Chapter 30 – Ainsleigh
thirty
AINSLEIGH
Afew days later, I woke with anxious energy. It was the day of my interview and my therapy appointment. The interview was in the early afternoon and the therapy appointment a couple hours after that.
Rolling over, I checked my phone and had a text notification from Gentry.
With a smile, I opened his message.
Gentry: Your dad told me you’re off today. Is everything okay? And no, that question doesn’t count as my question for the day.
Ainsleigh: Yes, everything’s fine. I have my interview today followed by my therapy appointment.
I’d told him about both appointments, but I couldn’t remember if I’d told him which day they were.
Gentry: I’ll miss seeing your beautiful face around the ranch today. You’re going to knock them about of the park at the interview. Good luck at both appointments. Come see me when you get back. I’ll be at the clubhouse today. Here’s your question for the day: Sunny or rainy days?
I smiled at his randomness. I never knew what question he’d come up with next and if it would be serious or not.
After some careful thought, I responded that rainy days were my favorite.
There was just something about rainy, summer days that I loved curling up on the couch with a soft blanket and a good book or a movie and enjoying the peace and comfort those simple moments brought me.
Checking the time, I realized I had to get out of bed and get ready for my interview.
I left my phone on the bed and decided to ponder the next question I’d ask him.
I quickly showered and straightened my hair, deciding a sleek look would be more professional than the unruly curls.
Dressed to impress in a black pencil skirt, a white button-down short-sleeve top with a ruffled collar that I’d tucked in with peep toe heels, I took in my reflection in the mirror to double check my appearance.
Satisfied with my outfit, I grabbed a black purse from my closet and transferred everything important over and left the house with my head held high.
I was still anxious as I got into my SUV. I needed to talk to Gentry. I pulled my phone from my purse and sent him a text to see if he could talk. Instead of responding, my phone rang, his name appeared on the screen.
I swiped the screen to answer and let out a nervous breath.
“You okay, butterfly?” he asked in a panicked tone.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just really nervous, and needed to talk to you,” I responded on a shaky breath.
“Why’re you so nervous?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.
“I honestly don’t know. It’s not like I have to go to this interview. There’s just something nagging me in the back of my mind, almost like it’s telling me not to go.”
“Go to the interview. See what it’s about. You’ve already interviewed with them once before, so you’re familiar with the company. And if you don’t like the job, you’ll at least know you’ve tried and seen what options are out there.”
Gentry was right. I knew he’d be the voice of reason.
“Thank you for talking me through it. I knew you’d set me straight.”
“You’ve got this, butterfly. Please drive safe.”
“I will. I’ll let you know when I’m back,” I told him. His words of encouragement were just what I needed.
We said our goodbyes, and I tossed my phone into the passenger seat, before setting off in the direction of my interview.
I gave myself a mental pep talk and went over the possible questions they’d ask as I made the hour drive into Dallas.
I pulled into the parking lot of the high-rise building and took a few deep breaths after I parked.
Walking into the building, I was met with the receptionist, who greeted me with a welcoming smile.
“Welcome to Lundry Media. How can I assist you today?”
I gave her my name and told her I had an interview with Mr. Lundry.
She checked something on the screen and stood.
“He’s expecting you. If you go to the elevators behind me, he’s on the fourteenth floor. I’ll let him know you’re coming up,” she said as she handed me a visitor’s pass. I clipped it to my shirt and made my way over to the elevators, pressing the button.
The doors opened, and I waited for the people to exit before I made my way inside. Just as the doors were about to shut, I heard a man’s voice shout.
“Hold the elevator.”
I put my hand between the doors to stop them from closing.
He stepped inside out of breath and looked over to the panel. He saw the button lit up for the fourteenth floor and stood beside me. My nerves were all over the place thinking about the interview that I didn’t give the man a second glance.
The elevator slowed to a stop and dinged before the doors opened.
“Ladies first.” He gestured.
I stepped off the elevator and walked over to the reception desk, where an elderly lady sat behind the mahogany desk.
