Angela had mentioned it, and she wanted to say hello to Mandy anyway and chat with her about possibly catering Angela’s wedding. They’d become good friends over the past six months as Mia had done several weddings that had either had the reception at Mimi’s Place or had them cater it. The restaurant had changed hands a little over a year ago when the owner died and left it to her three granddaughters and the chef, equally. Mandy and her sister, Emma, ran the front of the restaurant while Paul, the chef, managed the kitchen. Their other sister, Jill, was a mostly silent partner and ran a recruiting business in Manhattan.
Mia stopped in at a quarter to two, as the lunch service was winding down. She knew Mandy would have more time to chat during the slower time. Mandy’s sister Emma was at the front desk and smiled when she saw her.
“Hi, Mia. Do you need a table for lunch?”
“I’m going to just grab a seat at the bar, I think. Is Mandy here today?”
“She is. She’s in the kitchen talking to Paul. I’ll let her know to stop by and say hello when she comes back out.”
Mia settled at the bar, which was empty except for an older gentleman who was sipping coffee and nibbling on tiramisu while he fiddled with a crossword puzzle. The bar was small, with about a dozen seats. Mia liked eating at the bar, especially if she was by herself. She also liked chatting with Gina, one of the bartenders. Gina smiled when she saw her.
“Hey, Mia. Are you eating today?”
Mia nodded. “Yes, and I don’t even need a menu. I’ll have the eggplant parmesan, a salad with the house Italian dressing and a club soda with lemon.”
“Perfect, I’ll put that right in.” Gina punched the order into the computer and returned a few minutes later with Mia’s soda water, salad and a small basket of bread and butter. Mia tore off a chunk of bread and was spreading butter on it when Mandy came over and gave her a hug.
“Nice to see you. Are you meeting anyone today?”
Mia shook her head. “Nope, just me.”
Mandy smiled and slid into the chair next to her. “Good, I can sit and visit with you for a while then. It’s slow and Emma is on tonight, so I’m finishing early. What’s new and exciting with you? We need a girls’ night soon.”
“We do. My schedule is way more open than yours, so let me know what works for you.” Mandy was recently divorced and had two children, so nights out had to be scheduled and planned for in advance.
“Hm, possibly Friday night. Let me see if I can line up a sitter and I’ll let you know.”
They chatted for a bit, catching up on the situation with Mia’s condo.
“Hopefully, it will be ready in a few weeks. It doesn’t look like it’s going to take as long as we originally thought.”
“That’s a relief. I’m sure you’ll be happy to get back there and sleep in your own bed.”
“Yes, though it’s really not bad at all being at The Beach Plum Cove Inn. I almost feel like I’m on vacation. Penny and I have been walking the beach every day, and it includes a full breakfast. It’s nice chatting with Kate’s mom in the morning, too.”
“I’ve met Lisa. She’s very nice. She came to our big open house when we relaunched Mimi’s Place.”
“That was a fun night and a great idea you had to do that. Which reminds me, I met with a new client yesterday. Maybe you know them, Angela and her fiancé, Philippe Gaston?”
Mandy laughed. “Everyone on Nantucket knows Philippe. He and Angela were just in here last week for dinner, actually, and we were chatting.”
“Well, they’d love to have you handle the catering for the wedding. But it’s going to be huge, six hundred and fifty, maybe a few more even. I wasn’t sure if that was something you’d want to take on?”
“Wow. Well, I’m thrilled she thought of us. My first instinct is to say yes…but I’m not the one that will be cooking all that food. Let me check with Paul and see what he thinks. What date did they have in mind?”
“She said ideally in two months or so. It sounds like they are flexible.”
“Will it be a fancy plated dinner? What did she have in mind?”
“Something a little more casual, a beach buffet. Italian themed. She mentioned eggplant as one of