Page 17 of Juicy Pickle

The conga song is in full swing, so I figure most everyone will be watching the action. I should make my escape before someone else recognizes me.

I tilt my head, still shielded by the hat.

I look out of the corner of my eye as I head across the deck. Fewer people than I expect are participating, a few wives and girlfriends mainly. The only employee is Peter from maintenance. His wife is the life of the party, leading the line, kicking her legs out from her bright floral swim wrap. I like her.

But other than their paltry conga line, this party is decidedlynot lit.

Kenna drops onto a lounge chair well away from the others. She glances at me, then quickly looks away.

She’s considerably more interesting than I thought she would be. At least Viola has good taste in friends, even if she ultimately screws them over.

I scan every cluster of people. Rhett isn’t here, which I’m sure is why Viola went looking for him. Playing with fire. That’s her M.O. She had a fling with Toby in tech that went so far south that Toby quit his job.

That was all Viola’s doing, constantly sending in IT requests after they broke up and refusing to let any other tech help. Only Toby. Just to torture him.

She’s always able to justify her actions in her head. It’s impressive. I’m most certainly better off without her, even if it stings.

I thread my way through the dining chairs back to the buffet. I should make a plan in case I chicken out of dinner. It’s a sit-down affair in the dining room, and I’m not sure I’m ready for that level of discovery.

The first serving woman grins at me. “Back for more? We’re shutting down shortly.”

“Can I take some empanadas to my room?”

“Certainly. How many?”

“Three. And some plantains. But not the red sauce.”

She laughs. “Too spicy for you?”

“Too spicy for this earth!”

She laughs again. “No red sauce.” She fills a cardboard container and sets a package of wooden takeaway cutlery on top. “This good?”

“Perfect. Hey, what else can we get in our rooms?”

“Most anything you like. There’s a small binder in your desk that outlines the kitchen and bar options that are included with your stay.”

This is a dream. Worth every risk. “Thank you so much.” I accept the container.

I keep my head down, glancing left and right as I head for the covered part of the deck that leads to the cabins.

I’m almost to the hall when I see a swish of white net and a pink bikini.

That’s Viola. I remember that suit.

I spin to the side and face a large window.

She’s focused on where she’s going, maybe a little mad, and doesn’t even look my way.

I guess things didn’t go so well with Rhett. I could have told her. That man doesn’t have a fun bone in his body. I’ve seen most every unattached woman at Dougherty Inc. sidle her way into his office on one pretense or another, and he ushers them out as swiftly as possible.

All of his socials were stalked. We saw a rare picture of him with the Pickle family, but nothing about a girlfriend. Or anything fun. The best we could find was him singing with his cousins on a stage during the Pickle Deli’s anniversary party in New York.

Rhett looks way more relaxed with family, that’s for sure. Viola dissected every detail of that image, convinced the right party girl would bring out his fun self.

But it hasn’t happened. If anything, he’s gotten more tightly wound since I’ve known him. When he and I had private meetings, he took great care to make sure the door was open,like he expected I’ll tell some wild story about what we did in there.

As if.

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