“I’m at the computer as we speak. I can pull it up. What do you need?”
“Our margins on hamburger buns. But refresh my memory first. Who’s our supplier?”
“A. D. Rappaport. What do you need to know? Our total outlay on hamburgers?”
“On the buns specifically. How much are they charging us per?”
“Ah, just a sec. Here it is. Regular or extra-large, sir?”
Oz looked at Gloria. “Both,” she said.
“Both,” Oz said into the phone.
“They charge us twenty-one cents per bun,” Tom said.
“Wow,” said Gloria. “Twenty-one cents for a regular bun?”
“That’s for an extra-large bun,” said Tom.
Gloria couldn’t believe it.
“They charge us fifteen cents per regular bun,” said Tom.
Oz looked at Gloria. “That sounds better?”
“Of course! Yes.”
“Contact Rappaport,” Oz said to Tom.
“Yes, sir.”
“Tell them I want them to supply Lucinda’s Diner, although I’m sure the name will be changing soon, but right now it’s still Lucinda’s Diner. I want them to charge this diner at the same rates they charge us.”
“Will do.”
“And if they give us any blowback--”
“Oh, they won’t, sir,” Tom interrupted. “They aren’t losing The Drakos contract over supplying a small diner. I guarantee you that.”
“Good,” Oz said. “Tell them to ask for Gloria here at Lucinda’s. But I don’t want any bullshit. The exact same rate is what they’d better give her.”
“Yes, sir. That’s what she’ll get.”
Gloria sat there amazed. Was he for real?
“What else do they supply for us?” Oz asked Tom.
“Quite a few supplies, sir. Nearly forty percent of our restaurants food inventories alone.”
“Then let’s do this,” said Oz. “Get a rep from their company to come visit Lucinda’s and cut a deal to supply them with whatever they need. With margins the same as ours. And make it clear to them I will check,” Oz added.
“Yes, sir,” said Tom. “I’ll get right on it.”
“Good man,” said Oz, and ended the call. But when he looked up, he realized Gloria was staring at him.
“Are you serious?” she asked him.
“Of course, I’m serious. Why wouldn’t I be serious?” Then he smiled. “I mean I joke around like all the time, but why wouldn’t I be serious?”
But Gloria was still stunned. “Did I just hear that that company, A.D. Rappaport, is going to give me the same margins they give The Drakos?”
“Between us, yes. I’m sure that company, however, wouldn’t want that news to spread around.”
Gloria smiled. “Oh, I understand that!” Then she frowned. “I just don’t understand why.”
Oz leaned back and folded his arms, revealing biceps so big they were straining the fabric of his Italian-silk suit. “Why what?”
“Why would you help me out like this? What’s in it for you?”
“For me? Nothing at all. I cannot stand those who would take advantage of somebody just starting out. The very person who needs the break the most. You’re a young lady trying her hand in the entrepreneur world. I respect that, but many don’t. Some, I’m afraid, will see you coming. But I’m already here. They know I’ll come too. For them,” Oz added, with a smile. “They’ll back off with their maltreatment of you going forward. I assure you of that.”
Gloria, shocking herself, believed him. “Thank you,” she said, with a smile of her own. “That’s going to help me a lot, Oz. I really appreciate that.”
“No worries at all. I just want to make sure your age and race and gender doesn’t create issues for you around here. If they do, come see me.”
When he uttered those words, a pang of fear whipped through Gloria’s body. Because, when he said those words, he reminded her of her father! The last man on earth she wanted to get herself entangled with was a man like her father!
“Just come see me,” he said again.
“And you’ll do what exactly?” Gloria asked him. “Beat’em up for me?”
Oz smiled that charming, bright white smile. “I’ve been known to mix it up every now and then. They don’t call me the wizard of Oz for nothing.”
Gloria knew exactly why they called him the wizard of Oz. Lucinda told her why. And it had nothing to do with fighting. But just the thought of why they called him that name caused Gloria to glance down, between his muscular thighs. When she saw just how big his equipment was for his wizardry, she began to feel the heat between her own thighs. Which was the last thing she needed to have for a man like Oz. She quickly looked away.
But Oz caught her little glance before she looked away, and the fact that she seemed impressed. That pleased him. And, to his own surprise, it was enough. She was interested too. That was all he needed to know for now. He stood up. “I’d better let you get back to work,” he said.
Gloria smiled, standing too. “That’s very generous of you.”
“No generosity at all. I need to get back to work, too,” he added, and they laughed.
“Thanks, again, for helping me out,” Gloria said with all sincerity. “That kind of assistance is going to save me some serious cash. Thank you.”
“You’re quite welcomed. But right now,” he glanced at his Cartier watch, “I’m super late for a meeting. My brother will call out the brigade if I don’t get going.”
“The brigade, really? He can’t be that bad.”
“Let’s put it this way,” Oz said. “Ever hear of General George Patton?”
“Of course I’ve heard of him.”
“The good General has nothing on my brother.”
Gloria laughed. “If you say so, Oz.”
But Oz was taken by how her face lit up whenever she laughed. And he couldn’t help it. He blurted it out. “Have dinner with me,” he said to her.
Gloria’s laughter slowly eased, although her smile remained. “Dinner? But I told you I couldn’t. Oh. I see. You helped me, so now I owe you?”
Oz was offended. “You don’t owe me a damn thing. Not a thing. And I wasn’t talking about tonight. You already told me you were busy tonight. And I won’t be in town tomorrow night. I was thinking Wednesday. How does Wednesday night sound?”
But Gloria was shaking her head. “Not good. I’ve got to be in Philly Wednesday night.”
That sounded odd even to Oz. “Come again?”
“I’m catching a plane out in a couple days. I’m having dinner in Philly Wednesday night with my family.”
Oz stood there. Was she brushing him off again? He was suddenly embarrassed again. He nodded his head. “Yeah, okay.”
Gloria immediately realized how he was taking it. “No, I’m serious,” she said. “I know it sounds odd, but it really isn’t. I have to be in Philly Wednesday night. Real talk. I’ve already made the reservation. My plane leaves at five Wednesday afternoon. The Uber will be here to pick me up at three. I’m not blowing you off or anything like that. But since you probably aren’t used to being blown off, you don’t know what it looks like. Do you?”