The receptionist whispers, “At 2M. They’re our biggest competitor.”
Crap. A job interview. I need to get there before she takes the job. Giving them both a nod, I say, “Thank you. I’ll head over there.” I push the down button, and the doors open immediately. When I get on, I say, “You should both quit your jobs. This is a terrible place to work.”
34
The Whole Thing, White Picket Fence Included…
Paige
Okay,so Monica and Marcel did not like my question. Not one little bit. I see shades of Guy in Monica’s flared nostrils and her tight voice as she says, “Of course. You should definitely think it over.”
I stand, and they do the same, then I reach across the table and give them both a firm handshake. “All right, well, thank you so much for your offer. I appreciate you letting me mull it over. I’m ninety-percent sure I’m going to take it but, given everything that’s happened in my life these past few weeks, I’m trying to learn to slow down in my decision making.”
“But not too slow, right?” Marcel asks with a laugh. His smile fades and he says, “This is a fast-paced business, so…”
“Of course,” I answer. “Okay, I’ll just let myself out. Thank you again.”
I exit the conference room, walking so fast to get to the lobby that I’m creating my own weather eventin the office. For whatever reason, I can’t get out of here soon enough. I press the down button, and stare at the door, willing it to open.
This is insane. Of course I should take the job. It’s literally my dream job, whereas a future with Mac is just a dream. But somehow, my heart has to know before I can commit to something permanent here.
I dig around in my handbag for my phone, then Venmo him one dollar with a message that says:Can I get your number? I really need to talk to you.
The elevator dings and I slide my phone back in the bag. When the doors open, my heart stops for the tiniest fraction of a second and my jaw drops. It’s Mac, dressed in jeans and a bomber jacket over a white t-shirt. He’s giving Tom Cruise inTop Gunvibes, only bigger, better, and right freaking here.
His face lights up when he sees me, and he steps off. “Hi.”
“Hi,” I tell him. “I was just…I Venmoed you a dollar for your phone number.”
“Did you?” he asks, his mouth quirking up into that sexy grin of his.
My heart pounds in my chest and I feel as if I’m coming down with a fever. “Yeah, like literally ten seconds ago. I have a very important decision to make but I need to talk to you first.”
His phone pings from inside his jacket pocket, and he pulls it out and looks at it. “Do you actually think I’d give out my number to just anyone for a measly dollar?”
“Well, it’s an American dollar so it’s worth more,” I say, unable to stop smiling because he’s here. He’s actually here. “Also, I’m not just anyone. I hope.” I look down at the bouquet in his hand—yellow orchids, orange birds of paradise, and bright pink hibiscus flowers. Grinning, I say, “You know, if you’re trying to play it cool, you probably shouldn’t have brought flowers. Also, showing up here might be a bit of a giveaway.”
“You’ve got me there, New York,” he says.
“It’s a bit of a tell, really. The whole showing up thing.”
“I suppose it is,” he answers.
Marcel appears next to me and pushes the down button, then gives me a strange look. “Did you invite a friend for your interview?”
Mac answers him without taking his eyes off me. “No, she didn’t. I just showed up.”
“Wait, you’re the pilot,” Marcel says, sounding excited. A second later, he drops his voice to sound disappointed. “Oh, no, you’re the pilot.”
“Yup.”
“And you’re probably here to whisk her off to the Caribbean to live happily ever after, right?”
“Not necessarily,” Mac says, glancing at him. “If she’d be happier here, I’ll stay here.”
“You will?” I ask, my body humming with excitement and lust and longing and all the good things.
“You will?” Marcel asks.
