She grips my hand and yanks me towards her, plants a kiss on both my cheeks. I feel the residue of her lipstick, her strong perfume on my skin, as I pull away, a touch taken aback. ‘And it’s a pleasure, Erin.’ She tugs at her silky blouse, accidentally opening another button, though she appears not to have noticed.
‘Jeez, it’s really hot today, isn’t it? I’m not complaining though, Ilovethe heat, do you? I mean, it’s not the same as being in Ibiza or anything, is it, but still.’ She flips her long blonde hair from her face. ‘I was there a few weeks ago, in Ibiza… have you ever been?’
‘No, actually, I?—’
‘Oh, youmustgo. Everyone should go to Ibiza at least once in their lifetime. It should be a legal requirement, you know, a rite of passage?’ She laughs, displaying a set of neat white teeth, but not so white that they’re the first thing you see when you look at her. ‘It’s a magical place, quite spiritual…’ – her voice momentarily tapers off as though she’s been caught in a particularly nice memory, – ‘… plus it’s full of rich guys with big boats.’ She throws her head back, laughs some more. ‘Are you single, Erin?’ I point at her button, open my mouth to speak. ‘I got engaged in Ibiza, just a few weeks ago,’ she continues. ‘He proposed to me during sunset at Es Vedrà. I mean, where else?’ She waggles her left hand, shows me the admittedly impressive-looking diamond ring on her finger. ‘He gave me a rock, on a rock.’
‘Wow. It’s beautiful.’And huge.‘Congratulations.’
‘Aww, thanks, hun.’ She shimmies in her seat. ‘You married?’
‘No, I…’
‘Kids?’
‘No. No. No husband or kids. I’m single at the moment.’
‘Oh nice. You live alone or with family?’
Her quick-fire stream of questions unsettles me a little. She’s not the one who’s supposed to be interviewing me after all.
‘Sorry,’ she apologises, as though sensing my discomfort, ‘I don’t mean to be nosy. I’m fairly new to the area, haven’t got many friends… Billie-Jean no-mates, me!’
This surprises me. Looking at her, I imagined she’d be exactly the type of person who has to check their diary months in advance before making arrangements. She looks like she already has this job.
‘Oh, well, I…’ But then, a girl with purple hair pops her head around the door before I can continue.
‘Erin Santos?’
‘Um, yes! That’s me.’ I stand abruptly, sending my handbag – and its contents – to the floor.Shit!My face burns as I scrabble to scoop it all up, and Samantha bends down to help me. ‘Jeremy is ready for you now.’
‘Good luck, Erin,’ she says, smiling as she hands me half a sticky packet of wine gums and a tampon. ‘May the best girl win!’
TWENTY
I was literally biting my own fist with excitement as I left the offices of Austin Marz Productions –my new place of employment!I couldn’t believe I’d got the job! Jeremy, mynewboss, had to explain it to me,twice,before it sank in.
‘Really?’ I blinked at him, rapidly. ‘You’redefinitelygiving me the job?’
‘Yes,’ he laughed. He has a nice smile, it’s really warm and friendly. ‘We think you’ll fit in very well here, Erin, and we look forward to seeing you on Monday!’
So, a take-out and a film it is then, to celebrate! I practically float out of the revolving doors onto the street.I got the job!I fist pump the air.Yes!
For the first time since forever, I felt a tiny glimmer of hope that things were changing. Life was turning a corner, and this time I was following it – a sat nav to better places. Mum would’ve been proud of me today, I know it.
‘Errrrrin!’
I hear someone calling my name and spin round. She’s hurrying towards me, her arms outstretched, like she’s greeting an old friend she hasn’t seen for ages. It’s the girl I just met in the interview room, the one I was convinced would get the job onsight. Lucky for me, it turns out I was wrong. I guess I reallydoneed to work on my self-confidence.
‘Erin!Awww, congratulations, hun! I’m really pleased for you! You got the job! Well done, you!’ She throws her arms around me, gives me a giant warm hug. I feel myself stiffen in her embrace. I’m not used to such public displays of affection from virtual strangers. I’m not used to affection at all.
‘Thanks so much, er, Samantha, I… I’m in shock, to be honest.’ I break away, her perfume lingering on my shirt. ‘I really didn’t think I’d get the job, especially when I saw you.’
‘Ah well.’ She sighs, rolls and flutters her eyes, theatrically, as she clutches her chest. ‘I guess, in the end, I just wasn’t his type.’
I think I should maybe laugh right about now, so I do, though a touch awkwardly.
‘Oh, don’t look so worried.’ She gives my arm a soft, playful slap. ‘There’s plenty of other jobs out there! At the end of the day, the best girl won, right? Really, I’m genuinely happy for you!’
