Chapter 21
Billie
It’s hard to concentrate in class when I know my hot new boyfriend is at home.
Well, he’s not actually. He’s with the team’s orthopedic surgeon finding out the extent of the groin injury and hopefully getting a treatment and rehab plan.
Assuming he doesn’t need surgery. He doesn’t think so but I’m still worried.
Our breakfast conversation was confusing.
We should… we shouldn’t… okay let’s do it anyway.
Is that hormones talking? Were hormones responsible for the way we were all over each other last night?
We didn’t even have intercourse—he was too sore—but I was no less satisfied. Hell, I was more satisfied than usual.
Which is why the finance of international corporations is boring as fuck today.
And now I have to do a big, complicated project on how current domestic businesses could have international appeal.
Ugh. It’s a requirement to pass the class so I have no choice but I’m starting to wonder about getting a degree in business.
There are so many things I want to do but can’t seem to zero in on anything.
“You should talk to Nita,” Athena tells me when I mention my frustration on the phone as I’m driving to work.
She called to ask if Rome is really okay, and then my frustration with the assignment came up.
“I bet she would let you feature the restaurant in your paper. Come up with a plan for taking it international. I mean, it doesn’t have to be global, but like, Canada or within certain resorts in the Caribbean or something. ”
“Those are great ideas,” I say. “I just hate to bother her.”
“Trust me, she loves everything to do with business and finance. She’s the perfect person to talk to.”
“I’m on my way there now, so I’ll see if she has a few minutes.”
“All right.” She pauses. “And you’re sure Rome is okay?”
I chuckle. “He’s at the doctor. Do you want me to have him call you?”
“Are you going to talk to him before you get off work?”
“Sure. I talk to him all the time.” The words slip out just as I realize she set me up.
Shit.
“I see.” I can practically see her smirking. “Just how often is all the time?”
“Athena,” I warn. “Don’t. You know Bodi will have a fit if he finds out something is going on.”
“But there is something going on. More than kissing.”
“What happens if I say yes?” I ask carefully.
She must sense that I’m serious because her tone softens. “That would make me super happy. Why don’t you sound happy? Because of Bodi?”
“Well, yeah. Not to mention the fact that Rome could get traded at any time. Or that he’ll be mad if you let on that you know.
I mean, everything is super new. We haven’t even had sex yet.
” That’s partly true. Oral isn’t sex-sex, right?
Probably a distinction I don’t want to delve into too deeply, but it works for this conversation.
“You haven’t done the deed?” She sounds both surprised and curious. “Any particular reason?”
“Because we’re never alone?” I laugh. “And last night he was just too sore.”
“Oh. Well, if you need a place to do it, you can come to my apartment when I’m at work.”
“I think we’ll figure it out,” I say quickly.
“He wouldn’t want to involve you, and honestly, we’re trying to go slow.
” Also true but not with regard to sex. The slow part is everything else.
I have no doubt we’re going to be fucking like bunnies until Bodi gets back from this trip. I hope so anyway.
“Slow is better than rushing in,” she says. “And I won’t say anything. I promise.”
“Especially not to your mom or sister,” I say firmly. “Please don’t screw this up for us. There’s so much at stake.”
She sighs dramatically. “Fi-ine. I won’t. Geez. You take the fun out of everything.”
I laugh. “I have to go. We’ll talk soon.”
“Bye!”
I disconnect, gather my things, and walk into the diner. I’m early because I wanted to eat something but now I’m in search of Nita.
“Is Nita around?” I ask the daytime bartender, Greg.
“She’s in her office.” He motions with his head, and I hurry in that direction.
I knock on the door and wait for her to acknowledge me. She looks up with a smile. “Hey, Billie. What’s up?”
“Do you have a few minutes?”
“A few. Is anything wrong?”
“No, nothing like that.” I close the door behind me. “I have a project to do for school and I was hoping you could help me.”
“I can try—what’s the class?”
“Analyses of International Finance.”
Her eyes light up. “Ooh, one of my favorites! Hit me.”
I explain about the project. “So I would need some information on the finances of the diner, ballpark numbers are fine, and maybe a little help on how to research everything you’d have to do if you were actually going to expand the business into, say, Canada.”
“Toronto would be a great city for another restaurant,” she muses. “And the project sounds like fun. I’d love to help. Hell, I’d love to take the class for you. How about I do that and you run the restaurant?”
I know she’s joking, but for some reason, that excites me. “That would be awesome!” I say, chuckling. “Honestly, way more fun than school. I enjoy school but this semester is basically all projects and papers, and I’m floundering a little.”
“Why?”
“Well, mostly because I don’t know what I want to do with my very generic business degree.
Do I want to stay in school and finish my MBA?
Do I get an entry-level job somewhere, working nine to five, and starting the grind of the rest of my life at twenty-two?
” I haven’t vocalized my trepidation about doing that before now and it feels like a huge relief to get it out.
“Have you talked to a counselor or any kind of recruiter about this?” she asks softly.
I shake my head. “Not really. I have an academic counselor who’s pointed out all the different things I can do with a business degree, but every time I look at jobs online… I don’t know. It’s all just drudgery.”
“You haven’t found your passion yet.”
“I guess not. Bodi says I should get my MBA, and give myself time to figure out exactly what I want, but I don’t know… spend more money for another degree I don’t know what to do with?”
She chuckles. “You’re twenty-two. You’re not supposed to have your life figured out yet.
This is the time to try different things, explore, and learn.
Some things will be awful and you’ll know it fairly quickly.
So you jump ship and move on to something else.
I know it’s a little more complicated than that when you have bills to pay, but right now, you’re living with your brother and expenses are minimal. Take advantage of that.”
“I was hoping to move out after graduation,” I admit. “Get a job and be a grown-up, but…”
“But?” She waits patiently.
“I’m not afraid to work hard, I just don’t want to do something I hate.”
“Do you hate working here?”
“What?” My eyes round. “Not at all. I love working here! I wish I could be here instead of at school all week!”
“Then let’s try something,” she says thoughtfully. “How would you like to be an assistant manager?”
My mouth falls open. “Really? I mean, that sounds interesting, but I need the weekend shifts to make money…”
“Of course. You’d be the low man on the totem pole, so you’d either open on mornings that are slow or close on nights that are slow. Or take an afternoon shift when I need to go run errands. It would help me and give Callie the occasional day off.” Callie is the current manager of the restaurant.
“I don’t know if I know enough about things to be an assistant,” I say slowly, “but I’m willing to learn.”
She smiles. “That’s all I need to know. And we’re going to start right now.” She pushes a thick notebook over at me. “You can help me put together next month’s schedule.”
“That sounds like way more fun than writing a paper.”
“Oh, you’re going to do your paper too. But let’s see how you do with the schedule and we’ll go from there. What do you think?”
“I think you’re awesome.”
She grins. “Talk to me again after you see all requests for days off.”