“This is she.”
“Miss Winters, this is Janice from Human Resources at Price Industries.I’m sorry to call so late on a Friday, but I didn’t want to keep you waiting any longer.”
“No problem at all!”I shrieked.Cool your shit, Callie.
“Well, I won’t beat around the bush.”Bless your beautiful soul, Janice.“Mr.Price really enjoyed meeting you and was very impressed with your accomplishments.We’d be delighted if you’d join us next semester as our special projects intern.”
Joy and pride swelled in my chest, pushing away the ache from moments ago.
MBA candidates from all over the country applied for the Price Industries Special Projects internship.This was my dream—the future I had been carefully crafting since I was old enough to realize I didn’t want to become my mother.
Bonus?The Price Industries office sat right here in Columbus—the city I loved with all my heart.It was a perfect two-hour drive to my parents’ house—not too close, not too far away.
“Miss Winters?Are you there?”
I smiled, gripping the phone tighter.“Sorry!Yes, I’m here.Thank you so much!I am so grateful for this opportunity.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Hugh staring at me, brows knitted.I turned away, focusing on the call.
Janice chuckled.“Congratulations, Miss Winters.”
The internship started on January 2nd, after the holidays.I’d be reporting to Mr.Price.The pay was forty dollars an hour, and they expected me to work twenty to forty hours a week, depending on my class schedule.
Honestly, it would be a lot, but I’d make it work.This was the opportunity of a lifetime.
Grinning, I slipped my phone back into my pocket and strode towards the bar, ready to tackle the rest of my shift.The club’s energy buzzed around me, but my mind was miles away.As I served drinks and chatted with customers, my thoughts lingered on Hugh.
After ending the call, I let out a shriek of joy and returned to the living room.
“I got the internship!”I threw my hands up in the air and flopped on the couch next to him.“Can you believe it?I’m going to be working at Price Industries!”
Hugh blinked at me, fingers pausing on the controller.“Oh, wow.Congratulations.”His tone was flat.My excitement faltered for a moment before I shook it off.Nothing was going to ruin this for me.
“This is huge, Hugh!We should go out to celebrate.It’s Friday night, and I’m on winter break!We could get dinner, maybe see a movie?”I sat up and placed a hand on his shoulder.“Come on, let’s go out.We haven’t done anything fun together in forever.”
He shrugged off my hand, not meeting my gaze.“I’m too tired.Maybe another time.”
Another time.My excitement deflated.“Oh.Okay.”
I sighed and got up from the couch.Drawing in a shaky breath, I steadied myself.“I guess I’ll go with Marco.”
Hugh finally looked at me.“Maybe you should stay.We can talk.”
I sat at a table in the quietest corner of the club, tallying receipts and closing out tabs.The task offered a brief respite from the constant motion, a moment to reflect.It was at times like this that I felt the weight of my own resolve, not just to dream big, but to achieve big.
Closing time neared, and the crowd thinned out.I wiped down tables, stacking chairs with a rhythm born of routine.
The dimmed lights cast long shadows across the dance floor as I stood in the silent aftermath of the night’s festivities.Alone in the dark, I allowed myself a moment of vulnerability.The fear of the unknown nibbled at my confidence.
Yet, as I locked the door and stepped into the cool night air, my resolve solidified.My journey from small-town girl to ambitious businesswoman was about to take its most significant leap.Whatever opportunities waited at Price Industries, I was ready to grab them with both hands.
CHAPTER TWO
CALLIE
The bathroom wassteamy and smelled of Marco’s sandalwood body wash.I wiped a circle in the foggy mirror and examined my reflection.My makeup was flawless, and I’d twisted my hair into a stylish knot at the nape of my neck.Hair and makeup didn’t matter to me, but making myself look “presentable” for men was a skill set my mother drilled into me from an early age.
A few days with Marco had turned into weeks, and today was the first day of my internship.Nerves and excitement twisted in my stomach.
