Princess: Eye roll emoji. BTW please hire the guy for real. He could use the money before he goes to college. Darwin did a background check. Sending you his info soon. Don’t forget the NDA.
Me: Thank you for having my back, Princess. I got it from here. Heart emoji
Darwin: Hey, Boss. Here’s the background check for your new assistant. Does that mean you’re not returning?
Ignoring both Jessica and Darwin, I quickly review the kid’s information. It is short, not a lot to it. I actually know his family. They own an auto shop on the outskirts of the territory. The kid is smart. He just graduated summa cum laude and was honored as salutatorian. I don’t recall any of his family members with magic. He’s eighteen—too late to join the next recruit group. I could always send him to the academy, like Henry Chase, but he has that scholarship to NYU.
Princess: I have a good feeling about him.
Me: You didn’t meet him.
Princess: Well, obviously you like him, or you wouldn’t have set up the interview with him.
I start to reply and then stop. She’s calling me out, that little vixen. I send her a shocked face emoji. I’m so busted. I’ll explain it all to her tonight. I pocket my phone.
“Princess has a sense of humor. Cute.”
I peer at the kid over the rim of my coffee mug. “Again, she’s off limits.”
He grins. “Just saying. Besides, I’m leaving for college.”
I nod, studying him a little more.
“Are you really going to buy those things on that list?”
“No.”
His shoulders drop in relief.
I laugh.
“I may have a suggestion, if you’re interested.”
“Shoot.”
“I don’t know you, so I may have a few questions.”
I smirk and gesture with my hand for him to continue.
“Based on that list and the fact that she said, ‘maybe you will get the hint,’ I assume she wants?—”
I hold up my hand, stopping him mid-sentence. I will not discuss this with a kid I just met. “Nope. I’m old-fashioned. Not up for discussion.”
His eyebrows lift. “Old-fashioned? Meaning…”
“I don’t talk about my personal life.” I quirk an eyebrow.
“Cool. Okay. So, is she like into art, music, books, history, cars?”
“All of the above, except for cars,” I answer. “She’s smart—got her GED at sixteen—and she’s finishing up her bachelor’s degree in business while training in her family’s business. Despite her family having money, she works part-time and invests her earnings in stocks and shares. She’s not materialistic, which is why I’m having a hard time finding the right gift. It’s also an anniversary, so I want to find something special.”
“Wow. Where the hell did you find her? Does she have a sister?”
“Only brothers—scary motherfuckers—just like their father.”
“I’m already scared of your reputation, so I’m pretty sure if you’re in with the family, you’re just as fucking scary.”
I chuckle. If he only knew. He’s candid. I like that.
