#Chapter 78: A Little Vacation
Abby

My eyes snap open to discover that someone, in the span of what feels like five minutes, my office has

grown dark. There’s a hand on my shoulder, and an all-too-familiar face—with a smirk on it, of course—

staring down at me.

“Sleepy?” Karl asks, his lips twitching into a grin.

I shake my head and sit up, trying to regain a sense of reality. The glare of the desk lamp sca tters

across stacks of invoices and order forms, casting a dim amber glow over everything.

“No,” I lie, looking away as Karl crosses the room back to the doorway. “I was just putting my head

down for a few minutes.”

A quick glance at the clock reveals that it’s almost eight o’clock, and considering the fact that it’s a

Wednesday, the restaurant is already mostly quiet. Through my half-open office door, I can just barely

make out the faint sound of sc at tered voices and silverware on plates from the few customers who are

still hanging around, post-dinner rush.

Karl laughs and leans against the doorframe. “Sure. And what looks like drool on your cheek must just

be condensation or something, right?”

Drool? I swipe my cheek with the back of my hand and sure enough, it comes away wet. Great.

“Okay, you go me,” I mutter, smoothing down my messy hair. “This morning was hectic, and I didn’t

sleep too well last night…”

Karl shrugs. “Don’t sweat it,” he assures me. “In fact, you’ll be happy to know that after the health

inspector left, everything else went smoothly. No more food critics, no sick servers, no arguing

employees.”

I force a half-smile. So word really does travel fast; or rather, Karl is more attuned to the drama than I

thought. I never mentioned the sick servers and arguing employees to anyone, but someone must have

noticed.

I sigh, rubbing my eyes.

and saunters in again, perching on the edge of my cluttered

tomorrow’s delivery schedule, but it’s really not that important,” he

could use

up to my feet in an attempt to

really feel right now. “I’m perfectly fine,” I

that I’m wavering slightly where I’m

at me without

in a very long time. And something about it makes my knees just

bit weak. I cross the room in a feeble attempt to hide the blush that’s creeping

out into the

the kitchen will close soon anyway,”

reality. “You should

be fine. I’ll at

sighs. “It’s supposed to rain all

you home, okay?”

stare out the window for another few moments at

ook reveals that my umbrella is nowhere to be found,

didn’t really do

say, turning back to face Karl. He’s got an

it quickly. “Let’s

cramped space of my office to Karl’s sleek, black sedan

smells like fresh leather and a hint of pine

the windshield as we drive. I’ve always loved the city in

neon signs look on a stormy

streets, the bright signs of late-night diners and convenience

a blur. For a moment, the weight of my job—the critics,

myself lost in the

silence. “You looked like you were having

tropical drink, and a server shortage

nightmare. I can’t seem to

sleep.”

glances over at me with a smirk. “Well, dreams are just unpaid labor

could get compensation somehow.”

I reply, my words

brick

front door. It’s surrounded by

I first moved here, I almost walked into

embarrassing.

off the engine, then looks at

don’t need a vacation? My offer still stands. Remember the pool

pool and the hot tub,

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