I might’ve been a whiz with a highlighter and a pack of file folders, but I wouldn’t know the first thing about what to do at any of those places. I also wasn’t dying for a peek behind the Hollywood curtain to learn.
More than that, the time commitment was outside of what I could give.
“As long—” he started.
“Unfortunately,” I said at the same time, our words getting jumbled together. When he tipped his head for me to continue, I forced the words out through a shocking amount of disappointment. “I don’t think this will work with my school schedule.”
“As long as you aren’t in class,” he finished his own thought. “That comes first.”
“I still don’t think this will work as a part-time position. You need someone with more availability, not the half days I can offer.”
“That’s still half a day more than Alex worked.”
I lifted my brows since he’d made the point for me. “And look how that ended.”
“This is different, though. Maddie said you’re the best, and honestly, my shit is a disaster zone.” His expression tensed, but not with deserved ire at his ex-assistant. It was with earnest vulnerability. “I need more help than someone who just wants to party with me.”
I lifted my hands to untuck my hair before catching myself. I folded them tightly in my lap instead, staring down at them to stay resolute. “I’m out of my depth with most of what you need.”
“Then I’ll teach you to do what I need.”
My head shot up at the unexpected thickness in his rough voice, heat scoring through me. But I must’ve imagined it because his expression was blank as he scanned my resume.
What’s gotten into me?
Ignoring my overactive—and overheated—imagination, I focused on the functioning part of my brain. The portion that was scratched just right by a new challenge. That love of an adventure had always driven me to try new trails, new fitness classes, new experiences.
It also pushed me to whisper an unsure, “Okay.”
Tripp didn’t ask for clarification. He didn’t needle away at my doubt. He took my reluctant agreement and ran with it.
Literally.
Okay, he didn’t run, but he did stride from the room as he said, “I’ll get the paperwork.”
“Wait,” I called after him since we hadn’t discussed actual hours, pay, or any other logistics.
But he was gone.
This is either going to be the best decision I’ve ever made, or it will be an epic, fiery disaster.
I scanned the shockingly swank conference room as I fidgeted with my papers. When that did nothing to dull the growing uncertainty getting louder in my head, I slid my phone out of my bag to check my email.
I quickly swiped away the spam that promised me a bigger dick, a good deal on my car’s extended warranty, and a low interest rate on the fictitious loan I’d never applied for. I nearly deleted it all before realizing one of them wasn’t junk.
No way.
I opened the email and scanned the request for an interview.
One with a heavily implied job offer at the end of it.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Seriously, what’re the chances?
I’d applied to the big tech firm on a whim, not expecting to ever hear back. A position there had been a pipe dream. It was just my rotten luck that they got in contact right then.
Maybe this is a sign from the universe.
