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As I lifted my eyes to take a breath from the article, I could hear the gaggle of women growing closer. I felt someone’s gaze on me and turned my eyes, finding none other than Drake Blackthorn himself staring at me. The miniature crowd of women surrounding him didn’t pull his attention in the slightest.
His eyes were hooked onto mine, and I shifted in my seat. I briefly wondered what he was thinking, but from the look in his eyes, I could tell he was puzzling over why I wasn’t fawning all over him.
I turned my eyes back to the article, picking up where I left off as I tried to clear my mind.
I had to admit, he was sexy, in an off-limits kind of way. He was nowhere near my type and way too cocky for his own good, but he had a pull about him that was unmistakable. I could see why women went crazy for him. He was tall and strong. His legs were spread wide, showing off the girth that pressed against his jeans. Even un-erect, it still hung past the middle seam of his pants
I side-glanced him, taking him in as he got to his feet. He began signing autographs as the women crowded around him.
I was here for a job and nothing more, but he was going to be hard to work with. A job like this would most certainly pay for the rest of my college degree. It might even leave enough to set me up with a nice savings account to go into the real world with, but would the aggravation be worth it?
I snapped out of my haze as my boss walked toward me.
“You’re up,” she said. “Your turn to interview with Hank.”
“Coming,” I said.
I gathered up my things and left Drake to his devices with his fans. Even though he had been staring me down like prey, it didn’t look like he noticed I had gotten up and left, which told me even more about his personality. He wanted quick fixes to what he needed. He wanted my attention, but when he couldn’t get it, he switched into a toddler mindset.
He went off and found the quickest source of attention he could find.
I walked into the conference room, and a middle-aged man was sitting at the desk. He was balding on the top of his head, and he looked tired. I could only imagine the exhaustion dealing with Drake Blackthorn on a daily basis brought with it. I sat in the chair across from him and placed the file folder in my lap, waiting for him to ask me his first question.
But instead, he began to rattle off a bunch of things he was going to require of me.
“Here’s what I need. I need someone who can handle Drake. Someone who doesn’t mind standing up to him and telling him what he needs to hear. What I need is someone to make Drake predictable. He’s an unpredictable man who is tanking his image with the media, and someone needs to help him clean up his act. He has a problem he won’t admit to, an attitude that can’t be adjusted, and I’m fresh out of options.”
“Sounds like a true southern gentleman,” I said, unable to hide the sarcasm in my voice.
Hank sighed and rubbed his temples. “Truthfully, he's not a bad guy. Deep down and all, he's been through a lot, and it's changed him. Not for the better, obviously. He's a drunk, but won't admit to it, and someone needs to help him manage his life, to get things under control before it ruins his career.”
I'd heard about Drake’s downward spiral after losing his wife and daughter, so I knew what Hank was talking about. Still, it didn't give him an excuse to treat people like shit.
“That sounds very challenging,” I said. Helping a man who'd been through so much, who was still dealing with the pain, wasn't going to be easy. It's also why I agreed to the interview. If I could help him, I could make a real difference. This is the type of help I wanted to provide for people, the reason I studied psychology in the first place.
“Every other woman I’ve interviewed wants to fall all over him, tell him what he wants to hear and inflate his ego. I can’t hire someone like that. He needs someone who isn’t afraid to pop the little bubble he’s created for himself. I’m not just looking for a personal assistant, I’m looking for someone who can help get him sober.”
“And you think I can do all of that?” I asked.
“To be honest, I haven’t gotten this far into the interview with anyone else yet. Don’t disappoint me now.”
“I don’t intend to,” I said.
“Good. I like that. Okay. Let’s start with your credentials.”
“I’ve been working with this company for three and a half years now. Always part-time, always from home. I specialize in time management and over-the-phone counseling.”
“Getting a degree?”
“Yes. From Vanderbilt.”
“What’s your degree?” he asked.
“Psychology with a focus on substance abuse counseling.”
“Sounds like the perfect person for this job.”
“I’ve never taken on a full-time client like this. If you want to hire me for the job, I’d like your permission to use it as a bargaining chip with my professors.”
