The Chaplain's Daughter by K.T. Hastings Page B

want to run something by you.  See you when you get here.”
     
    “Bye.”
     
    Toby went back into the front yard to finish the mowing.  He quickly showered and rode his bike to the transit center that was near the Boylan’s house.  Getting there just in time Toby latched his bike on to the carrier on the front of the bus and boarded the bus to Tacoma.
     
    When he arrived at Harbor Lights Toby was met outside by Scott (whose last name he had learned was “Potter.”)  Scott led Toby to his car so that they could talk in private.
     
    “Toby, I’ve been working on some stuff, and it is all coming good at once.  I’ve wanted to open my own restaurant for a while now.  I’ve saved some money and there is a place up in Bellingham that looks great.  It’s been for sale for a while!  I placed a bid on it and my bid was accepted!  I own a restaurant!  It didn’t make a go of it as a steak house but I think it would be great as a seafood shop.  Not to mention that it’s a whole lot closer to my place than Harbor Lights.”
     
    Toby smiled at the evident excitement on his friend’s face.  Scott was a quality chef and would make a great restaurateur, Toby was sure.  He would miss working with Scott, though.  Before he could tell his friend his thoughts Scott continued.
     
    “I want you to work with me at the new place.  That is, if you would like to.”
     
    Toby was pleased and honored that Scott wanted him to come along to his new place, but Toby was pretty sure that it wouldn’t work.
     
    “I’d love to Scott, but I don’t have enough money saved for rent or anything.  Dishwasher money doesn’t add to my savings very fast, and you only have a small place.  Maybe sometime, when I have a little more money I could, but not now.”
     
    Scott playfully punched Toby in the arm.  “I don’t want you to come in as just a dishwasher.  I want you to be a server and my assistant.  I love to cook.  I love to come up with and try new recipes.  I love to work out advertising and all that, but I can’t do it alone.  I need someone that I trust to work with me.  Maybe later we can be full partners and then who knows?  Maybe more places!  But right now I need help.  I need your help in the new place.  I’m going to Bellingham in a couple of weeks to find a place.  It will probably be almost as tiny as the place I have now but you can stay with me just long enough to get your own place.”
     
    Toby sat back in the passenger seat of Scott’s Nissan.  What Scott had just said was a bit overwhelming, but what struck Toby the most wasn’t that Scott wanted him to be a server or, in effect, an assistant manager.  It wasn’t the idea of working in a restaurant an hour and a half from Tacoma that got to Toby either.  Toby was flattened by the fact that Scott had said that he trusted him.  Toby had been liked, laughed with, and slept with by other people, but he couldn’t remember anyone saying that they trusted him.  Ever.”
     
    Toby looked at Scott and said simply, “I’m in.”
     
    That evening’s shift flew by.  Toby and Scott couldn’t stop talking about the plans that they had for the new restaurant.  They talked so much that, at one point, James Drake stuck his head in the kitchen and said, “Hey guys.  You’re still working here tonight, okay?”  While that didn’t stop Toby and Scott from chattering about their plans it made them chatter more quietly.  After the shift was over the two new restaurant partners talked for a while in the parking lot before going their separate ways.
     
    When Toby finally pedaled up to the Boylan’s house he thought that Alyssa would probably be in bed.  He was wrong.  She was in her usual place, head buried in a book and legs pulled up under her on the couch.  She looked up and smiled as Toby came into the room.
     
    “You’re late,” she chided playfully.  “Your father and I were worried sick.”
     
    Toby stuck his lower lip