Seb told me to hit you up regarding possibly comin’ in to help out.
Ugh. Who even am I? That wasn’t right either.
Why was this so hard?
It wasn’t as if my entire scholarship could be riding on him accepting me for an unpaid internship or all my eggs were suddenly in the basket of the last person I had allowed to hurt me.
Well, the last person I’d actually cared about in that way.
Gahhhhhhh. My head hitting my desk hurt more than it should as my glasses dug into my temple. A quiet knock on the door, the only thing to stop me from repeating the action.
“Come in,” I called, my voice muffled against the wood.
“You okay in here, you’re groaning like a water buffalo,” Mum asked and I reluctantly turned my face to see her standing, a washing basket under one arm.
“Fine. Still trying to write this email,” I confessed. She knew all about thegeniusidea of her son, ever the saviour to anything he thought was a problem for us. She was also far too aware of my long, unrequited crush on the soon-to-be recipient.
“Honey, it’s only six-weeks. Keep it light. Sebby said he was desperate, so it seems to me that he needs you just as much as you need this internship. Besides, you’re the smartest person I know, he would be a daft prick not to accept you. And Coop is not daft, nor is he a prick.”
“Mum!” I admonished.
“Oops. I’ll add a dollar.” She grinned.
We’d shared a New Year’s resolution last year to cease swearing, deciding it was more of a challenge than anything else and I really didn’t think it would last, yet, eighteen months later and I was still going strong. Externally anyway. Internally, I was swearing like a pirate, especially when assessments were due, or I was coming up to four hours staring at an empty screen with nothing other than the addressee completed.
It wasn’t just the nerves of sending an email tohimbut that it meant I was finally moving out of home. I'd never cared because I was with Mum. And what we had worked for both of us.
“Cooper is part of our family, darling. You know what he’s like. Plus, it’s time,” she said as if reading my mind. “I’m fifty-five years old, Evs. I promise I’ll be okay.” She brushed the hair from my forehead, the washing basket still firmly held with her other hand.
I made another noise indicating I knew she was right. Since Seb moved out almost a decade ago, it had only been us. Other than Mum’s boyfriends who came and went, it was always just the two of us, often going days without seeing each other due to my ridiculous schedule of studying and working part-time, but liketwo ships in the night, we knew there was someone else out there. Until she went and got herself a boyfriend, proving how pathetic I really was when her social life surpassed my own.
“Toby’s moving in and maybe we can turn this room into a meditation studio. Yes! I could get some –”
“I haven’t even left yet and you’re re-decorating,” I whined with extra emphasis.
“No more groaning, send it and if he doesn’t accept, we can grow old together like a couple of spinsters.” She joked.
Was I really that person?
Were we going to start crocheting matching slippers as we watched Antiques Roadshow together?
“Okay, okay, writing and sending.” Mum laughed, knowing exactly what she needed to say to get me to suck it up and get things done.
“Once you’re done, come downstairs. I’ve got the mixer out,” she winked before closing my door. She was right. I would send this and then we could bake something delicious, taking my mind off all the reasons Cooper Dane was the last person I should call boss.
Hey!
It’s been a long time, right? Well, except the other night, but that didn’t really count, I suppose. Thank you for the ride home, never been on the back of a bike before. It was quite the experience.
Anyway, I’m emailing to see if you needed or wanted an intern. Seb mentioned you may need someone to help with the books and I’m seeking a six-week placement. I’m a little desperate if I’m honest and don’t have much longer before it becomes a serious problem.
Could be mutually beneficial and best of all, it’s an unpaid internship, so really, I just need someone willing to sign off that I did what was required.Although, I really would work hard and do whatever you needed me to do.
If this is something you could accommodate, please let me know. You have my number if you’d prefer to chat, or I could come in and talk more in person.
Evangeline.
“Girl, you basically just offered yourself to him on a platter,” Xavi said, his face only half on screen as he flossed his teeth.
