AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh my god, you’ll take advice from Jack, but you won’t take my advice and go on one date with Tommy?”
“Come on, Lu. You realize Tommy hates me, right? He thinks I’m an idiot. I mean he’s never come right out and said that, but you’ve seen the way he looks at me. I’m pretty sure he thinks he loses brain cells just by talking to me. His face is always just so...”
“I think that’s just his face,” Lauren says, sort of joking, but also defending him. “He’s really great once you get to know him, I swear. He always seems to choose the wrong girls.” She stops, hitting me with a cheeky little smile. “Kinda like someone else I know.” She points a finger at me and winks.
“You’re ridiculous,” I reply, blowing her off and attempting to continue the conversation she called me in here for. “So, what did you need? You called me in here.”
“Oh yeah. So, with Apple Jacks in full production, Jack and I were thinking we could add it as a bonus tasting when people purchase a variety tasting here in the tasting room? We already have samples added to the restaurant and are getting great feedback.”
“I think it sounds like a great idea. It’ll really get people interested early and paired with the Somerville name, people will already trust the brand.”
“Exactly, but it will add a little more to your workload. We’re asking people to fill out a survey afterward and we’re using that data to make changes and decide what we’ll produce.”
“And I’m guessing you need me to pass out the surveys and collect them?”
“Yes,” Lauren starts, stalling out a little. “And I was hoping you’d be able to help us total everything at the end of the night. I promise I’m not asking you to do it for free. Just add it to your hours, or you can seriously say no.”
“No problem. It’s not like I have anything else to do in the evening with me being single and all.”
Lauren laughs at my comment, shaking her head. “I thought you joined that dating app? No dick pic suitors yet?”
“Plenty, but no one of interest,” I lie, not wanting to share with anyone that the guy I’ve been talking with is pretty great. I’m still that loser magnet and I’m waiting for the wheels to fall off. If it lasts more than a few weeks, I may consider it then.
We chat mindlessly for a few minutes, the tasting room is still closed for another hour and since I arrived early as always, I’m ready to go well in advance. But I should still head back there just in case we have some early arrivals or some walk-ups. I’m just about to head back to the tasting room when I’m hit with an idea.
“Hey!” I call out and Lauren and I both let out a giggle at my unnecessary loudness.
“What?” she yells back and now we’re laughing a little harder.
“So, I was just hit with this random idea and it could be total crap, but what if after someone fills out the survey, they’re entered into a contest to come to a soft opening or a party or something at Apple Jacks before the public? It would be a great way to encourage more people to fill out the survey. We know everyone loves the free booze, but then they tend to not follow through with the survey. This could be—”
Lauren cuts me off, grabbing me by the shoulders and giving me a shake. “Oh my god! That’s genius! I figured the free cider and getting to try it before the general public would be a draw, but this could up it even more.” She grabs for her phone but keeps talking. “I knew I hired you for a reason. All young and cute and so goddamn smart. I gotta find Jack, and hey,” she says, stopping in the doorway that leads outside, “don’t start giving away free cider just yet. I’m gonna work with our graphics person to throw together some posters and see if I can get some social media posts up.”
“Got it, boss.”
“Thank you, Pen. We’re really lucky to have you on our team.”
She disappears out the door and my heart swells with pride. I’ve always loved my job here and have always felt appreciated, but today I feel even more a part of this little family.
I left Massachusetts when I was only twenty-one. I hadn’t really done anything but waitress and flit from job to job never feeling appreciated. I couldn’t pin down exactly how going to college would ever benefit me since I couldn’t pick a major and it was always a bone of contention with my parents. They weren’t super supportive when I left, and they still aren’t now. I didn’t take the path they assumed I would take. I wasted their hard-earned money and didn’t even leave college with a degree, and when I packed up my car with my tattooed, surly boyfriend I think they were happy to see me go.
Working in the tasting room at Somerville’s isn’t a career according to them, but today as I stand here in Lauren’s office, I realize this is exactly where I’m supposed to be. It’s a place where I’m celebrated for sharing ideas. It’s a place where I feel welcomed and comfortable to be myself, where it doesn’t matter if I have a degree or if I just have ideas. It’s all honored just the same.
I look down at my watch and see I still have some time before I need to open so I decide to take a walk. It’s been a great morning so far. Last night when I walked into my apartment, tired and crabby, I thought I’d be ending the night falling asleep on the couch with the TV on. But it went a different direction and chatting with my favorite match on Mystery Matchmaker was great and then finding him up early this morning was even better.
Now I’ve got this idea that Lauren is planning to run with, and I know it will be amazing. Watching her plan weddings has always been one of my favorite things about working at the vineyard and I know this party for Apple Jacks will be even more amazing.
My phone chimes out with a text as I make my way down by the lake. I pull it from my pocket and find Lauren’s name on the screen.
Lauren: Jack is all in, but he wants you to work on the planning with me. You up for it?
I nearly cheer out loud, not even believing this is happening and I respond immediately.
Me: oh my fucking god, yes!
Me: Sorry. I shouldn’t have sworn in a text to my boss. That was super unprofessional.
Me: I’m just really excited.
