Page 29 of Time Served in New York
“I sent all of you the itinerary,” Bernadette chided. “Do you not read your email?”
“I’m on vacation.”
“Blue, you’re the worst at checking your messages anyway. Don’t even pretend to use this trip as an excuse.”
“Wow. I didn’t even see that bus coming before you threw me under it, Paula. Thanks.” Paula smirked, and I couldn’t resist flipping her off. “So . . . tomorrow?”
“We are having a pampering session at the club while the men golf,” Bernadette said with a smile.
“Say again?” I asked at the same time as Jude, who was sitting next to me.
“We’re golfing?” Santa asked.
Boss chuckled as he asked, “At a country club?”
“It’s colder than a well digger’s ass outside, and you want us to play golf?” Jude asked.
Frustrated now, Bernadette asked, “Didanyoneread the email?”
“The temperature is supposed to be almost 60 degrees tomorrow and . . .”
“You know that’s cold, right?” Captain asked Bernadette.
“There’s no snow and the sun will be out,” Frankie told them. “It’s perfectly normal to play golf year-round.”
“If you live in Florida!” Jude argued.
“Golf started in Scotland. It barely gets above 60 degrees there during the hottest part of the year,” Bernadette argued.
“My brothers play all year,” Frankie added.
“I didn’t bring my golf shoes,” Chef complained.
Brea winked at him before she said, “Iread my email and packed them for you along with your clubs. They were in that tub I had Soda put in the truck.”
Chef hooked his hand around the back of Brea’s neck and pulled her toward him for a kiss right before he started mumbling something in her ear that made her eyes close and an excited smile come across her face.
“I’m gonna be drinkin’,” Santa said grumpily.
“What’s a pampering session?” Paula asked.
“You’ll see,” Bernadette said secretively. “It’s going to be lots of fun, I promise.”
The van we were in pulled to a stop at the curb. “Frankie, I’m still full from dinner.”
“Trust me,” Frankie replied before Santa opened the door and stepped onto the sidewalk, turning around to hold his hand out for Frankie. I could see the security guard in the passenger seat let out a tortured sigh, and it took everything I had not to laugh.
“Do you want some dessert, Jude?” I asked as we waited on the others in front of us to climb out.
“What I want isn’t served here,” Jude said in a low voice so only I could hear. “If I eat what I want for dessert at this place, we’ll both get arrested.”
“I’ve created a monster.”
“And monsters have an insatiable appetite.”
???
PAULA
