One Plus Two Equals... - 4

Three hours later Julyan might have debated Duane's words as he put the last box of perishables on the long table in the center of the restaurant's kitchen.

"I think you made the shopkeeper a rich man."

Duane grimaced. "A few of them unfortunately. The joys of starting from scratch for everything. From now on, it'll be easier."

"Is this the first time you've owned a restaurant?"

"Actually, no, but last time I had a partner who knew what she was doing. I just had to run it while she dealt with the details."

Julyan nodded as he began to empty the box, putting the contents into the walk-in freezer at one side of the room. "What made you decide to go off on your own?"

"A difference of opinion. She wanted to make our partnership permanent, as in marriage. I wasn't interested."

"Ouch. That would have made for some tension."

Duane snorted. "To put it mildly. So I signed my half over to her and moved down here to start over."

"Not that I know much about anything but I'd say you should do all right. This place is comfortable looking. Well, the dining room. It seems to me it should bring in both tourists and locals."

"On what do you base that presumption?" Duane picked another box to empty while they talked.

"Nothing really other than I'd eat here, or I suppose I should say I'd give it a try just from looking at it. If the food's as good as the ambiance, you'll have a winner."

"Let's hope so since I sank my last nickel into it." Closing the freezer door, Duane glanced around then beckoned for Julyan to follow him. "Unless I missed something, we're finished so come into the office and I'll pay you."

"You don't have to. I can wait until payday," Julyan protested.

"I know you could use some money in your pocket now, so deal."

Julyan laughed, saluting. "Yes sir."

"Come on, I'm hardly old enough to be a sir."

Looking at him, Julyan had to agree. He judged the man to be only a couple of years older than him at most, and very nice looking to boot. For a second he wished Duane wasn't straight, but that was usually the story of his life so he shoved the errant thought back where it belonged, thanking him when he handed him some cash. "Whoa, this is way too much," he instantly protested.

Duane chuckled. "It's cheaper than my needing to go to a chiropractor when I put my back out doing all the hauling myself. So… deal." He grinned.

"Yes… sir." Julyan grinned back, pocketing the money. "I should leave you to it now, but I'll be here at nine on the dot tomorrow morning."

"All right, see you then, and thanks for the help."

"No problem. See you in the morning." He grimaced a minute later when he walked outside to find it was raining. Not hard, but enough to make him move quickly until he got to the trolley stop on St Charles.