Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56885 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56885 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Suddenly, he looks annoyed. “Nothing. Go on.”
“I thought…” I shut up quickly. “Sorry – yes, anyway. What was I saying?”
“You’re applying for…”
“Yeah, the position of copywriter for a new product. But the ad didn’t say what the product was, only that it was some kind of app.”
“Can you think why we might not have given all the details?”
He leans back in his chair, uncrossing his arms. I’m sure his gaze flits to my legs again. Perhaps another woman would be offended, but it triggers waves of lust that won’t seem to leave me alone. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to listen to them.
“It’s in the company name,” I tell him. “Do. It. All.” I emphasize each word, my mind playing a reel of when I first said it to him three years ago, the exact phrase that became the name of his company. “I presume that a copywriter on the team of this new product will have to – sorry, get to wear multiple hats. They’ll have a say in development, advertisement, and anything else to ensure the product’s success.”
I stop, breathless. My chest rises and falls rapidly. He glances at my chest, then overcorrects and looks above my head. Or maybe this is all in my messed-up mind. It doesn’t matter. Only the job does.
“Very good,” he says. “Do you have any experience as a copywriter? Or a writer of any kind?”
“I wrote for my college newspaper,” I tell him. “And I had three short stories published before I switched majors… I know I’m a college dropout, but—”
“Hey,” he says. “You don’t need to worry about that. Many of my employees never went to college. Here, I only care about results.”
I smile, meeting his eyes, but he looks almost annoyed with himself for being nice to me. He goes cold again.
“I’m determined,” I tell him. “This job means a lot to me. I want to make it work. Not to get too personal…”
“We value the personal touch at Do It All,” he says. “I’m always interested in learning what drives my employees.”
He leans forward, sitting up, making me feel small, but not in a bad way. It reminds me of how easily he lifted me off my feet and put me on the buffet table. I’ve purposefully not thought about this for years to bury the guilt. It has still strained every interaction with Elliot.
But now I’m face to face with the man who sometimes visits me in my dreams, and he’s making my blood simmer.
“You know what happened when I was a kid?” I ask. “I’d usually think it’s inappropriate to bring it up in a job interview, but if you’re sure you want to know?”
He nods, staring at me with an intensity I remember. It’s a look that says he’d leap across the desk and pull me into his arms.
No, no, no.
It’s a look that says, I am a CEO interested in hearing a potential employee’s motivation.’ That’s all.
“I want to hear it, Piper,” he insists. “Pretend we’ve never met, and I don’t know your story. What is driving you to want to succeed in this position?”
“When I was a girl, my mother was raising me alone. She sadly passed away, and for a while, it looked like I was going to go into foster care. But then my brother stepped in. He was a young man. He was raised in the system. I didn’t even know I had a brother until he saved me. We had different dads. Yet he didn’t want the same to happen to me. Each day, I saw his determination, how he struggled, how he overcame his struggles. Ever since then, he’s been my biggest inspiration.”
I take a breath and continue. “I won’t lie. I’ve failed at keeping that same determination twice now. First, with English literature. Then, with business. But I’m determined to make this work. I think Do It All is a fantastic company, changing lives and making the world a better place while being profitable. It’s a miracle, honestly, and if I’m given the opportunity to work for you, I swear I’ll approach my job with the same determination my brother had when raising me.”
I stop, breathless.
Logan isn’t smirking now. He’s smiling, his blues seeming bright with appreciation, with pride.
“So, yeah…” I shrug. “That’s my story.”
“You don’t need to do that, Piper,” he says, his voice husky.
I shift in my seat. Something about his change in tone makes me think he’s going to take this someplace else, someplace taboo. I can’t let that happen. He wouldn’t take the opportunity here in his office, would he?
“Do what?” I ask.
“Devalue it. Downplay it. That was incredibly moving and convincing.”
“It’s the truth. I’m tired of trying and quitting and trying and quitting. I’m ready to commit.”
He nods. “You’ve just passed the first phase of the interview.”