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He nods. "Good start," he says and quietly demolishes the rest of the food with alacrity. I watch him while I think about the agreement we just made. It's a good agreement. I don’t mind cooking. In fact, it’s one of the things that gives me the most pleasure, but there is something about having a man around who enjoys your food that makes it even better,
And then I'm distracted by the way he eats. For some reason, he looks like he’s in ecstasy after every bite, and it sends a punch to my gut.
Don’t start imagining anything,I caution myself. Don't start thinking he's something he's not. Your relationship is simply a business agreement, so don't let the romantic side of you take over.
At the same time, though, it highlights with poignancy just how lonely I am. I’ve always wanted to be married early. I just want someone who I can have coffee with and cook for, who will give me kisses at dawn and make love to me at night. I don’t even need flowers or all fancy gifts or anything else. I just need to feel loved.
And it’s sad that I may never find that. I mean, my dating history is proof enough that it might not happen anytime soon. Maybe my romantic luck is actually a curse and it will last forever.
“Damn, that’s good," Oliver mutters to himself as he finishes, making me smile. “You sure you don’t want to open a restaurant or something?”
I shake my head. “I don't think I'll be so good at the business side of things."
"You ever tried before?"
"Not really." The only business I've ever run was a lemonade stand back in middle school, and I failed at even that. "But it's just a hunch."
He seems to take my word for it because he simply checks his watch and frowns. I expect him to tell me that he's leaving to go for a meeting now.
“Alright," I start to get up to prepare to say goodbye. "Well, I'll just go back to my emailing..."
“I’ll help you," he says.
"Huh?" I ask.
He shrugs. "I'm an employer and serial investor. I can tell you what they're looking for, help you beef up your resume."
"Oh, you don't have to—”
"The faster you get a job, the faster I get my car back to normal," he says and stands up. "Come on, let's get started."
Despite my many protests, true to his word, just a few minutes later, we’re sitting on the couch while I go through LinkedIn. I can feel him behind me, looking over my shoulder, but I try not to be aware of it. I try not to inhale his warm cologne and focus instead on scrolling down on the website.
“Not that one,” he says when I click on a listing. I turn to him and he says, "Don’t bother. That’s not a legitimate company."
I glance back at the post. “How do you know?”
“Haigels. That's a popular restaurant chain,” he says. “They don't hire off the internet and the salary is insane. This is either someone in their mom’s basement trying to scam you or it’s someone who’s going to kidnap you. I wouldn't take the chance. "
“Oh." I hadn’t even thought about that. I scroll down to more postings.
"Not that one," he says the minute I move my mouse to one of the options. “Something's shady about them. They're not disclosing your duties, which probably means they want you to do a little bit of everything. And for that pay? Please.”
I scroll a little more and he’s almost insulted as he says, “Jeez, is this the current job market?”
“Usually.” I smile a little at the incensed look on his face.
He shakes his head. “Let’s take a look at your resume. Make sure you’re punching at the right things.”
Oh shit. I clam up. My resume will show that I have no education and he might catch me in my lie.
“You must be really busy,” I say pointedly. I don’t know what he does but he looks like a man who doesn’t have a single second to spare.
“Something like that,” he says, as he glances down at his watch. “I have to get to a meeting, so I'll look at it later. But you keep going and don't bother with anything under fifty K. I'll come back tonight to check in on you."
"Yes, sir," I say. He shakes his head at my mock salute when he leaves.
For the rest of the day, though, I do keep applying to jobs. I apply to a few under the salary range he gave me because those are the ones most likely to offer me the role. After about five hours, my eyes are tired of staring at a blank screen. As I get up to go make lunch, there’s a knock on the door.
