Smitten with Strudel by Ellen Jacobson

Author:Ellen Jacobson [Ellen Jacobson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ellen Jacobson
Published: 2021-11-29T00:00:00+00:00

9

The Dog Ate My Homework

Frau Albrecht frowns when I walk into the reception area the next morning. “That outfit is unacceptable. Where’s your uniform?”

Personally, I think my outfit is totally acceptable. Say goodbye to that ill-fitting suit and scratchy polyester blouse. The floaty sundress and sandals I have on are far more my style. And wearing my hair loose over my shoulders is such a relief after having it pinned back in that awful bun.

Sophia looks up from the computer and her face lights up. “Does this mean you’re quitting?”

“No, I just have the day off,” I say.

“The day off? Are you kidding me? You only started working here a week ago. I haven’t had a day off in three months.” Sophia turns to Frau Albrecht. “How come she gets time off and I don’t?”

“Isabelle most certainly does not have the day off.” Frau Albrecht taps her pen on the counter. “Unless you are planning on resigning, then we need you here at the front desk. The current passengers are disembarking, and then we have a four-hour window to get the boat ready for the next set of passengers. Now go back to your cabin and change into your uniform. The alternative is handing in your letter of resignation.”

“But, um . . .”

“Um, what?” the older woman says.

Last night Erich had promised that he would arrange for me to have the day off so I can play in the Scrabble tournament. Did he finally find some strings he couldn’t pull?

“Well?” Frau Albrecht asks impatiently. Then her phone rings. She grunts hello, listens for a few moments while cracking her knuckles. Then she gives me a full on glare. “Apparently, Isabelle does have the day off.”

Sophia looks like she wants to roast me on a spit.

“I’ll be back this evening,” I say, rushing to get off the boat before Sophia hurls a stapler at me.

When I walk onto the dock, Erich is leaning against a car.

I’m not sure what to say to him or what to do. After what happened last night, I foolishly hoped we’d be able to avoid each other. But we have a mission to do. Together.

Erich is wearing his game face. Just another day at the office for him. When I ended the kiss last night, he looked stunned, but only for an instant. He quickly regained his composure and agreed that getting involved romantically was a bad idea.

“Hi,” I say. “I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“Really? I told you I’d drive you to the tournament.” He opens the passenger door. “Hop in.”

I slip into the car, clutching my purse on my lap. We drive to the venue in an uncomfortable silence. To pass the time, I review the tournament rules.

Unlike the tournaments I’ve played in before, where one player is pitted against another player, this is a tag-team event. Each team has two people. Each player in a team has their own rack of tiles, one playing right after the other one before the next team takes over.

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