Only You by Jerry Cole (the top 100 crime novels of all time TXT) 📕

a house, life experience – fuck, you’ve never even left the country.”

“Have to!” Bradley protested stupidly.

“Huh? When?”

“Well...” Bradley thought quickly. “Not yet – but next month. I’m going overseas. For a whole month too.”

Jackson crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Really,” Bradley said definitely.

“And where to?”

“Europe,” Bradley shrugged. “All over, really. Trying to get some... what did you call it? Life experience.” Jackson was right, Bradley had never been overseas. Fuck, he’d barely even left the state, but for some reason he was starting to feel committed to this lie, like if it were true, Jackson might actually take him back... as silly as that seemed.

Jackson smirked, not looking for a second like he believed him. “Well, good for you. You should travel. It’s good for you, good for the soul.”

“Thanks for the tip.”

“Anyway... I guess...” Jackson shrugged and pushed his chair back. “Obviously, I don’t think we should stay for food.”

“Obviously — I need to be getting back soon anyway. I have that trip to plan.”

“I can’t wait to see it,” Jackson smirked. “Make sure you post a couple of pics. Otherwise, I might not believe you.”

“Posts, stories, videos – all of it. You won’t miss them.” Bradley remained seated, giving Jackson such a wicked death stare that he actually worried it might pierce through Jackson’s chest and break his heart... but that was just hopeful.

“I look forward to it.” Standing now, Jackson offered Bradley a final look of pity and then a smile. “Well, I’ll see you around.”

“No, you won’t!” Bradley shouted after him as he strode across the restaurant. “I’ll be on a beach in Spain and... and you’ll be here, doing nothing with —”

“He’s gone dear.” The older lady at the table nearest Bradley leaned across so as to speak with him. “But I hope you enjoy your trip.”

Bradley didn’t make to follow Jackson so that he could keep shouting at him. Nor did he move from that seat for some time. Instead, he mentally booked a trip through Europe in his head. As he did, he imaged the photos he would post, the videos he would upload and the look on Jackson’s face when he saw them and realized that Bradley had been telling the truth the whole while.

Too young? No life experience?!

A small, resigned smile spread itself across Bradley’s face. He would book this trip overseas. He would prove to Jackson that he wasn’t some loser in his mid-twenties with nothing to show for it. He would have the best time of his life in fact and by the time he did return, as a new and improved man, he wouldn’t even want Jackson back... although to be fair, he also knew that to be a lie.

Chapter Two

 “2020 is going to be the year for travel – the biggest one yet. But it can’t be that until we trim all the fat and get every single one of our bundles just right. And that includes, and I cannot emphasize this enough people, our deluxe ‘Singles Through Europe’ package – which is killing us, guys! Killing us dead! So again, I’m asking you – the supposed ‘best in the business,’ how do we take this loser of a travel package from being the money sink that it is, to actually turning us a profit? And.... go.”

“What if we make it cheaper?”

“What if we charge less?”

“What if... and this is just a suggestion... we drop the price?”

There were twelve sets of eager eyes all looking down the table at Sherman Haas; engorged, wide-eyed, blinking nervously as they awaited his response. They must have known that their suggestions were rubbish, but none seemed to show it. Even Sherman’s best friend, Nick, nodded his head enthusiastically and then gave a thumbs up to boot.

As for Sherman? He was standing at the head of the room, addressing the twelve men and women like an army drill sergeant. The only difference being that if this was the army, he might have ordered to have every single one of them shot for pure incompetence.

It was times like this that Sherman wished he were taller... and broader in the chest and shoulder region... and just better looking in general. He had always kind of assumed that if he were these things, he’d have an easier time controlling the room and instilling just a hint of fear among his subordinates. Not that he wanted to scare his employees... but fuck, right now they could do with a dose of fear.

“Charge less?” Sherman spoke through gritted teeth and a clenched jaw. “Lower the price?” His scratched at his head and nodded to himself, refusing to look at the twelve people in the room. “These are your brilliant suggestions?”

He waited for a response, knowing the one he was going to get – regardless of who it was from – would be awful. And sure enough, a solo hand raised shakily into the air, looking like it was being forced there against its will.

“Geoff.” Sherman pointed to Geoff, one of his newest recruits.

“Oh... hey,” Geoff’s voice shook, as did his body. He, like everyone else in the room was wearing an overpriced suit of some make, and he, like everyone else in the room, was sweating through it. “Well... I was ah... thinking that ah... what if we just cancel the package all together —”

“Fuck!” Sherman slammed his open palm on the table. If his middling looks couldn’t control the room, pure anger and aggression was going to have to. “That’s not an option. What did I just say – 2020! That’s six months away! By January, we want to have every single one of our travel bundles in the green – and that includes our ‘Singles Through Europe,’ package. We’ve already paid the hotels, the buses, the museums, insurance companies