“You must be Miss Courtright.” She beamed at me.
The gentleman from the elevator said from behind me, “You’re my interview. Thank you, Gretta. I’ll take it from here.”
Turning around, I took the man in. He wore a three-piece suit that fit him like a glove. His face was clean-shaven, his hair styled without a piece out of place. As I took a further look, he looked familiar, but I just couldn’t place where I’d seen him before.
“Hi, Miss Courtright. I’m Sampson Lundry. Thank you for coming in today. Why don’t we head over to the conference room to start the interview,” he suggested as he smiled down at me.
I followed him to the conference room, where several leather seats were strategically placed around the massive table.
He asked me if I’d like anything to drink, which I politely declined before we took our seats.
I placed my purse in the seat beside me and my hands in my lap as I waited for him to begin.
He took a folder out of a briefcase I hadn’t even noticed he was carrying and rifled through it before he found the documents he sought.
“This interview is just a formality. The head of our Virginia office raved about you after the interview. I’m sorry it took us so long to get back to you, but I’ve been out of the country on business and just returned a few weeks ago.
I noticed on your resume that you were from Texas and thought you’d be a perfect fit,” he said from across the table.
“Thank you for your consideration. I moved back to Texas after graduation,” I stated, unsure of how to respond when his statement hadn’t included a question.
“At Lundry Media, we love finding new talent fresh out of college. I feel that’s when people are most creative and striving to find where they fit in.
You fit the bill. Your slideshow presentation that you presented showed an impressive skill, and you used out of the box methods to show how a company can grow using the latest technology and social media.
Where did you get the inspiration for the presentation? ”
I’d forgotten all about that presentation.
We were asked during the first round of interviews after we were selected for a second to come prepared with a presentation on how to show growth within a startup company.
I’d just so happened to get a selection that I was most familiar with, albeit it was for a destination property, not a ranch, but the same concepts could be homed in on that company based on their accommodations.
“I grew up on a dude ranch that my grandfather built from the ground up in our small town. It’s thrived over the years and is now under the supervision of my father.
I just thought about how I’d want the ranch to grow and used some of the concepts I’d implement there and tailored them to fit that company’s needs,” I confidently responded.
The more I thought back on that presentation, the more I realized how excited I was to present it.
How I’d used the passion I felt in taking over the ranch’s marketing someday, but I hadn’t delved into the why of it all then.
I could only see my escape. As I sat here across from this man, it was like a tidal wave hit me all at once.
I could put so much passion into that presentation because I was so passionate about my family’s ranch.
I wanted it to succeed, and bringing the marketing up to date and implementing some of the strategies in this very presentation, I could see the ranch thriving even more in the coming months.
He asked a few more questions which I confidently answered, but my thoughts were still stuck back at the ranch, and I couldn’t get out of this interview fast enough.
“I know this may be an odd question, but have we met before?” he asked as he leaned back into his seat. I didn’t miss the way his eyes scoured my face and drifted down to my cleavage. It was subtle, and if I wasn’t hyperaware, I’d have missed the entire thing.
I studied him much more thoroughly as I wracked my brain, and that was when it hit me.
His voice sounded so familiar, and now I knew why.
I felt my face heat with embarrassment as I recalled just where I’d seen him before.
Just as I was about to reveal how we’d met, his eyes widened with recognition.
“You were at the airport a few weeks ago, weren’t you?” he asked as he clicked the pen in his hand.
“Guilty as charged,” I joked, still embarrassed by our entire encounter.
“It’s a small world,” he replied. Not small enough to where I ran into the one person I never thought I’d see again so I wouldn’t have to relive that embarrassment.
The embarrassing moment forgotten, he went on to describe what the job would entail and that I’d be working directly under him. I didn’t know how I felt about that. While the position sounded amazing and I knew I’d excel at it, my gut told me to run as far away as I could.
“Do you have any questions for me?” he asked as the interview neared its end.
“No, you answered them all in your thorough explanation of the position,” I replied, ready to leave this conference room and Sampson Lundry behind.