Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 117574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
“That’s fine with me, especially at that hourly rate. After serving drunk and nervous passengers for twelve years, I’ve seen it all. My skin is thicker than a rhino’s at this point.”
Ryan chuckles. “I figured you wouldn’t mind working for a weirdo for a few months. You only need the job while you’re fixing up the condo, right?”
“Or I get a flight attendant job. But yeah, once I’m done with the condo, I’m definitely heading back to sunny LA.”
“Okay, don’t tell him that. Make him think you’re imagining working for him for ten years.”
“Got it.”
“Nobody ever lasts long with him, so I don’t feel bad about you leaving the job after a few months.”
“If I get it.”
“The odds are high. He’s already got a bunch of interviews lined up tomorrow, but I talked him into squeezing you in, first thing at eight o’clock—a full hour before his first scheduled interview. He hates wasting time, so if you impress him, I’m positive he’ll offer you the job on the spot and cancel everyone else.”
“Holy crap, Ryan. Seriously? This is amazing. Do you have any tips for how I might knock his socks off tomorrow?”
As I’m asking the question, Tessa sits down next to me on the couch, so Ryan and I quickly get her up to speed. Tessa questions me working for a demanding prick, even part-time and temporarily, but I quickly convince her I’ll be fine.
“Okay, I’ve got some important tips for you, Char,” Ryan says. “Wear all white to the interview tomorrow and make sure whatever you’re wearing is meticulously ironed. If you’re dressed in crisp, spotless white, Jerry will think you’re detail-oriented and meticulous across the board. He’ll eat that shit up.”
I frown. “Most of my clothes are in storage in LA, along with my furniture. I only brought one small suitcase of clothes with me to Seattle, and I didn’t pack anything white.”
Tessa waves at the air. “No worries, babe. I’ve got the perfect thing for you—a sleek, white jumpsuit romper thing that’s super flattering. I’ll hem the bottoms for you tonight, and you’ll look like a million bucks tomorrow.”
I snort. “You’d better take in the chest area, too, or else I’m going to need to stuff my bra.” Besides being quite a bit taller than me, Tessa’s also got the world’s most jaw-dropping hourglass figure, when she’s not cooking a baby. Despite those differences in our body types, however, I think Tessa’s outfit could easily be altered to fit me, well enough.
“Okay, hot tip number two,” Ryan continues. “Bring Jerry his favorite specialty coffee tomorrow, and make sure it’s still piping hot when you set it down in front of him—on a coaster, for fuck’s sake. On a coaster.” He says he finagled Jerry’s usual coffee order from a buddy’s assistant at the brokerage firm, on the down low. Also, that there’s a coffee place only a block away from Jerry’s office, so I’ll be able to park, get the coffee, and then walk to my appointment, coffee in hand.
“Will do,” I say. “Anything else?”
“Hot tip number three,” Ryan says. “Arrive at Jerry’s door, with the piping hot coffee, exactly five minutes early for your interview. If you’re on time with Jerry, then you’re late.”
“I’ll be there at 7:50, to be safe.”
“Nope. 7:55 on the nose, or else his coffee won’t be piping hot when he calls you into his office at 7:56.”
I chuckle. “I’ll get to the coffee place a full half-hour early and sit around till it’s the precise time to order and walk up the street.”
“Now you’re getting it. Perfect. Now, when you sit down for the interview . . .” Ryan details several more things he wants me to do. So, I pull out my phone and take meticulous notes. Finally, Ryan wraps up his tutorial with, “If you do everything I’ve told you, you’ll walk away with a job tomorrow.”
“Fingers crossed.” I don’t want to tell Ryan and Tessa this, but I’m down to my last hundred-fifty bucks in my bank account. I’ve still got some room on my credit cards, in case of a dire emergency, but I’m already in so much debt, I’d rather not take on more.
“Thank you so much, Ryan. I can’t thank you enough.”
“No thanks necessary,” Ryan replies. “You’re family, Charlotte.”
A lump rises in my throat. On top of everything else, I’ve been missing my father terribly. It’s been two years since he passed, but it never gets easier. Ryan and Tessa can’t take Dad’s place, of course. Nobody can. But Ryan’s and Tessa’s kindness makes me feel supported and loved in a way I really need right now.
“Thank you. That means a lot,” I choke out.
Ryan’s features soften. “You’re not alone, okay? You’re never alone.”
Well, shit. I’m crying now. I’ve needed to feel exactly this kind of support lately, after the mess I’ve made of my life. I inhale deeply, trying to control my emotions, and feel a wave of genuine optimism rise up inside me. “Thank you so much. To both of you. Thanks to you, I can already tell, without a doubt, tomorrow is going to be my lucky day.”