She forced herself to focus as the elevator doors opened. Fantasies were one thing, but this was work. She wasn’t allowed to go all gaga over a guy. Especially one who hated her as much as Luke did. She refused to be one of those women who was just asking for her heart to be broken.
Cali strode out of the elevator and Evelyn followed. The building was a simple square shape, and they seemed to be getting closer and closer to Luke’s office. Her fears were realized as Cali turned in to a small, windowless office right across from Luke’s door. “I didn’t realize we’d be working this close,” muttered Evelyn as she set down her shoulder bag with her agency computer and notebook.
“Luke said that one of the benefits of the contest was that you work intensely with him. So I made sure to put you as close as possible.”
Evelyn had no one to blame for this mess but herself. “Sounds good.” Cali stood back while Evelyn sat in the comfortable computer chair and glanced around the office.
“IT will be up in a few minutes to make sure you get your laptop and make sure you’re connected to the printers. Luke has a meeting right now, but he’ll give you a rundown of what’s expected from you for the next few weeks.”
“Great.” Evelyn forced a smile. She really just wanted a few minutes to herself to get her bearings. Except Cali wasn’t moving. “Is something wrong?”
Cali tilted her head. She opened her mouth and then shut it real quick.
Oh boy. Here were the questions about what Evelyn was actually doing here. Evelyn steeled herself for the questions until Cali finally said, “You’re not a trust fund baby, are you?”
Evelyn’s brows drew together. “Um, no.”
“Full ride scholarship? Worked your whole way through school?”
Well, this wasn’t the line of questioning she’d been expecting. “For the most part,” she said evasively. Cali was asking Evelyn Peterson these questions, but Evelyn Price was the one who they applied perfectly to. After her dad skipped out on the family, there wasn’t any extra money for education, and Evelyn had to spend every spare second studying to earn her scholarships. “Is that a problem?”
Cali frowned. “I worked my way through college too. I want to give you a quick tip. If you want to work up here, you need to look and act like a trust fund baby.”
Realization washed over Evelyn. “You don’t think I’m dressed right?”
Cali shook her head. “Oh, I think you’re dressed right. For your first day on the first floor. But this isn’t the first floor. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars or wear super short skirts or anything. Just try for a suit that matches. And avoid wrinkles.”
Evelyn tightened her lips and glanced down at her black pants and black jacket. Same color, but from different brands. The blacks were just different enough that it was noticeable. And the suit wasn’t wrinkled when she put it on. The insufferably hot subway had done that for her.
“I’m not trying to be bitchy, I swear. But you’re really lucky to get this chance and that kind of stuff is what I wish I’d been told when I started. I can give you the name of a few reasonably priced places I went to when I was first starting out.”
Evelyn eyed Cali’s perfectly fitted powder blue skirt and jacket that probably would’ve looked ridiculous on her, but that Cali seemed to look professional in. Evelyn had a feeling she and the administrative assistant intent on world domination didn’t have all that much in common. “I appreciate the tip,” said Evelyn with a smile that wasn’t quite as forced as before. Even though it wasn’t the nicest thing another woman had ever said to her, it was still good to know Cali wasn’t just sitting back and waiting for Luke to see Evelyn’s mismatched suit.
Even though he knew she wasn’t actually an intern, it would be nice to not stand out like a sore thumb. And she might even be able to get Hotchins to let her expense a new suit or two. Silver lining...
“So Luke will be in the office in a few hours?”
“He’s here now. Just downstairs. He’ll be up to greet you as soon as he can get away.”
“Thanks,” said Evelyn as Cali finally left her alone.
Evelyn sat in silence for a moment as she collected herself. She would be able to do this. Catch the bad guys, go back to Texas. She reached into her bag and pulled out the worn, printed-out picture.
A family smiled at the camera. A mother, father, and two teens. They’d done everything right. Went to school. Started a family. Got a good job and put all their savings into their 401k. But the Thirteen Stars ruined it for them. One of the members had been the president and CEO of the company the father in the picture had worked for. The company had invested the employee 401ks in a massive Ponzi scheme where the CEO reaped all the financial rewards. Once the SEC got wind of it, Thirteen Stars threw their collective muscle behind their own, and he was long gone, with billions of stolen money on his own private island.