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“Seriously?” she asks in disbelief. “I thought for sure she’d be a Miranda Priestly type woman… although, I’m not sure why. I’ve never heard a bad thing about her.”
“Probably because that’s what society makes us think high-powered women are like—ball-busting bitches.” We both giggle. “But yes, she was so kind and the strangest thing about it is, she offered me the job.”
“What!” I immediately jerk my phone away from my ear at the high-pitched scream that echoes from Serenity’s mouth. “I knew you’d get it! I knew it! But why was it strange?”
“I dunno. I guess I assumed it would be one of many interviews if it was going to go anywhere. She basically just talked to me about my experience for a bit, then bam, said the job was mine if I wanted it.”
“Girl, we have to go out and celebrate. This is huge! Huge!” she reiterates and I know she’s gesturing wildly on the other end of the phone.
“Thanks.” I laugh. “Seriously, you always believe in me.”
“And I always will because you’re amazing and deserve this, Pres. So, what was the other weird interaction?”
“Oh.” I feel myself tense up. “So, Mr. Gates was there.”
“For the interview? That’s weird.”
“Uh, no, before the interview. He said he had a meeting with Lisa before, but he waited for me after the interview and then insisted I go to lunch with him.”
“And did you go?”
“I did and it seemed to be going okay, and then right after our food arrived, before he even ate anything, he got up suddenly and said he had to leave and just bailed on me.”
“What? That’s really rude.”
“I know. There’s more to this strange dynamic, a lot more actually, but I’ll explain it tonight over drinks. You want to meet at Matchbox at seven?”
“Yes, but now I’m dying to know what else you’re not telling me. Shit! I’m late for my meeting. See you tonight!”
She hangs up quickly, just as my train arrives to take me home.
* * *
“He’s the client you’ll be managing?”
Serenity’s eyes bug out of her head when I reveal to her that I found out at the interview that the publicist who quit was working for Cyrus.
“Yeah. That’s why he insisted I go to lunch with him. We talked about why he needs a publicist and he started talking about how he needs to clean up his image. I could be wrong,” I say as I take a sip of my dirty martini, “but it felt like he was flirting with me.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Serenity says nonchalantly with a shrug. “It’s in his nature. A man like him can’t help it; he probably doesn’t even realize he’s doing it.”
“Then again, he called me kid.” I look down at my glass, swirling the olive around with the toothpick, that same feeling of disappointment from earlier washing over me.
“Presley,” she says slowly, “what’s with that look? Please tell me you weren’t hoping it was something more.”
I shake my head, attempting to be convincing. “No, I’m sure you’re right. It was just innocent flirting, or at least it seemed like it was, but most likely, he wasn’t even trying to flirt.”
“As long as that’s all it is because trust me, you don’t want to act out that good girl gone bad fantasy on a man like that.”
“What about that little speech you gave me after our first class with him, saying maybe it would be good to learn from a man like him?”
“Learn as in education, not a hard lesson. Look, I get it. He’s sexy and older and that whole forbidden professor thing is so hot, but at the least, you could lose your job and at the worst, a man like him can not only break your heart, but ruin your life.”
I nod my head and focus on enjoying the rest of my martini. Serenity fills me in on the current gossip that’s going on at the magazine she works for where she manages their social media and I push every last thought of Cyrus Gates out of my head that’s now swimming in vodka and olive juice.
* * *
I raise my hand higher, but Cyrus does everything in his power to avoid acknowledging me.
