2. I Like Her, Shes Fun
I Like Her, She's Fun
Dani
I stand outside the doors of Archer law firm. I take a deep breath and yawn. I really shouldn’t have stayed up until three in the morning reading No Sweeter Madness by Devin Sloane, but Max is a dirty, dirty boy and I'm a sucker for punishment. I give myself a shake and walk in, surprised that there are people waiting already.
Am I late?
"You must be Ms. Carter, I’m Carrie. Thank you for being early."
I turn towards the raspy, Janis Joplin-sounding voice, and I’m greeted by a very cute brunette, with a pert nose and hazel eyes. She smiles at me and stands up. Good lord, she’s tall. I glance down at her feet. She’s wearing flats. Super jealous right now. I just reach five three.
Thrusting her hand towards me, she shakes mine firmly. "Nice to meet you, Carrie. I thought I was late," I say, waving a hand at the five people sitting on chairs in the waiting area.
"Oh. Ha. I can see how you would think that. No, you’re early. These are clients of the other two men that work here," she motions to the small couch in the waiting area about five feet behind her desk. "Have a seat, we’re just waiting for the other interviewees to show up."
I raise a brow as I sit down. "Why’s that?"
"Luke wants to do a group interview first." Carrie complains with an eye roll.
"He what!"
"Did Erin not inform you? I spoke with her yesterday." Carrie says with a small frown.
"Erin never mentioned it when I talked to her. I’m revoking her best friend card. Pain in my ass redhead," I grumble with a pout as I glance Carrie’s way.
She giggles and I smile.
Carrie continues. "Luke wants to see how you interact with other people. Then he will conduct a one-on-one interview."
I purse my lips. The last time I was part of a group interview, it was for a retail job back in high school. Before I got pregnant.
"Would you like a coffee or water?" she asks, smiling at me sweetly.
"You don’t happen to have Rum here by chance?" I question jokingly.
Kind of.
Carrie laughs. "Unfortunately, no. Although, it would make the day more entertaining for me."
I like her, she’s fun.
"Water is fine," I answer with a smile.
Carrie hurries off down the hallway that forks off from the waiting area and through a door to what I’m assuming is the staff room, although I don’t see much staff. Just Carrie and two other men. I look around the office as I wait for the interview.
It’s a cold-looking office. Open concept waiting area with light gray walls and dark hardwood flooring. The odd painting and plant scattered about the space and a couple of large windows along the side walls that let's in quite a bit of light.
The hallways branches off in two directions, kind of in an L shape. The left side leads to a large office with a desk that sits just outside of it. Blinds cover the windows of the office that face into the primary office. There are also two smaller offices on the left side of the hallway with a door between them and straight ahead there's a large meeting room and the staff room.
I glance over at the large meeting room; one side of the double doors is open and there’s Luke Archer, the man who could be my future boss. Holy motherfucking shitballs, he’s even better looking in person than in all the pictures I found of him online.
Golden skin complements his dirty blond hair, cut short on the sides, a bit longer on the top. Along with a strong jaw, angular cheekbones, and kissable lips. His suit jacket is open, exposing wide shoulders and a thick chest underneath a gray button-down shirt.
My pulse races, my hands become clammy and my body flushes.
Dear God, this is so not good.
I fire Erin a quick text.
Me: Just saw Luke. I need a change of panties
He glances up and our eyes meet. I suck in a shallow breath, reach up and begin playing with a strand of my honey-blonde hair. His eyes are questioning as he looks me over, then raises an eyebrow and I return it. His lips tense into a thin line before he looks back down at his laptop.
My phone dings in my hand.
Erin: Ahhhhhhhhhhh! You horny bitch
"Here you are, Ms. Carter," Carrie says, snagging my attention and handing me a bottle of water.
"Thank you and call me Dani." I answer. I open the bottle and take a long drink, my throat’s feeling like the Sahara Desert suddenly.
I chance another peek and meet his eyes again. However, this time when his eyes look me over, there’s heat in them. As if he finds me…beautiful. I must be seeing things. A man like him would never find me attractive. I look away quickly before I do something to humiliate myself.
Me: I’m not gonna lie, he gets me all worked up
I glance back towards the room, finding him still watching me.
Me: Sweet baby Jesus and Mother Mary, he is spectacular
The door opens and two tall, young women swagger in, talking, and laughing. I’m guessing they are the other interviewees. Carrie turns to them and before her mouth even opens, they both say, "Mocha latte, with soy milk." They sit next to me, giving me some nasty side eye.
"Ladies, don’t you think it was a little rude to assume Carrie was going to ask you what you wanted to drink?" I ask.
They look at each other and cackle. "That’s her job sweetie," one of them says, flipping her long extensions over her shoulder.
"No, sweetie , her job is to greet you, take appointments and answer any questions people may have," I respond. "She can offer to get you something to drink but after the way you walked in here, demanding she get you a mocha latte , I wouldn’t say a damn thing if she shoved her shoes up your asses."
They gasp and turn away, while Carrie chuckles and fires me a wink. Her desk phone rings and as she rushes over to answer it, I check my phone. One text from my son Mason and one from Erin.
I check Mason’s first.
Bubba: Good luck Ma. Oh btw Axe went through ur underwear drawer
Me: Thank you, Bubba and tell Axe I’m going to cut his hands off if he does it again
That little shit is definitely being buried in the backyard. Axe is nothing but trouble. He’s a charmer and a sweet talker and has one major crush on yours truly. I guess it comes with the territory of being a young mom. Mason was bound to have one friend who would develop a crush.
I open the text from Erin next.
Erin: Be the best applicant he has ever had…
Erin: With your vagina
I snort out a laugh as I text back.
Me: Oh, my fuck, Erin!
The two women next to me give me a look as Carrie raises her brows at me.
"The interview will begin shortly," Carrie says as she walks past with a bunch of papers in her arms.
I let out a slow breath and stand. "Carrie, washroom?" I inquire.
"Down the hall, second door on the left." Carrie answers with a nod of her head and walks inside the meeting room.
I amble in that direction, finding it between the two smaller offices. I lock the door behind me and use the toilet.
I look at myself in the mirror as I wash my hands. I’m thirty-three with a seventeen-year-old. I’m competing with women in their twenties who have experience as a PA.
While I, on the other hand, have zero experience and on top of that, I have multiple scars and burn marks that are visible no matter what I do to try and hide them. Who wants to hire someone that looks like they have been dragged through hell. My scars don't bother me as much as they used to, however I still have days where my insecurity over my appearance makes me want to hide away from the world.
I pull myself away from the mirror, blowing a piece of my hair off my face as I sigh. The only thing that will get me this job is the fact that I have years of experience dealing with boys who have temper tantrums and that’s exactly what Luke Archer is.
A boy in a man’s body.
I exit the washroom and head back towards the waiting area. I sit with my purse on my lap and take a few deep breaths.
I can do this; I must do this.