Last Olive Bistro ✓

Chapter 19: Time Off

I left work a little bit early, since Angela never showed up and Tony insisted he could handle the closing by himself. When I pushed the front door open, I found Jacob outside waiting with his Bentley parked directly in front. He leaned on the hood like some renowned model.

"You didn't come in tonight," I said, walking up to him.

He smirked. "I had more to get done at the office than I thought, but more importantly, I forgot your surprise from earlier today. We got caught off guard by the rain, so it slipped my mind."

I blinked a few times, attempting to hold back my disdain for surprises.

"Get in?" he offered, opening the door. I smiled gratefully and climbed in. He shut the door and I looked back towards the restaurant. Tony was inside the window looking out. He threw me a subtle wave, and I responded with a sheepish grin.

"How was work?" Jacob asked as he whisked us away.

I laughed lightly and answered, "Not too horrible since the manager wasn't there."

"Why do they keep her? Or does she have some kind of dirt on the owners?"

I shook my head slowly. "I don't know." It was a valid question. Why does any business always keep the biggest troublemakers?

"Who owns it anyway?"

"An older couple; I've only met them once. I've heard they're pretty nasty too, but they were decent with me," I replied.

"Do they give you vacation time?"

I glanced over at him as if such a concept was foreign to me. "They do, but I never use it; I'd probably get an argument if I tried. I have nowhere to go, anyway." The question caught me off guard, and I repeated it a couple times in my head after I answered.

Vacation? What's that?

Jacob quickly peered over. "Do you need a reason to?"

"Well, yes because I don't want to use up my time sitting at home." I lowered my voice. "I've never had an opportunity to travel."

He stopped at a red light then looked at me for longer. "No, I meant, would you like a reason to use your vacation time?"

I scrunched my eyebrows, unsure of what he was getting at. "I'd love a reason to go away. London is full of history. Seoul would be exciting; I'd love to get lost in a place where I don't have the slightest clue of the language. I can say I have many reasons."

He chuckled a little bit then pulled away at the green light. "How about Connecticut?"

My mind flashed back to the first conversation we had in his Bentley. He mentioned that he split his time between New York and Connecticut. It all became very clear.

"What's in Connecticut?" I played coy.

"I'm heading up next week and staying Tuesday through Sunday. I am asking if you would like to come with me. Provided, you can get the time off work and not go through hell for it." Jacob stopped in a traffic jam and redirected his gaze on me.

I was hesitant and couldn't form a response right away. His reassuring, hopeful smile made me want to yell yes, but I held it back. I didn't want my initial emotional reaction to blow up, untamed.

"I would really like that, but you are correct—I have to be approved for the time off."

You dummy. Just go. To hell with Angela.

Argh, but I can't be fired. I need the job.

"I understand. It could be a fun time to get to know each other," he said.