Fry Another Day by J. J. Cook

Author:J. J. Cook
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group, USA
Published: 2014-12-04T05:00:00+00:00

NINETEEN

We scrambled trying to get the generator up and running again. It seemed as though it had been affected by the storm, but Uncle Saul said it was just a power surge in the generator.

The thunderstorm raged around us, soaking us as we messed with the generator trying to get it started. When we finally had power again, Ollie and Delia came back, drenched, no sales, and all the biscuit bowls soggy with water.

“What now?” Ollie took off his T-shirt and wrung the water out of it.

“Wow.” Delia admired Ollie’s muscular physique when he’d taken off his shirt. “You work out?”

“Two hours most days.” He preened a bit for her to admire his arms and back.

“You’re in great shape.” She touched his chest.

“Thanks.” He examined her carefully from her feet to her hair. “You, too!”

“Thanks. I don’t work out but I’m careful what I eat.”

As she said that, I saw two members of the Chooey’s Sooey food truck team passing by with umbrellas. Apparently they didn’t believe the race organizers were going to shut down for the rain, either.

“I wish we had umbrellas.” I shook my head for not thinking ahead that the weather could go bad.

“I could take Miguel’s car and go get some,” Delia volunteered.

“That’s true. We could use GPS to find a store close by. It’s too early for much to be open downtown.”

“What about a drugstore?” Uncle Saul asked. “There’s always one of those open twenty-four hours, and they probably have umbrellas.”

“Good idea.” I gave Delia my credit card. “Hurry! We don’t have much time.”

She took the keys to the Mercedes and my credit card and left.

“She’s never gonna get back in time.” Ollie looked out the customer window.

I kept making strawberry filling. “What else can we do?”

Uncle Saul retained his equanimity. “They’re gonna have to give everyone an extra hour or something. You’ll see. No need to fret over it in any case. You can only do what you can do.”

Chef Art’s assistant popped in from the back of the food truck. “He sent me with these umbrellas.” She began speaking before she could catch her breath. In her hands were two large red and white umbrellas with Chef Art’s face and logo on them. “He says to tell you the challenge isn’t changing for the storm.”

“Thanks, Lacie.” I took off my apron. “We’re going out, Uncle Saul. You’ve got the kitchen. I’ll take Ollie and the change with me. Call Delia and have her come back. Good luck.”

He laughed. “Good luck to you, too!”

The umbrellas were the huge beach-type ones. They weighed a ton but covered a large area. I couldn’t balance one of them with the tray of biscuit bowls. It was a good thing Ollie was so much taller than me. He held the umbrella over both of us while I walked close to him.

“I was afraid of this.” Ollie inclined his head toward the nearly empty, rain-soaked city street. “No one wants to hang around and buy food during a thunderstorm.

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