Once I was through the crowd, I sprinted for a few seconds until the loud bass of the music was just background noise. Finally, I pressed the green answer button.
“Hello, this is Frankie,” I panted, before covering the speaker by my mouth and taking a few deep breaths to steady my voice.
“Frankie? This is Neil, the hiring manager for the Director of Marketing position at Weilman and Partners.”
My heart went into overdrive.
“Yes, of course,” I said. “How are you?”
Footsteps sounded behind me, and I whipped around to see a concerned-looking Oliver racing after me. I held my hand up to my lips and he halted, tilting his head and raising an eyebrow.
“I’m great. Listen, I really enjoyed our interview the other day, and I’d love for you to move on in the process.”
Before he even finished the words, I started jumping in the air and pumping my fist in a silent celebration. A grin and an even more confused expression appeared on Oliver’s face.
“That would be amazing, Neil. I’m really excited about this position.”
“Perfect. Listen, I can’t say too much because it’s so early, but I think you’d be a great fit. You’ve got the exact experience we’re looking for, and it’s clear from talking with you that you know what initiative and hard work entails.”
“I definitely do,” I assured him.
“I want to be completely transparent; our hiring process is a bit extensive. We have a few interviews with the team, then an interview with executives, and a final case study presentation. We’re hoping to complete the process and make an offer in four to six weeks. I know that’s lengthy, but we’ve found it results in the best retention.”
“That timeline works for me,” I said, although if I was being honest, I would have said nearly any timeline worked for me. I was past the point of desperation.
“Great. I’ll email you with the schedules early next week and you can select your next interview times.”
“Sounds good. Thank you.”
“Thanks, Frankie. I’ve got a good feeling about this. I’m excited for you to meet the rest of the team.”
I said goodbye and hung up before reaching out and grabbing Oliver’s arms. I shook them and let out an excited squeal.
His smile widened, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “What was that all about?” he asked.
“I nailed my last interview and I just found out I’m moving along in the process. And this job is, like, perfect. More than I thought I’d ever find. It was starting to feel hopeless. I thought I might have to take an entry level somewhere or something.”
“That’s great,” he said, tugging me toward him and giving me a hug. “Congrats, Frankie.” He said the words into the top of my head.
I buried my face in his chest and lost myself for a second in how good his arms felt encircling me. When he pulled away, I stared up at him, memorizing the way the skin around his brown eyes crinkled and the way the corners of his lips always curled up.
Looking into Oliver’s eyes had me falling from cloud nine where I’d just been floating. On the surface, he looked happy for me. But I knew better now. There was way more to Oliver than just the surface.
“So you like got the job or…” His words trailed off as he waited for clarification.
“No, nothing like that. Sorry, I just got excited.” My voice wavered. “I still have more interviews to get through.”
“It’ll take a while?” Oliver confirmed, carefully brushing my cheek.
“Four to six weeks,” I clarified.
He paused, his eyes scanning my face. “You’ll be here at least another month?”
His words tugged at my heart. “I mean, there’s no guarantee I get this job. It’s so competitive and?—”
“At least another month,” he repeated, his eyes darkening.
“At least,” I said, feeling deflated it wasn’t longer. I should be glowing at the thought of landing that job, but leaving Key Ridge was the last thing I wanted to think about right now. “What about you?” I asked quietly. “The season is over and?—”
