The restaurant opened with a bang as customers streamed in steadily, and Sadie and Suzanne juggled to keep them all happy.
Tripp had kept the menu relatively small on purpose, wanting to make sure he could handle everything since he was on his own for now in the kitchen, and Sadie smiled as the dishes came out right on time—with a few exceptions. She was grateful that she’d made enough bread to put on the tables while people waited. It made her job much easier.
Tripp had taken a brief break when he’d caught up with orders and strolled around the dining room, shaking people’s hands and asking how they’d liked their meals. Sadie couldn’t help but smile as she watched him proudly take a bow at each table, his smile wide as he accepted compliment after compliment.
She kept busy for the next couple of hours with Suzanne, making sure everybody was happy in the dining room.
After the last customer left, Suzanne and Sadie thumped into chairs, both of them bursting into laughter as they looked at each other for the first time all night.
“You look exhausted,” Sadie said to Suzanne.
“I was just going to say the same to you,” Suzanne said as she took the pins out of her hair and let it fall around her shoulders. “I don’t know how you can wear your hair in these things all the time. It gives me a headache.”
Sadie’s brows scrunched together as she felt at the back of her neck where her bun was firmly in place.
“I don’t know. I prefer it this way,” she said, pushing some of the pins in more tightly.
Tripp came through the kitchen door, wiping his hands on the towel he carried, grinning from ear to ear.
“Well, what do you think, ladies? How did it go?” he said as he sat down at the table with them.
“Whew, it was a real whirlwind,” Suzanne said, re-tying her apron strings that had come loose. “But I think everybody was happy. Don’t you, Sadie?”
“Yes, I do. Everybody loved the special, and nothing got sent back. Not once.”
“Ah, that really made me happy,” Tripp said, putting his hand over Sadie’s. Suzanne turned so Tripp couldn’t see her face and wiggled her eyebrows at Sadie, who unsuccessfully tried not to laugh.
“What’s funny?” Tripp said, turning to look at Suzanne.
“Oh, nothing,” Sadie said. “We just enjoyed the evening.” She took the opportunity to wiggle her finger at her twin while Tripp was looking the other way.
“They especially enjoyed the bread,” Suzanne said, her eyes widened innocently as Sadie pulled her hand across her throat like a knife where Sadie could see her but Tripp couldn’t.
Suzanne laughed as Tripp spun to Sadie, who folded her hands in front of her and smiled. “Yes, they did seem to like it,” she said.
Tripp laughed. “Dealing with twins is going to take some getting used to, I can see,” he said as he headed back into the kitchen. “I’m going to start cleaning up, so come on back whenever you’re ready.”
“We’ll be right there,” Sadie said, then waited for the door to swing closed behind him. “Stop it. You’re going to make me laugh too much.”
“Oh, you’re fine. I have to entertain myself somehow.”
“How about not at my expense,” Sadie said as she lightly tapped her sister on the shoulder. “Did you hear any of the customers talking about that new restaurant over in Tombstone proper?”
Suzanne perked up and walked closer. “Yes, I did. Quite a few of them were comparing Tripp’s food to that place’s. I didn’t know they were opening something similar over in town.”
“I didn’t either. And I would venture a guess that Tripp doesn’t know about it. He’s been so focused with the loan and the building and the supplies…”
“And getting married,” Suzanne added.
Sadie turned to her. “Well, yes, and getting married.” She felt that now-familiar flutter when she thought of herself as married.
“Shouldn’t we mention it to Tripp?”
Sadie considered for a moment before answering.
“I don’t think so. Not yet. Everything went well tonight and I don’t want him to get even more nervous. What do you think?”
“Hmm,” Suzanne said as she stared at the door to the kitchen. “Look at it this way. Would it help him to know? If he did know, what could he do? Maybe we should just wait a week or so and see what happens?”
“I don’t have any other brilliant ideas at the moment. Let’s just keep it under our hats for now, shall we? We’ll probably know more after we’ve been in business for a little while.”
“I don’t have a better idea, either,” Suzanne said as she bent over, pulling at the toes of her boots. “My feet are killing me and I’m exhausted. I vote for not borrowing trouble and waiting.”
Sadie lingered for a moment as Suzanne headed into the kitchen to help with the dishes. The restaurant really was beautiful, and it had glowed with the copper ceiling and the candles lit, just as she’d envisioned. She couldn’t imagine what they would do if the restaurant wasn’t a success. She knew Tripp would be heartbroken—and she knew she would be, too.
She blew out the last of the candles, watching the moon glow outside the windows as the room grew darker, bit by bit. She gathered the napkins in the linen sack, picking up the remaining lantern and, taking one last look behind her as she headed into the kitchen, said a silent prayer that everything would turn out all right.