FromBrody.
I swallow hard and slip into the lounge, relieved that it’s completely empty. I plop down on one of the couches and hit the play button on the voicemail.
“Hey, Georgie, it’s Brody. I was just calling to see if you were still interested in the position for the yacht trip. I really need a chef, and the pay is two-hundred grand for the month. I’m pretty desperate. I swear I’ll make it worth your time. We leave in two days.”
I bite down on my lip, my heart jumping out of my chest.
Two hundred thousand dollars?
That’s enough to potentially change my entire life. I could maybe even invest some into opening up my own café. But also…can I even handle being a chef on a yacht?What does that even entail?
Before I can call Brody back to ask, my screen lights up with another call.Daisy.She knows this is my usual break time, even though she’s now living in Maine with her new husband. I immediately answer.
“Hey,” I breathe out. “I miss you so much.”
“I take it Lily is still driving you insane,” her sweet, soft voice comes over the line. “You know, you could always find a new roommate.”
“Yeah, she’s fine,” I say quickly. “I have a way bigger problem though.”
“Oh?” Daisy’s pitch heightens. “What’s that?”
“Well, my dad’s best friend—you know, the hot one from back when we were sixteen?”
She gasps. “Oh my god! Brody Wilder? I completely forgot about him. What’s wrong? Did he die?”
“What? No,” I shake my head. “He didn’tdie.He’s not that old.”
“People die every day, Georgia.”
I roll my eyes. “I cannot with you.”
She chuckles. “Well, you said you had a problem.”
“I do,” I groan. “He offered me a job to be his chef on his month-long yacht cruise thing.” I stumble over my words, having no idea how to describe an event that I’m sure only happens to the upper one percent of the population.
“Um, and this is a problem because…why?”
“Because I have no idea how to be a chef on a yacht. That sounds like something way out of my wheelhouse. I mean, I haven’t really cooked for anyone other than myself in?—”
“Georgia,” Daisy stops me. “You’re underestimating yourself, just like always. You’re going to be cooking food, which you happen to do better than anyone I know. You’ve totally got this. Besides, I’m sure it’s not like they’re going to expect five-course meals three times a day. It’s sailing. Make your menu before you go, and I’m sure you have enough time to practice a little.”
“I can’t get enough practice done in just two days,” I blurt out, running a hand down my face. I probably just fucked up my makeup, but whatever.
“Okay, so it’s short notice…” Daisy’s voice trails off. “But not the end of the world. Can you get time off from work?”
“I don’t know,” I mumble. “I doubt it. I don’t think it’d matter though.” I take a deep breath and drop the biggest bombshell about the whole thing. “I’d get paid two hundred grand.”
There’s a beat of silence. “Did I just hear you correctly?”
“Yes,you did. It’s life-altering money. Maybe not for a billionaire like Brody, but for someone like me? Absolutely.”
“I don’t even know why you’re telling me this a problem at all,” Daisy laughs. “You need to take that job, work your ass off, and then you get a completely fresh start. This is like your big break.”
“But my job here…”
“Quit the job, Georgia. You hate working there anyway. You can look for a different job when you get home.”
Clutching my phone to my ear, I start to pick at the hem of my sweater, a wave of nerves flooding my system. “I don’t know.”
