AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But I needed this interview to go perfectly.
Given the bad luck I’d been having, from trying to steer clear of an entitled jerk to losing the only steady source of income I had, the last thing I needed was to show up inappropriately dressed to an interview at a major magazine, no less.
I couldn’t afford for this interview not to go well.
With that in mind, I stood up straighter and continued to search through the closet. Once I settled on a pencil skirt that fell past my knees, a cream-colored button-down blouse, and a pair of three-inch heels, I smiled to myself. In the mirror, I caught Anne’s reflection, and she gave me a thumbs up.
After my shower, I selected a large coat and tossed my hair over my shoulders.
In the glass, my reflection grimaced.
On my way out, I stopped to lean over the couch and planted a kiss on top of Jimmy’s head. He giggled and gave me a bright smile before returning his attention back to the TV. Anne pulled me in for a one-armed hug in the doorway to the apartment before I rushed off. On the bus, I kept fastening and unfastening the top button of my coat, unable to ignore the knots in the middle of my stomach.
When I got off the bus and stared at the office building, surrounded by tall metal buildings on either side, the knots in my stomach tightened. I swallowed, gripped my purse, and pushed the doors open. In the elevator, I tried to stop fidgeting and instead shoved my free hand into my pocket. Once the doors pinged open, revealing rows and rows of cubicles on either side, bathed in the soft glow of the early morning light, I faltered.
As soon as I righted myself, I saw the other applicants on the other side of the floor, sitting on the chairs lined up on either side of the walls. With a lift of my chin, I made a beeline for them and didn’t stop until I came to a stop in front of them. Offering them a nervous smile, I took the empty seat closest to the glass door and placed my purse in my lap. Shortly after, a tall, well-dressed blonde in expensive clothes pushed the door open, glanced around, and her eyes settled on me.
“Martha Auden?”
I stood up and cleared my throat. “That’s me.”
She nodded and pushed the door open. “Come on in.”
I followed her, and the door clicked shut behind me. She stepped behind her desk, sat down, and pulled her chair closer to the table. “Anne has been singing your praises.”
“I’ve got a copy of my CV right here.” I covered the distance between us and held out my folder. “It’s up to date, and I’ve got letters of reference from some of my other jobs.”
Tiffany smiled and scanned the folder. “This is all very impressive. I’m not going to beat around the bush, Martha. From what I can see, you’re extremely qualified, and you’re good under pressure. You’re going to need to be if you can handle being assistant to the editor-in-chief.”
“I…I got the job?”
Tiffany stood up and held her hand out. “Congratulations. Can you start tomorrow?”
I nodded and took her hand. “Absolutely, yes. Thank you so much, Ms. Alexander. You won’t regret this.”
Tiffany’s smile grew wider. “Please call me Tiffany. Welcome aboard, Martha.”
In a daze, I made my way back to the bus stop, the smile never leaving my face. On the bus, I placed my head against the window and watched the world outside whizz past, a blur of shapes and colors. A block away from the apartment, I got off the bus, a spring in my step. When I stepped in through the door, Jimmy threw himself at me, and I stumbled backward. With a giggle, I kicked the door shut with the back of my leg and hoisted him up.
“How did it go?” Anne glanced up from the stove, the wooden spoon halfway to her mouth. “If I had to give off the dazed look on your face, I’d say it went well.”
I set Jimmy down and peeled off my coat. “She offered me the job on the spot. They want me to start tomorrow.”
Anne set down the spoon and wiped her hand on her apron. “That’s amazing news, Mar. I knew you could do it.”
I crouched in front of Jimmy and grinned at him. “How about we get some ice-cream cake to celebrate?”
Jimmy clapped his hands together. “With extra sprinkles?”
I pressed a kiss to his forehead before standing up. “Yes.”
After placing the order with the nearest bakery, I stepped into the kitchen and helped chop up the vegetables. In the middle of our chat, my phone rang, and I took the call. When I hung up, Anne glanced over at me and frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“My boss called, and he wants me to attend an important meeting with an investor tomorrow.”
Anne paused and placed a hand on her hip. “Your boss, as in Tiffany’s boss?”
