Big Pickle: A Secret Boss Romantic Comedy - JJ Knight Page 0,77

backpack. “You know the procedure to shut down the register and balance the receipts?” I call out to Lamonte, who is watching Samantha measure out ingredients.

“Boss lady, I could do that in my sleep. Now scoot on out of here.”

I sling my backpack over my shoulder as Jason comes out of the office. “Hey. You ready?” he asks.

“You don’t have to drive me. I can grab the bus.”

He kisses the top of my head. “Of course I’m driving you.”

We push through the swinging doors and into the front. Despite the craziness in the kitchen, we are in the afternoon lull. The staff is preparing for the dinner run.

I pass behind the sandwich line, checking the supply levels out of habit. The cheddar’s low, but I’m sure Lamonte or Eli, who is manning the line at the moment, will spot it.

Jason and I head out the front door into the bright, beautiful fall day.

“I’ll go grab the car,” Jason says. “Save your walking legs for campus.” He takes off for the garage before I can argue.

I wait under the bright green-and-white-striped awning of Austin Pickle. The sun streams down, reflecting on the clear shiny windows of the deli.

My life changed here. It gave me a stable place to work while I supported my mom and my little sister.

It provided me with job experience and an accidental promotion that will only help me as I finish out my business degree.

My throat tightens as Jason’s BMW pops out of the garage a few blocks down and he waits for an opportunity to turn onto the street.

Austin Pickle gave me the love of my life. Since Jason’s return, our time together has resumed as it should have always been. I split my nights between his condo and the apartment with my mom and sister.

I still love my work and my crew.

And now I get to continue this amazing new adventure with a degree in hand. That starts today.

Jason pulls up next to me and leans over to open my door. “Can I give the beautiful lady a ride?”

I lean down to peer at him behind the wheel. “Is my innocence safe with you?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Then I’m all in.” I slide onto the leather seat.

Jason reaches over to grab my hand. “Nervous?”

“Not in the least.”

“Good.”

The city blocks whiz by as we leave downtown for campus.

It’s not my first time going to school.

But it is the first day I can really picture a bright, beautiful future for myself. I have a job I love, a man I love, a family doing better than they ever have in our lives.

So even though the ride got a little bumpy along the way, today feels like a brand-new perfect beginning.

Epilogue

Reckoning day has come.

It’s New Year’s Eve, and Dad has called us all up for a gala he’s hosting, plus the announcement of which brother has earned the most money this year.

The situation has not been a complete secret. Every quarter, the accountant provided all of us with the numbers for each of the delis so we could stay aware of our standing.

I have to admit I’m pleased that all the extra work we put into Austin Pickle since summer means I have charged ahead of Max. It wasn’t that difficult, given that L.A. Pickle has remained a lunch-only restaurant while I have followed Dad and Anthony’s lead in becoming full-service.

The final quarter has remained a mystery, though, and the results will be revealed tonight.

Nova emerges from the bathroom of our hotel room, and my breath catches.

She wears a full-length black beaded gown, long-sleeved and glittering. The square neckline shows plenty of cleavage, and when I let out a low whistle, she turns around to show me the back, or lack thereof. There’s nothing but skin from her beautiful neck all the way to her waist.

She looks delectable, the most entrancing woman I’ve ever seen. No one could hold a candle to this, no A-list actress or runway model. Not even close.

She glances over her shoulder. “Given the status of your fancy pants, I think you like what you see.” Her smile is pure mischief as her gaze drops to my crotch.

“No spreadsheet folders to cover it,” I say.

She laughs. “I forgot about that.”

“I still can’t see a pair of cowboy boots without thinking of it.”

“That was our first day in the freezer.”

I nod. “The beginning of everything.”

She turns to me and taps her finger on the lapel of my tux jacket. “Also, the beginning of when you should have told