"Gah! You're a lifesaver! Thank you so much," I yell out my bedroom door before I rush into the bathroom to take a quick shower.
"You're welcome," she yells back.
I take the fastest shower ever, hitting all the important parts, then quickly dry off and apply lotion. Thankfully I shaved this morning; I hate wearing hose, and time does not allow for that today. I apply some mousse to my hair, then pull out the hair dryer and diffuser. That's going to take the longest. I almost didn't wash it, but there is no way I'm going into an interview with my hair smelling like Coffee House.
Fifteen minutes later, my curls are hanging freely down my back. I apply some mascara and lip gloss and call it good. Slipping into the outfit that Maggie laid out for me, I look over at the clock. It's three thirty. Grabbing my purse, I head to the living room. "Well?" I ask Maggie and Barry who are sitting on the couch.
Barry gives me a thumbs-up, then turns his attention back to the television.
"You look great. Very professional, yet still sexy," Maggie comments.
"Not going for sexy, Mags. Just professional. Maybe I should go change?"
"No, it's understated sexy. I promise you look great, respectable for a job interview. Now go. Call me when it's over."
Leaning down, I give her a hug. Barry pats me on the shoulder while I'm doing so and mumbles, "Good luck," never taking his eyes off the screen.
With a final wave, I'm out the door and headed to what I hope is the job that starts the next chapter of my life.
Finding the club was no issue at all; it's literally just around the corner from Coffee House. There's a banner hanging over the door, "Coming Soon-Club Titan" sprawled across it in bold black letters.
"Showtime," I mutter before climbing out of the car. Once I reach the door, I'm not sure if I should knock or just go on in. I decide to try the door and find it's unlocked, so I take two steps that place me inside the door. "Hello," I call out.
"In here," I hear a deep voice call back. It sounds like Zane, but I can't be sure. I've barely taken two more steps when he comes around the corner. "Berklee, hi. Sorry, I lost track of time. This way." He turns and I follow him down the hallway. "Have a seat." He points to one of the four folding chairs nestled around a small table.
I do as told and let my eyes wander the room. High ceilings overlook the bar and dance floor, and there's a set of stairs that leads up to what appears to be a loft. I assume that will be for VIP or private parties. This place is really amazing.
"It's actually just going to be us today. Crew's been working to get our liquor license. He submitted his second stack of paperwork yesterday and they called today with questions. He just decided to go down there to see what the issues are. All the more reason we need someone with a business mind to help. He's out of his element and, frankly, so am I."
"Licenses and permits are tricky. Each section of the application needs to be completed correctly. Something as simple as not having a box checked can void the application," I comment.
Zane grins. "See, we need you," he states matter-of-factly. "So, tell me about your job search so far."
I explain to him that the company I did my internship with closed their doors after the owner passed away. His children wanted nothing to do with the small printing business, so they sold out. "I was hopeful to get on full time but that didn't work out," I tell him. "And no matter how many phone interviews or face-to-face interviews I go on, when they hear that, it's as if I caused them to sell and they shoot me down. It's always the same excuse. 'You have the education but we're looking for someone with more experience.'" I stop there before I go on a rant about my job search. Yes, I know Zane, but I need to keep this interaction as professional as possible.
"Well, we're looking for someone to run the behind-the-scenes stuff. Payroll, human resources, deposits, paying bills, those sorts of things. Crew is the owner, but he doesn't want to be that hands-on. He's going to be here, so if there was ever an issue he would be available to you as a resource. So will I, although we really have no clue how to even begin with all of that stuff."
"With this being a club, what would the hours be?" I ask.
"You wouldn't be expected to be here until closing every night. The ideal situation would be that you're here at least when the staff arrives in case they have payroll or HR issues that need to be addressed. We plan on opening at five Wednesday through Sunday. When Crew and I talked earlier, we were thinking you could work eight to five with the understanding that some days you would have to alter your schedule or stay late. The staff are all going to report an hour before opening, so that gives them an hour to see you for anything they might need."