How to tell Dylan, and
How not to puke from excitement and nerves at the same time.
Ali adjusted her laptop camera for the third time and smoothed the front of her blouse. She’d kept it simple—a pale blue top, soft waves in her hair, and light makeup that said“I am a competent professional who also gets eight hours of sleep and drinks green juice.”Lies. But polished ones.
She took a deep breath and clicked the Zoom link.
It loaded with a soft chime, and a man appeared on screen—mid-40s, sharp suit, salt-and-pepper hair, and an easy smile.
“Ali, hi! Camden Vaughn. Thanks so much for hopping on today.”
“Of course. Thank you for meeting with me,” she said, praying her voice didn’t sound as shaky as she felt.
He dove right in, asking about her resume, her accounting work, and how she handled client relationships. The questions were fast but fair, and Ali held her own. Camden’s expression didn’t shift much—but she caught the slight lift of his brow when she described streamlining one of her firm’s reconciliation processes.
They were deep into a conversation about long-term goals when she heard the front door creak open.
Dylan’s voice floated down the hallway. “Babe?”
Ali froze. She didn’t answer—just sat a little straighter and hoped to god the mic didn’t pick him up.
“...and we really value independence in this role,” Camden continued. “Our team is tight-knit, but we don’t micromanage.”
Ali smiled and nodded, ignoring the soft footsteps drawing closer.
Dylan peeked his head around the corner, brows pulling together.Question mark face. She widened her eyes and waved him off under the desk.
He mouthed something—Are you okay?—but she ignored it, forcing her attention back to the screen.
“Sorry,” she said quickly. “Small house.”
“No worries,” Camden chuckled. “Mine’s not much bigger. Last week my toddler walked in naked during a partner call.”
Ali let out a breath of laughter. “That makes me feel slightly better.”
Camden smiled. “Listen—I like your energy. Kallie vouched for you, and I trust her judgment. I’d love to schedule a follow-up and talk about what a role could look like with us.”
Ali blinked. “Really?”
“Absolutely. You’ve got great instincts. And frankly, we’re overdue for someone with your mix of precision and warmth.”
“Thank you,” she said softly, heart pounding.
“Talk soon,” he said, and the screen blinked to black.
Ali exhaled hard and slumped back in her chair. Her phone buzzed immediately—
Kallie:
?? Well??
Ali grinned down at it but didn’t get a chance to type. A shadow passed the door.
