Bentley (Hawthorne Brothers Book One)(18)

“Yes, I am very confident in my skills and abilities to use all of these things without problems,” I said.

I could sense the nervousness in my voice, and I was sure that he could as well. I hated interviews, I really did, though I somehow always seemed to do well in them, judging that I usually got the job. Maybe it was one of those things where I was just overly nervous in my mind and actually projected something better to the interviewer. Hell, I don’t know, I just know I hate these things.

“We like to think of ourselves as more than just a team or office here, but rather a family. The entire school staff is like a family, and we are looking for somebody who can fit into that role. Somebody who doesn’t just keep to themself and actually wants to be here. Are you somebody who wants to be here?” he asked.

“Yes, I definitely do,” I said, lying through my teeth.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want the job or to be here per se, but I’d never been one to go out for drinks with my co-workers, if you know what I mean, especially when they’d likely all be twice my age. I’m not anti-social, and I do chat with people when I’m working, but being a family was a little much for me. I knew I should have been honest, but I needed a damn job already. A girl has to feed herself.

“Can you tell me about a time at one of your previous positions where you worked on a solution to a problem?” he asked.

I’d prepared for this, reading an article online before my last job about this very thing. The only problem was that I could never really think of something, and instead always resorted to the same story, even though it wasn’t true. I’d worked for a short time at an Asian restaurant, my first job, though I was only there for like two weeks before the health department shut the place down. I felt bad lying, but it was better than not saying anything at all.

“Well, actually it has to do with my first job. It was at an Asian restaurant in my hometown, and we had a customer who had come in with very severe allergies. She couldn’t eat a lot of things, and unfortunately a lot of our meals had those things in them. I was an expediter, so I did a lot of stuff making sure orders were right and making sure everything was on time and orderly with the chefs. After talking with her about her problems, I figured out that we could substitute some items from one dish into another, and it would bypass all of her allergies completely. I had the chefs clean a portion of the flat top for her, and make sure it was completely clear of any allergens she might get from a previous meal. We made sure nothing was cross-contaminated, and even double-washed a plate and silverware for her to be absolutely sure. She was thrilled, even crying a little because she always had such a hard time going out with her husband, and we made a positive out of a negative situation,” I said, becoming more comfortable with the story as I went along.

“Wow, that’s some very great initiative you took there. And she was okay?” he asked.

“Yup, she even came in a few more times and we took care of her every single time,” I said, nodding.

I thought he was buying it, as he didn’t even question the validity of my claim, nodding and writing something down on my resume, which I hoped was good. I took a hard swallow, waiting for him to say something and break the dead silence that had come over the room. He looked over a few more things, and before I knew it, he looked back at me.

“Well, I have to say that the interview is over, and we’re out of time. I’ve really enjoyed meeting and talking with you, though. I should let you know I have a few more interviews later today, and we will be making our decision tomorrow afternoon. We will be calling the candidate we’ve chosen, so keep an eye on your phone tomorrow afternoon just in case,” he said, standing up.

That was it? No more questions? That was the shortest interview I’d ever had, though I guess I hadn’t had all that many of them to begin with. I stood up, shook his hand, and thanked him for the opportunity to interview with him for the position. He thanked me once again for coming in, and I walked out the door and back to the staircase I’d come from.

“I did the interview. I think it went well!” I said to Bentley.

“That’s awesome! I know you’ll end up getting it. They’d be stupid not to hire you,” he said, making me smile.

•••

I waited by my phone the next day, hoping and praying that I’d get a call. I was almost paranoid about it, keeping the ringer on as high as it could go, and even keeping it on my desk during class. I was ready and willing to run out of the room if I had to, no matter what my professor or classmates thought.

The hours went by, first hitting noon, and then one, two, and finally five in the evening. There was nothing except crickets. I started to panic, thinking my phone was acting up and not getting reception, but I still had texts coming in from Bentley, my mother, and Nina, so I knew that a lack of service wasn’t the problem. I guess I just didn’t get the job.

I wished I could call him up and find out why I didn’t get it. Was it something I said? Was my story so fake that he saw right through it and knew he couldn’t hire a girl like that for this position? Maybe another interviewee was just that much better than me and was a shoe-in for the position. I guess I didn’t really have any experience for it, never having been a receptionist before. Still, that shouldn’t disqualify a person from a position. I could learn. How could I ever get experience in something if I was never given a chance to learn and prove myself?

I texted Bentley, upset, and he was so sweet and caring as he tried to calm me down, telling me that it just wasn’t meant to be. He said I’d drive myself crazy thinking about it, and that I just needed to calm down and move on to the next job. Maybe he was right. Maybe the best way to beat this was to just look at job listings and find another one that was even better for me. I knew I could do better.





Chapter Sixteen



Anna



Valentine’s Day sort of scared me. I hadn’t ever done anything for it besides getting a cheap meal at McDonald’s, so needless to say I’d been lacking in that end of the romance department for quite some time. A couple weeks had passed and it was upon us, tonight, actually, and while Bentley said that he had a surprise for me, I hadn’t a clue what it entailed. All he said was to be at his place by seven.

I’d gotten my eyebrows waxed yesterday, and my hair trimmed a little as well, and I wore a black dress with a silver necklace and a few rings on my fingers. I parted my hair down the center and made it wavy, as if I’d just come from the beach, which Nina really liked, so it must have been good. Both of them surprisingly had dates, but I think it was more of a “get laid on Valentine’s” type of date and not so much a romantic night for two. I guess they weren’t all too crazy about the second kind, though.

I looked at my phone, seeing it was thirty minutes until seven, as I felt a few rogue butterflies in my stomach and a small knot of nerves that didn’t want to go away, only growing larger as time ticked by.

“So you have no idea what you’re doing tonight?” Maggie asked.

“Nope, I only know to be at his house by seven,” I said.

“I bet he’s taking you to the best restaurant in town. He seems like that type of guy from the stuff you’ve told us about him. I wouldn’t put it past him,” Nina said.

“I don’t care about all that stuff. I just want to have a nice evening with him. As long as we’re together, that’s all that matters,” I said.

“You’re so mushy about him,” Maggie said.

“Hey, when you’re with the right guy, you don’t need all the presents and expensive dinners. You just need him,” I said, slipping on my shoes.

“I still mean it about his brothers,” Maggie said.

“Maybe someday if I see them,” I said.

“So you still haven’t met his parents?” Nina asked.

“No, and I’m not sure it’s time yet. That’s a big step, you know? I don’t want to just meet them for the sake of meeting them. I want us to both know that we’re ready and willing to take that step. You can’t come back from it, and doing it too early could hurt our relationship,” I said.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. We aren’t in high school anymore, where you have to meet them almost instantly,” Nina said.

“Exactly,” I said as I picked up my purse.

“Leaving?” Maggie asked.

“Yup. Don’t wait up for me tonight,” I said, smiling.

“Hey, we’re planning on getting it too,” Maggie said, laughing.

I slipped on my coat and walked out the door. The air, which was usually bitter cold this time of year, was a little bit warmer, though still not anywhere near warm. At least I knew it wouldn’t be snowing tonight. That’s always a plus when you live in the Midwest in the winter.

My car started up and I let her sit there for ten minutes while I checked Facebook and Instagram. Normally I’d be annoyed with all the mushy stuff this day of the year, mainly because I never had that level of romance, but today I was liking things left and right and leaving nice comments on the pictures. I do think things become much better when you’re also experiencing that level of romance. It’s almost like you enjoy other people having it too, instead of being bitter about it.