“Do they serve lunch as well as dinner?”

“Yes, they serve lunch.”

David smiled. “Let’s go there now. We can have lunch and ask them in person. It’s harder to say no to someone face to face. Especially if they know you.”

Paula laughed. “Okay, let’s go.”

David drove, and they arrived downtown at Mimi’s Place at a quarter to twelve. Mandy, one of the owners of the restaurant, was at the front desk and smiled when she saw them.

“Hi, Paula. Nice to see you. Two for lunch?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Mandy led them to a table for two that was by a window with a nice view of Main Street and people walking by. She handed them each a menu. “I heard about your promotion. Congratulations!”

Paula was surprised and pleased. “Thank you. How did you hear?”

“Mia was in over the weekend and mentioned it. She said she’s been dealing with a difficult bride that is having her wedding at The Whitley.”

Mia was a wedding coordinator that they often worked with and to say her current bride was difficult was an understatement. Davina was a nightmare.

Paula smiled. “She is. I think she’s happy now. At least I hope so. This is David Connolly. He’s a consultant who is with us for a few months.”

“It’s nice to meet you. Stacy will be over in a minute to tell you the specials.”

“Thanks, Mandy. Do you have a minute? There’s something we want to run by you,” Paula said.

“Sure, what is it?”

“So, David and I are working on an event at the hotel for mid-July. We’re putting together a Taste of the Town. It will be on a Monday night. We’re thinking twenty to thirty restaurants handing out samples of whatever they’d like to highlight—a signature dish, something new, chowder, or dessert. There will also be a wine tasting.”

“That sounds intriguing.”

“We’re also doing awards,” David added. “Attendees will vote and we’re thinking top entree, soup or chowder and dessert. Restaurants can offer all three if they like, it’s up to them.”

“That could be good marketing, just being there and if you win, too,” Paula added.

“Well, it sounds good to me. I’ll have to talk to Emma and Paul, our chef. They’re both in the kitchen so I’ll go run it by them and let you know.”

“Great, thank you, Mandy.”

As soon as Mandy walked away, their waitress, Stacy, came over and told them about the specials.

“We have mushroom tortellini in a gorgonzola cream sauce with toasted walnuts and also grilled swordfish with mango salsa. We also have lobster chowder.”

“I’ll have the tortellini.” Paula loved anything with cream sauce and walnuts.

“And I’ll do the swordfish and a cup of the lobster chowder,” David said.