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RACHEL
I look between Lucas and this older gentleman, Samuel. I can’t quite call him a man. He really does seem the gentleman type with his short clipped hair and his immaculate looking suit. Only his beard is off-putting, reminding me of a lumberjack but lacking all the flannel. Something in his aura seems off, and when I turn my attentions to Lucas, I can’t help but wonder why he appears so boyish; like a terrified little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“What are you doing here?” Lucas asks while shaking Samuel’s hand.
Samuel chuckles, tossing his head back and shaking his head slightly. “Is that anyway to greet your new boss?”
Lucas’s face pales. “So, you’re actually giving me the position?”
Samuel flashes another bright smile while looking around the room. He settles his gaze on me, the smile widening and reminding me of a shark. A shark who uses teeth whitening strips. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?” He asks.
I hear Hunter rise from the couch. His fingers brush against mine and I grind my teeth, containing the need to strip down and straddle him. I feel so sensitive. Just five minutes ago, we were going to have sex, and I had to up and ruin it by answering the door. Of course, at the time I thought it was going to be some silly kids needing a scolding. I didn’t know it was going to be an actual guest… or colleague for Lucas.
Otherwise, I would’ve taken my time; perhaps lefthimout there until we were all satisfied.
My gaze slides to Lucas, and I see him leaning against the island, his arms crossed while he scowls down at the floor. I suppose the whole getting offered a job thing isn’t to his liking. I wonder why, but I can’t ask him now in front of his employer. That would be… rude, right?
“I’m Hunter. Lucas’s friend from school.”
“And I’m Seth.” Samuel turns around, finding Seth guzzling down a glass of water while he gives a slight wave of his hand. “Also a friend from school.”
Samuel’s attentions return to me and he tilts his head to the side while crossing his arms. “And let me guess. Girlfriend?”
My face heats, not knowing how I should answer since we aren’t totally public. I glance at Lucas, but he isn’t looking at me. His eyes seem fixated to the floor. I push my hair away from my face while I say shakily, “My- my name is Rachel.”
“And I suppose you are all here with Lucas for the summer? Bumming about?” Samuel raises an eyebrow at me and for some reason I think his question is pointed at me.
“I think I’m the only bum here,” Hunter says with a bright smile while patting my shoulder. “Rachel here actually got an internship at some hoity-toity museum.” I smile shyly while fiddling with ends of my hair. “Have you ever heard of the Loover?”
I grimace at his pronunciation of the Louvre and chance a glance at Samuel, who smiles politely yet there’s a menacing glimmer in his eye. “No, I can’t say I have,” he says. “But I have heard of the Louvre.”
I nod, feeling embarrassed for Hunter. Glancing at the football player now, he seems absolutely ignorant to the mispronunciation and absolutely bored with the conversation. He gives Samuel one last glance before striding away and sidling up close to Seth, whispering something behind a hand.
“Yes,” I say quickly, hoping to be over and done with this conversation soon. Something about Samuel doesn’t quite sit right with me. “That’s where I’m working right now. The Louvre.” I chuckle awkwardly and give a shrug. “I work with Dr. Arnaud. She’s a museum curator and art historian at the Louvre.”
Samuel scoffs. “Can you really call an art historian a doctor?”
I make a face, feeling queasy and wanting desperately for Lucas to come in and save me. By the looks of it, though, he seems more interested in having a stare down with the floor. “Well, she did put in the work to get her doctorate. So, I guess, she deserves to be called a doctor in her field.”
Samuel strokes his beard. “I suppose you’re right in that sense. But I find art such an impractical degree. What can one really do with it?”
My eyes widen and I cross my arms, tilting my hip to one side as I prepare the ongoing debates I’ve had with others in the past. “How can you say that and live in Paris?” I find myself asking, which is not what I wanted to begin with at all. I fight the need to wince, deciding holding my head high and straightening my back is better than allowing this old man snub his nose to the most beautiful skill known to man. “Art can be used in many ways. It’s not only aesthetically pleasing to the eye.”
Samuel smirks. “Oh, really?”
“It’s used in marketing everywhere. Photography for instance, has had a huge surge in recent years with not only selfies, but with influencers photographing products, writing reviews, and pretty much becoming the next ad campaign. Take Nstagram, for instance,” I say while holding up one finger. “It can be used to document one’s life, but it can also be used to market authors, makeup,fashion.” I throw up my hands, feeling passion taking over and forgetting this man is Lucas’s new boss. “You name it, it can be marketed. Take the running store I used to work for with Seth.” I stab my finger into his chest. Samuel’s gaze lowers to it, looking amused rather than irritated. “I used to take products from the store and photograph college athletes using them in order to get more customers. It was great, wasn’t it Seth?”
Seth nods vigorously. “Definitely was, until you were fired.”
I cringed.
“I wonder how they’ll ever be able to sell GU without you there. We’ll be drowning in GU next year.”
I frown. “Not really helping, Seth.”
Seth shrugs and goes back to whispering to Hunter. My eyes narrow, wondering what they are discussing so secretly.
I sigh and shake my head. “Anyway-”
