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Not that I had meant it to, but it was becoming a habit to check Ophelia's feed every day. Carter was working wonders with the photos, and Ophelia’s captions and hashtags were gaining her followers by the minute. The latest post was Ophelia herself, posing with a large smile, one that could be seen across the room, holding fabrics up, showcasing them next to the design that they were for. She looked happy, but her eyes told a different story. It was in the photos of the wedding gown where she really shined. Madeline’s face was hidden in most of the photos, close ups of the design on the loose lace.
Each photo was stunning, but when Ophelia was in them, it was even more so.
Locking my screen, I looked around the room. It had been two weeks since the night at the Piano Bar, and Ophelia had only texted me once. She didn’t acknowledge my text I had sent her, a simplewe’ll talk soonwas all I got in return. She still needed space. I had written a few drafts since then but had deleted them all, never to be seen again. I wasn’t sure what I could say to make it better, if there was even anything at all that could make the last moments between us fade away into nothing.
Sighing, I dropped my hands between my legs.
That was going to be harder than it should be.
“Mr. Nolan?”
I turned at the sound of my name. A blonde stood at the doorway, her eyes on us three men sitting. I stood, tucking my phone back in my pocket and buttoning up my suit, giving her a slight smile. She smiled back.
“This way.”
The office was small, cubicles lined the space with the employees staring at the computer screen. Phones rang off in the distance, and the clicking of the keyboard hit my ears. The sounds were all familiar, ones I had heard every single day until I got my own office. I exhaled through my lips.You’ll have that again.
“Mr. Nolan, meet Mrs. Regina Karrs, she’ll be conducting your interview today. Can I get you anything?” the blonde asked, keeping her body stiff as she introduced me.
I gave her a sly smile.Remember, you’re worth a million bucks.
“No, thank you.” She smiled back at me and turned to leave the room. I focused my attention on the older brunette on the other side of the conference room table. She wore an elegant suit, her hair falling from behind her ears, showing off massive pearl earrings. “Mrs. Karrs, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” I stepped forward and held out my hand.
Mrs. Karrs stood, gripping my hand to shake it. It was firm, not what I was expecting, but strong, nonetheless. She wasbusiness.
“The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Nolan.” —she waved to the chair opposite her, sitting once again. —“Please, have a seat.”
Unbuttoning my suit, I sat. I hadn’t been to an interview since right after college, and suddenly, I was scared. I had no idea if I should cross my legs or lean forward to make eye contact. So, much like the blonde that escorted me, I stayed stiff as a board.
“Tell me a little about you, Mr. Nolan. I see you’ve only worked for one firm since graduation?” she asked, holding up a piece of paper to read it. I assumed it was my resume.
“That’s correct. I got the job with Jackson and Rye almost directly out of college and worked my way to the top of their accounting team.” I smirked. I was always proud of my work ethics. I was never afraid to boast about it.
“And why did you leave them?” Mrs. Karrs asked, furrowing her brow.
“I relocated. My best friend is getting married, and I wanted to return home to Portland.”Fake it ‘til you make it, Clayton. Fake it ‘til you make it.
“You’ve been unemployed for a long time it seems. Taking a bit of a sabbatical?” Mrs. Karrs set my resume down and laced her fingers together, resting her chin on top of her hands.
I heaved a sigh and smirked. “No, ma’am. I wanted to settle in Portland before securing a job.”
She narrowed her eyes and nodded, giving me a slight hum. “Do you have family here?”
“My parents, yes. I grew up here.” I smiled.
“Me too. We went to the same University, but that's not at all surprising.” She chuckled and leaned back into her chair. “Portland is amazing.”
I nodded back to her, giving her what I hoped was a sincere smile. “It really is. I’m glad to be back, honestly. Even though it’s a large city, it’s less hustle and bustle than Seattle was.”
“Did you like Seattle? I’ve never been.”
“Oh, it—” I paused, remembering Seattle in all its glory in my mind. If she wanted the honest answer, it was that I loved Seattle. I loved everything about it. The only thing it was missing was. . . in New York. “It was great for that season of my life, but now it’s time to move and grow in other areas.”
She hummed. “Tell me, Mr. Nolan. If you could redo anything in your career, what would it be?”
I raised my eyebrows.Getting blamed for embezzlement and losing everything I had, only making the regret of not going to New York worse.
“Honestly, ma’am.” I sighed. “I loved my career with Jackson and Rye. I learned a lot and worked my way through the ranks. I don't think I would change a single thing about my career as an accountant so far. I love numbers and understanding them is what I do, and I’m good at it.”
