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Her heart raced. Maybe it was the alcohol she’d consumed, but probably not, that made her hands shake as she took a deep breath, pressed the button, and put the phone to her ear.
“Mr. Magnus, hi.” She put her business voice on and hoped she sounded more professional than she felt.
“Oh, I’m glad I got you, Amber. I was half expecting to get your voicemail. It is Saturday after all, and sometimes I forget that not everyone works as much as I do. Some people actually have a life outside of work.” He chuckled but his comments hit her in the gut. Shewasone of those people. “But what am I thinking? I’m talking to you.”
Amber flinched. But he was exactly right. The entire time she worked at the firm, she hadn’t once accepted an invite to join her coworkers for a drink after hours, or shared in the stories of what she’d done over the weekend. In fact, it only took a few weeks until no one bothered to ask her what she’d done over the weekend. She’d worked. Everyone knew that.
With the very notable exception of the last few days, she’d pretty much done nothing interesting for the last few years unless it involved school or the internship and that wasn’t all that interesting. “Right,” she said after a moment. “And why are you working today, Mr. Magnus?” She knew why he was calling. It could only be for one reason. The job. She was either going to be offered the position, or be told she wasn’t the right fit. Her stomach roiled, but not because she was afraid of not getting the offer. Just the opposite.
Things had changed a lot in the last few days.Maybe there were other options after all?She glanced out the window, where Cole was speaking into his phone.
The full-time position at the firm might not be the only thing on the table anymore.
But if it was offered…would she be able to say no? Had she really changed that much?
“As you know, Amber.” Her attention was drawn back to the conversation. “We’ve been considering all the interns for the full-time position as junior analyst.” She nodded despite the fact that he couldn’t see her. “And your resume, along with your work experience with us, is very strong.”
“Thank you.”
“Right, well, besides your impressive credentials, I must tell you, Amber, that I have been particularly impressed with your work ethic while you were with us. You remind me of a younger version of myself. You work hard, you make the right sacrifices to get ahead, and get the job done. I can always count on the quality of your work and I know that if I need anything, you’re not just a clock puncher. No matter what it takes, I know you’ll make the firm a priority. Yourfirstpriority.”
She was conflicted by his words. On one hand, it was the highest praise she could have received from him; yet, on the other, listening to him describe her, made her sad.Would she really sacrifice anything for the firm? Would she truly make it her life? At the expense of everything else?
Her stomach churned because deep down, she knew the answer. She would. It’s who she was. It was how she was wired. Maybe she was destined to be boring and predictable forever. To settle down in a predictable job and live a predictable life doing predictable things.
Was that really such a bad thing?
“And because of all of those qualities, Ms. McCormick,” he continued. “It’s my pleasure to offer you the position as the newest junior analyst here at Wallace and McKwade Financial Services.”
She’d expected it, of course—despite trying to talk herself out of it—but hearing him say the words out loud sent a thrill through her. Followed by a shot of icy terror. She pushed her empty glass away.
The job was everything she’d ever wanted. Everything she’d ever worked for. And it was happening. She should be excited. Over the moon. She should be… “Really?”
“Absolutely,” he said. “You deserve it. Now, you don’t have to give me an answer right now. In fact, I would—”
“Oh no,” she said before she realized what she was doing. “It’s a fantastic opportunity, Mr. Magnus. I’m happy to…” She let the thought trail off. She’d been ready to accept the position. But something stopped her from saying it aloud. Amber glanced to the window and Cole, who still stood outside talking on his cell phone.
It was ridiculous not to accept a job because of a man she was having a casual relationship with. It was downright insane.
“Decisive. I like it.” Mr. Magnus was talking. It took her a moment to catch up and realize that he’d misunderstood what she’d said—or not really finished saying. “I’m very happy to hear it, Amber. You will be an excellent addition to our team.”
“Oh, Mr. Magnus, I—”
“Call me Joshua.” He chuckled. “You’re one of us now. You start on the thirteenth. I trust that gives you enough time to prepare yourself.”
“It does, but—”
“If you have any more questions, I’m sure the team in HR will be able to help you out. But if not, I expect to see you bright and early on the thirteenth, Amber.” He laughed again, a sound that was starting to give her a headache. “What am I saying? I’m talking to you. I’m sure you’ll be the first one in the office.”
Before she could protest again, or even process what had happened, the line went dead and the call was disconnected.
In a daze, she reached for the new drink that the bartender had placed in front of her while she was on the phone.
She’d just been offered everything she’d ever wanted. And it seemed that maybe she’d accepted it, too. She should be thrilled. She should be celebrating. Instead, she sat numbly and stared at the smooth countertop.
“Hey,” Cole said a moment later when he returned to the bar. “Are you okay?” He squeezed her shoulders and brushed his lips next to her ear in a way that made her stomach flip with the familiarity of the action. He sat next to her and put his hand on hers. “You look a little…I don’t know. Off.”
That was putting it mildly.
