APPRECIATING HER HUSTLE

Ten minutes later, all her food is gone, and she’s drunk two cups of coffee.

“Ok,” Nicole admits. “It’s possible I was a little hangry.”

I’m on the verge of telling her she needs to take care of herself when I stop myself. She’s not my family, she’s not even a friend. She’s an employee I’ll hardly ever interact with directly once this presentation is finished.

So instead I drawl, “How generous of you to allow the possibility that I’m right.”

Nicole raises one shoulder in a cheeky shrug. “So, about the presentation—”

“The bachelorette party’s a non-issue,” I say.

“Why are we still talking about this?”

“Because we need to dispense with the distractions so you can focus on what’s important,” I say. “When’s your party?”

“Next Friday,” she sighs.

Good. Plenty of time. “You’ll have it at the queens city Club,” I decide. “The owner owes me a favor.”

She laughs. Then notices my face. “Oh. You’re serious.”

I feel weirdly off balance. I thought the Queens city club was a good idea. I can’t reme