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3
The Internship
PARKER
I sit in the cool leather chair, fidgeting with my pants as Rose Hall talks to someone by the door.
She’s a tall graceful woman, with a glorious mane of shiny, dark brown hair that’s pinned up and flawlessly pale skin. I decide that she’s in her late thirties, although I’m not too sure because she has enviably natural beauty.
Rose ends her conversation, before closing the door and walking back to her chair that’s across from me. A dark wooden table sits in between us but does nothing to ease the tension in my throat. My palms suddenly feel sweaty. That only happens when I’m really nervous.
“Thank you for coming in today, Parker,” Rose says, her face lights up as she smiles. “I took the time to look over your cover letter and I was thoroughly impressed with the potential qualities you could offer at Gulliver Books. However, we do love to establish a personal relationship with all our employees, so tell me, what do you look forward to if you are accepted for our yearly Spring Internship?”
I take a deep breath and smile as confidently as I can because I know I can do this. I spent the last few days preparing myself for this moment.Post break up too,I add. With hundreds of used tissues scattering my bed as I searched for the perfect outfit before I climbed back into my bed to wallow in depression.
“I look forward to working with a team in the different areas of publishing. Every book that is published is the result of hard work and I would very much enjoy going through the entire process.” My voice is steady.I got this.
Rose smiles, looking pleased with my answer. “What kind of a future do you see for yourself, Parker?”
“I see myself working in a publishing house like this, reading thousands of manuscripts a month, reviewing books for blogs,” I say, as I straighten my shoulders.
“Have good posture. You want them to take you seriously, not to look at you as if you’re a fool,”my father’s words enter my mind. Except he wasn’t prepping me for a job back then, just to sit with pretentious assholes all night at dinner parties.
“Books have always been my passion. Writing them and reading them. There’s so much gold in those pages,” I continue. “I would love the opportunity to find new talent and help them succeed in their writing career. There are many possibilities out there, but I’m extremely attached to the world of literature. There’s nothing more satisfying than being a part of that process.”
“Those are very wise words from a young woman such as yourself,” Rose says. “Which is why I would like to invite you to join our paid internship program starting this Friday.”
For a moment, I am almost lost for words because I thought I’d have to really make myself desperate for this interview.
“Oh, thank you so much, Mrs. Hall,” I say, wiping my hands on my pants, as I reach over and shake her hand. “I really hope I can be of help here at Gulliver Books.”
“I am confident that you will be.” Rose smiles. “And we’re glad to have you on the team. If we are happy about your progress by the end of our Spring Internship, you will be offered a permanent place in this publishing house if that is something that interests you.”
“Thank you so much. This is great. I can’t wait to begin,” I tell her.
I leave Gulliver Books feeling better than I did this morning. I should phone my dad and tell him that one of those applications came through, so I hail a cab and when I finally get one, someone bumps my shoulder and I look back up to see a dirty blonde-haired guy.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he apologizes in a deep, low voice. “I guess we both saw the same cab, but you can have it.”
His eyes are striking gunmetal blue, he has a long aquiline kind of nose and wears wire-rimmed glasses, looking like he just stepped out of a completely different era in his black t-shirt, dark suede coat, and dark jeans that covered his tall length. He also looks way older than me.Late twenties?Perhaps even older than Hudson.
I’d feel bad if I had to take the cab so instead, I say, “Or we can both take the cab?”
His wide lips curl into a friendly smile. “That could also work.”
We both get into the cab and I can’t help but notice his shoulder pressing against mine the entire time.
“Thank you for being courteous,” he says. “Most people aren’t that nice.”
“It only seemed fair.” I give him a side glance and he smiles. “And most people aren’t considerate.”
“I’m Eric.” He holds out his hand and I reach out to shake it. His skin is warm.
“Parker.”
“It was wonderful to make your acquaintance,” he says, before turning to the cab driver and leaning over. “You can stop there.” Eric points to the side of a dingy street corner and before I know it, he’s out of the cab, disappearing into the alcove of darkness through an alleyway.
I feel stunned for a few minutes as the cab driver continues in the direction of Kensington College, wondering what the hell just happened.
