Page 57 of Trapped with the Billionaire

No resources and a platitude that small businesses were the backbone of the country. If that was true, the country needed a back brace.

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Nicole

I’d spentthe morning mostly shoring up morale with chats around the building when my phone alarm went off. It was time.

Dee was back at her desk, and Josh’s door was closed.

“Who’s he got in there?”

“Just Gary.”

I knocked, and when his muffled response didn’t sound likego away, I opened the door.

Gary and Josh were huddled over reports at the small conference table.

Josh looked my way.

“Time to go,” I told him.

He checked his watch with a quizzical look. “I wasn’t aware we had anything scheduled.”

“You said business as usual,” I responded.

“It’s Tuesday,” Gary told him. “You have lunch with Nicole.”

Josh didn’t look any less confused.

“Second Tuesday lunch,” I explained. “You want everything to run as it has been. This is part of the schedule. Let’s get going.”

Josh gave up the battle and stood.

I tried to hide my smile.

Gary stood. “I’m available after lunch if you want to continue this.”

“I’ll let you know,” Josh replied as he wiggled into his suit coat.

Gary left us.

“You won’t need the coat, and you might want to lose the tie,” I advised him.

“I’m fine, thanks.”

As we left, Josh told Dee he’d be back after lunch.

“Sure, Mr. B,” she replied with her usual cheeriness.

“Josh,” he said.

“Sure, Mr. B,” she said again.

We left the building, and he turned right toward employee parking. “Why can’t I get her to call me Josh?”

“Looks to me like you made an impression. She insisted on calling Ernst ‘Mr. Berg.’ She hasn’t called anybody by an initial since she called my father Mr. R.

“I’m honored.” He checked his watch.

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