Page 20 of Puck Me Twice

Jacky calls me into her office around three. Blowing out a breath, I grab the paperwork and approach.

“We need to talk,” she says.

My stomach drops. “Okay.”

“I’m sure you’ve noticed some things are… different around here.”

My eyebrows go up. “Uh… yeah?” I mean, I haven’t, but I can pretend.

Her hand falls to her belly. “I’m not going to be able to travel for much longer.”

“Is everything okay?”

Jacky shakes her head. “It’s high-risk, and I’m not talking about it because it freaks me the fuck out, but my doctor is this close to grounding me. So I won’t be able to travel with the team for much longer.”

I knew she and Jo were trying for another baby in theory. I wasn’t privy to all of the sensitive details. I don’t need to know until I need to know.

I guess I need to know now.

“So you want me to travel with the team?”

Until now, I’ve handled everything from the ground. I don’t travel. Every once in a while, I can request to attend an away game, but it’s still work, and it’s not exactly restful. Besides, I don’t want my life to revolve around work.

“You and Scott will split the games,” Jacky continues. “You have seniority so you get to pick your preferred trips, but it’ll be as close to 50/50 coverage as we can get it.”

I swallow. Road trips. That’s not the end of the world. I could be getting fired. I’m glad it’s not that.

“Whatever you need,” I tell my boss quickly.

Jacky rubs her fingers together in the universal sign for money.

Right. She can’t volunteer that information. I have to ask for it.

“Is there additional compensation for the added responsibilities?”

She smiles. “Yes, I’m authorized to double the per diem and offer a five percent permanent total salary increase.”

“Five percent?” That’s almost nothing. It’ll barely make a difference after they take out the taxes.

“Your position is salaried, not hourly, and does not account for overtime.” She winces. “Since this is a temporary adjustment of duties and not a change in job function, the budget is constrained. All of your travel expenses are covered, of course. And your meals while on the trip. This salary increase will not be factored into your cost of living adjustment and performance-based increases.”

With a sigh, I roll the idea around in my head. It’s not that bad of a deal. It could be a lot worse.

My eyes fall to the paper in my hands. The one I printed and filled out with mostly lies before I walked in here.

“Before I agree, there’s something else we should talk about.” I hesitate.

“Everything okay?” Jacky’s brows knit in confusion.

Passing over the paper, I wait as she silently reads.

Her eyebrows lift.

She looks at me.

I nod.

She tilts her head to the side, pursing her lips.