminal of any sort, you will be fired, and our home that I so kindly allow you to lease from me will be gone as well. Do I make myself clear?" " Yes, but John is an excellent employee. He has been here for a month. Please don't make me fire him."
"The only reason I found out is because I was reviewing the recent applications who you hired. Goodbye." I slammed down the telephone when Jeremiah walks in my office. " What's wrong, Melissa? Who are you mad at this time?" "Jeremiah, this isn't easy to run a business with an incompetent ex-husband of mine. If I hadn't been reviewing recent applications of people he hired, I would not know he hired John Taylor ex felon for bank robbery in the Bay area. Look at his photo. He has tattoos all over his arms. Some are gang tattoos. I don't need this type of man working at my restaurant. I told Lester he is to fire him before he opens up or he will be fired too, and he will be losing the house. I am so kindly allowed to lease from me at a very reasonable price. I told him no more ex- felons nor criminals are to be hired. I can not afford my restaurants to lose money because of Lester." " Wow, a lot to take in. I came to take you to a bar to have lunch and to meet the owner. Ricciardi Lapierre owns three bars, one downtown Sacramento, the other two are in Florin and Lincoln. He is related to Krista. The food there is delicious, which you will love. I promise you. He has live bands in the evening. One night a week is open to the lgbt community, and anyone else who wants to come. Last night, Krista and I went last night. He was having a telethone to raise money for veterans to have a hospital to be built here in Sacramento so they don't have to drive to French camp or the Bay Area to see a doctor. Please get your purse so we can leave." "I need to use the restroom and let my other chef know. He will be the main chef today and the rest of this week. I need to take this week off to go to San Francisco. Will you come with me? You can have your wife come too. Hotel on me." " Sure, I will call Krista to see if she will come with us after she gets off of work." Melissa gets her purse, and we exit her office. She locks. She leaves to use the restroom. I wait by the front entrance, watching people come in dressed to her standards established. Finally, after thirteen minutes, she comes. I parked in front and the valet hands me my keys. I hand him a tip. He opens the passenger door for Melissa to get in and closes it. We leave, and I am driving to the bar. We arrive and I park. We can hear jazz music from outside. We enter and I go find Ricciardi. He sees me and waves us over to an empty table. Ricciardi is dressed very casual but in designer tan pants, brown loafers, and a green long sleeve shirt. The jewelry he has on is his wedding ring and a nice Rolex silver and gold tone black dial watch. This man definitely knows how to dress even for a bar. " Ah, welcome, Melissa. You must be the infamous restaurant owner of Duprey's that I love to go eat with my husband. Krista told us about it, and my husband, Pierre, made reservations. I love the music and decor. Your food was delicious, and your waitress did an excellent job in serving myself and my husband." "It's finally nice to meet you too. I am glad you like my restaurant. I wish I would have made it last night to the telethone that Jeremiah told me about a few hours before they left their home. I did call in and make a donation to a worthy cause. The jazz music is very enjoyable to listen to. I have been meaning to come to the one in Florin but just haven't made it."
" Thank you for your donation and coming. Lunch is on me. Just have a cheap skate here, pay for the tip, and make sure it's a generous one. Half of the tips I am matching for the local dog shelters."
" Hey, I am not cheap but frugal." " Sweetie, you always have been cheap it's not frugal. When we were in junior high through college, yes, cheap. You can afford it now. I am even paying for your hotel for a week for you and Krista in San Francisco. We aren't staying in an inexpensive hotel either." " Okay, point made. " " Ricciardi, please have your mixologist make me a martini, and I will have the fish and chips." " I will have the Lapierre's double burger with everything, onions rings, and whatever beer you have on tap." " Coming right up, frugal man." Ricciardi and I laugh.
Jeremiah asks me to dance. We danced to two songs before we sat down to enjoy our beverages. Our food arrived and it was delicious. We leave very happy. I have live bands too but no lgbt nights in my restaurants. I am not against the lgbt community. There are enough establishments that have lgbt events for the community. I just have a certain level for business. I cater to people who spend money even though I have customers who are members of the lgbt community. None of them so far are offended. They come back as often as they can. Jeremiah drops me off. I told him which hotel to meet me at. We are taking separate vehicles. I leave in mine and head home. I hurry up and pack. I leave knowing the traffic is going to be horrendous. I called Lester to find out if he did want I requested of him. He said he did and wasn't happy about it. I knew he would write him a good letter of recommending John for any sous job he wanted. I told him I looked through the applications on file in my computer. I have a man coming for tonight for him to see how he works out. I tell him I am on my way and will be in San Francisco for a week with Jeremiah and Krista. He takes the name down and says he will see us when we get here. I tell him to have a table ready by seven. I ended the conversation. I called Jeremiah to let him know to meet me there at the restaurant by seven, and we would be staying at the Hilton near the restaurant. I tell him they have both of their names. I ended my conversation. I started listening to audio tape with the most recent Nora Roberts book.
