Big Pickle: A Secret Boss Romantic Comedy - JJ Knight Page 0,67
to go to New York,” I tell him.
“What!” His tone is something between disbelief and jealousy.
“Sherman Pickle is having all the managers come in, plus the franchise staff. We’ll have to talk about the theft and how to prevent it from happening again. Plus, budget stuff.”
“You think they’re gonna blame you for old Susan?”
“I don’t think so. Most of that was set up before my time.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“He says five days.”
“Good thing we hired that new person. We’ll be fine without you.” He leans forward and peers at the screen. “Just make sure I have all the phone numbers I need in case something breaks down. You’ll be gone right when the new pickle of the month arrives. I’ll get the signage done and start the promotion.”
I had to hand it to Lamonte. Give him responsibility, and he shines. He is five hundred percent the employee he was before.
“I’m not worried about you guys.”
“It’s Fancy Pants, isn’t it? He will be there.”
“His name is on the list. I assume they’ll make him come.”
“What will you do when you see him?” Lamonte asks. “I think it’s a close race between a withering stare…” He models one, which makes me crack a smile. “Or the classic.” He takes a step back and then lunges forward, fist out. “A punch straight to the nose.”
I shake my head. “I’m hoping I have enough time to see a few sights and pick up something for Leah.”
He plunks down into a chair. “Oh man, you gotta see all the good stuff. The statue. Ellis Island. Top of the Rock.” He continues listing tourist attractions, and I’m about to ask if he’s been to New York when another email comes through on my official manager address.
It’s Audra, asking how many days I want to come up for.
“What should I tell her?”
He peers at the email. “She says to give her dates. There are three days of meetings, but you can go a day or two early and stay a day or two after.” Lamonte turns to me with an evil grin. “They’re paying for the hotel. Take all the days, baby.”
It would be nice to have a vacation. I’ve never had one. And they are paying for the hotel and flight. I would have to cover food on the extra days, though.
“I don’t want this to get crazy expensive,” I say.
“Eat hot dogs from the carts,” he says. “Refill your water bottle. Take a big box of granola bars for breakfast. You can do this, girl. Walking in Central Park is free. Sitting on the red stairs doesn’t cost nothing. You can get half-price tickets to the shows on the same day they play on Broadway. Do this, girl!”
I laugh. “Okay, okay.” I type in an arrival date for two days before the meetings, returning two days after. An opportunity like this might never come again, at least not until I’m through with school and have a professional job where taking business trips might be the norm.
“Done.” I hit send.
Lamonte lets out a whoop. “You have yourself the best time. Now what are we gonna do about clothes?”
I look down at my pink camo pants and Army boots. “I have to go to school, Lamonte. I can’t spend a bazillion dollars on new outfits.”
“Hush. The first outfit’s on me. Let’s hit the thrift shops.”
“Let’s get this deli closed first,” I say. “I have a few weeks till I leave. We can shop.”
When Lamonte has left the office to start the process of shutting the deli down for the day, I turn back to the email. Seven days in New York. And Jace Pickle will be there too.
I don’t know what it will feel like to see him again. It’s been a month since he left, and by then, even more time will have passed. I glance out into the empty kitchen. The crew should be starting to break down the sandwich line.
I stand up and quietly close my door. When I turn back to my computer, I open the Internet and type in the name I’ve avoided since he left.
Jace Pickle.
The hits stream down, and images line up across the screen. Unlike typing his birth name, the electronic data on Jace as the owner of the deli franchise merits pages and pages of information.
There’s Jace and his two brothers, plus father Sherman, who sent out the email. The most popular pictures are at fundraisers and gallery openings, Jace in suits and tuxedos.