Page 35 of February

Her father laughed.

“Mom, she’s here for business. And if you asked her to describe New Orleans, she would probably just tell you more about her hotel or the spa treatments she’s received so far.”

“Why don’t you change that? You know this city like the back of your hand. At lunch, walk her around a bit. You’re the one who wants to stay here and will need a job. Consider this your chance to tell her how much you love this place and how you could work for her company remotely from here because it’s, I don’t know, inspirational.”

“She would say no,” Bridgette said.

“You won’t know that until you ask her.”

“Mom, come on. Don’t make me do this.”

“You’re an adult. You can do what you want.”

“But technically, we are her bosses,” her father said.

“Dad!”

“Come on, Bridge. Just take the woman for a walk or something. Get some food. Talk to her a bit. We need this to work, honey,” he replied. “And if it works out for you, too, that’s all the better.”

Bridgette didn’t get a chance to respond, though, because there was a knock at the door behind her, startling her. She turned around and opened the door to see Monica standing there, again with that unreadable expression on her face.

“We don’t want any fancy coffee. Thanks,” she joked.

Monica tilted her head to the side, but Bridgette had to have imagined that small smile she’d given her.

“I wanted to tell your parents that I’m done with the employees for now,” Monica replied.

“Great.” Bridgette’s mom stood. “I was thinking that it might be nice for Bridgette to take you around the city for a bit today. Would that be something you’d be interested in?”

“Around the city… with Bridgette?” the woman asked, which made Bridgette feel like she’d been right in assuming that she’d hate the idea.

“Yes. You said you’ve never been here, and it really is a beautiful place. My husband and I are obviously familiar, but Bridgette knows it best.”

“I know it,” Dan said from behind Monica. “I could take you around, if you want.”

Monica turned to him and then back to Bridgette with wide eyes. Why Bridgette felt the need to save this woman for the second time in two days was beyond her, so she chose to think about it in a different way, as maybe saving Dan from making a fool out of himself.

She cleared her throat and replied, “I’ve got it, Dan. Thanks, though.”

“I don’t know that I really need to see the city,” Monica added. “I’d rather focus on the numbers.”

“The numbers are important, but you need to understand the place that…” Bridgette paused as she internally rolled her eyes at what she was about to say. “Inspires us to create our cards.”

Monica leaned in and said, “You look how you looked last night; like you’re about to throw up.”

“Throw up?” Bridgette’s mom asked, having heard it despite Monica’s low volume.

“Nothing, Mom. Inside joke,” she replied. “We should go, if you want to,” she added to Monica.

“I guess so,” Monica said.

While she waited for Monica to send a few emails and get ready to go, Bridgette opened her computer at her desk and looked up what she needed. Deciding that it would have to work, she closed the laptop, grabbed her wallet, keys, and phone, choosing to leave everything else behind, and stood just as Monica emerged with her massive designer purse.

“You won’t need that,” Bridgette told her when she saw it. “And you’re wearing heels.”

“I wasn’t prepared for a walking tour today.”

“We’ll stop by your hotel, and you can change into flats or something.”

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