I think of the long drive home and how I don’t want to get back only to tell my parents that I’m so pathetic I failed my interview. I have no other job prospects on the horizon, especially not anything that would pay me to travel. I need this internship.
I turn to Marcus. “Can I do whatever it takes?”
He shrugs. “Within reason.”
I nod. “Okay, consider it done.”
Marcus gives me an appreciative nod, and I wish I actually felt as confident as I’m pretending to be. “When do the autographs start?” I ask.
Marcus points to a long table that’s set up just across the room. There are four stacks of what look like posters on the table, one stack in front of each of the four chairs. A box of Sharpie markers sits unopened. “They can start signing as soon as they get over there,” Marcus says.
It seems simple enough. I cock my head. “Is this a trick?”
Marcus laughs, all big and loud like I’ve just said something hilarious. “I wish it was a trick, Miss Dunn. Here’s the thing—three of my guys don’t mind signing autographs. But Clay hates it. And part of why I need an intern is to help me convince his moody ass that he has to do what he’s contractually obligated to do.”
I frown. “Signing autographs seems fun. Why won’t he do it?”
Marcus shrugs. “Beats me. The guy’s an enigma. A total asshole but fast as hell on a bike.” Marcus pats my shoulder. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
“No problem,” I say. I take a step toward the VIP section where all of Team Loco (and one girlfriend, I guess) is hanging out. With each step I take, I hope a plan will come to me, some kind of magical perfect plan that will make all of this very easy, but nothing happens. I get to the velvet rope that blocks them off from normal people and I step around it. No one really looks at me, but I’m wearing my professional skirt and blouse so I guess I look official and not like some sneaky fangirl who slipped through security.
The journalist woman and her cameraman are just finishing, and she shakes hands with the guy with messy hair and then thanks him for the interview. As she and the cameraman turn to leave, I clear my throat.
“Hey there,” I say to the team, injecting every bit of confidence I can find into my voice. “My name is Avery Dunn and I’m Team Loco’s new intern.”
Jett, Zach, Aiden, and Jett’s girlfriend all look at me, their expressions friendly and curious. Clay, however, does not. I don’t even think he can hear me over his earbuds.
And of course, I’m not officially the intern yet, but Marcus said I could do whatever I wanted within reason, and I’m choosing to fake it until I make it.
I’m about to keep talking, but one of the guys—Zach?—stands up and shakes my hand. “Nice to meet you, Avery. I’m Zach.”
“Jett,” Jett says, waving at me from his place on the couch.
His girlfriend stands up and then smacks him on the shoulder. “Don’t just wave,” she says. “Go introduce yourself.”
“Sorry,” Jett says sheepishly, as he rises from the couch. “We kind of met earlier. I’m Jett. Nice to meet you again.”
“You too,” I say.
The guy with messy hair is named Aiden and he shakes my hand as well. “So Marcus finally found someone to intern? Cool.”
My smile falters. “I hope that’s not a bad thing?”
Aiden shakes his head. “Nah, it just means that you must be good. Everyone else he interviewed didn’t cut it.”
Nerves build up in my stomach. I could easily be one of those people who can’t cut it. This might be my first and last time talking to these guys. I try to smile, but I don’t think it works.
I can feel Clay’s gaze on me before I look over, but I look anyway. He’s watching me, his hand holding one earbud that he removed to listen in to the conversation. Good. He knows I’m here, at least.
I look at the other three guys, knowing that Clay is listening. “It’s time for autographs,” I say, gesturing to the signing table.
“Fun stuff,” Jett says, cracking his knuckles like he’s getting ready to do some hardcore signature writing. “See you in a bit,” he says to his girlfriend before kissing her quickly on the lips.
Marcus had stayed behind when I walked up here to do the test he’d given me, but I know he’s watching me from wherever he is right now. He probably doesn’t have much confidence that I’ll succeed, especially since Clay just put his earbud back in. I guess I should be grateful that he afforded me three seconds of his attention before ignoring me again.
Seriously, what is wrong with this guy? I would love to sign posters if someone wanted me to. That would be so freaking cool.
The threenicemembers of Team Loco all shuffle out of the narrow opening in the velvet ropes and make their way toward the signing table. Jett’s girlfriend walks over to me, a soft smile on her face that looks more like pity instead of an actual smile.
