Page 2 of Mister Lane

I heard steps approaching from the hallway where I suspected the interviews were being conducted, and a flare of panic hit me square in the chest. I looked down at myself, noticing where I had felt cute and feminine in my dingy apartment; now I looked frumpy and disheveled. I knew without looking that the walk in the morning humidity had caused my hair to frizz, and I was probably sweaty and stinky from my near jog to get to the office building.

I turned to leave when I heard my name called. Not wanting to be rude, I slowly turned back around to see a tall, confident looking older woman standing at the entrance to the hallway, holding a clipboard and staring right at me. I glanced around at all the other women waiting and saw several watching me as I stood there awkwardly. A few of them leaned over to whisper to others, not even trying to hide the fact that they were talking about me. I felt my face heat with all the attention. I cleared my throat and hesitantly stepped forward with a small, awkward wave.

“That’s me.”

I wanted to smack my palm into my forehead. Obviously, the woman already knew it was me. Though when I thought about how she knew, I couldn’t come up with a way. As far as I knew, there wasn’t a picture of me on the job search website. At least, I didn’t remember if I had uploaded one or not to my profile.

When I reached her, she gave me a tight smile. “Follow me, Miss Fontaine.” She immediately turned to walk, expecting me to follow obediently.

“Uh, ma’am,” I said quietly, hoping only she could hear me. She stopped abruptly and turned back, one eyebrow raised, waiting impatiently. I side-eyed the rest of the group to see morewhispers and a few laughing snickers behind well-manicured hands. I leaned closer. “I think I made a mistake. I should go.”

For the first time since she called my name, her face softened, and she gave me a genuine smile. “Miss Fontaine, why don’t we head into the interview room? Then we can discuss why I think you might be perfect for the job.”

With my head spinning with her confusing words, I followed her, barely feeling the pinch of the heels that had already started to form blisters on my feet.

Chapter

Three

Emily

The Hiring Manager, Mrs. Gunter, was a lovely woman. Even though I had been nervous about the interview and ready to leave, she quickly put me at ease. I hadn’t even realized the interview was over when she stood up and shook my hand.

“We’ll see you tomorrow morning at eight a.m. sharp. A company car will pick you up at the address on your file, so you won’t have to worry about transportation.” She handed me a card, the wedding ring on her finger flashing brilliantly, glimmering under the fluorescent lighting. “Tomorrow, you will receive your company cell phone, but for now, this is the credit card for your expenses. As the personal assistant to the CEO, you will have certain responsibilities. Some of them will involve having dinner with the CEO and clients at expensive restaurants. You will need proper attire. You should take the rest of the day to obtain a proper wardrobe if you don’t already have one. You’ll need several daily business wear outfits suitable for the office,including footwear, and a minimum of, oh, say five elegant evening wear outfits for dinner.”

“Five,” I repeated with a whisper, absolutely stunned and unable to comprehend what I was hearing.

“For now,” she smiled. “Later, you’ll need a ballgown or two, but that can wait.” She looked me over critically and hummed as if studying my hair and face. “You’re pretty. Your hair could use a trim, I think. But, honestly? You don’t need to change a thing about yourself. Remember that, Emily. No matter what anybody tells you or says about you. You are perfect just the way you are. Not everything needs to be plastic.”

I felt my face grow warm. I wasn’t sure what she meant exactly, but I was certain I had just been given the nicest compliment I had ever received. “Okay, thank you, Mrs. Gunter.”

“Good. Now, a car will take you to a clothing store where you can get what you need for work attire. Do you have any questions?”

I glanced down at the shiny black card in my hand that had the nameLane Industriesprinted on the front and swallowed hard. I looked back up at the beautiful black woman standing in front of me in her elegant pink blouse and pressed black slacks without a single wrinkle or crease out of place and asked, “Am I dreaming?”

Her smile made the corners of her eyes crinkle just slightly as she replied. “No.”

“Then, no.”

“Alright. I’ll walk you to the elevator.”

I took a deep breath, then squared my shoulders back. Together, we walked to the door, then down the hallway. I was surprised to find the waiting area completely devoid of any women, considering they had been on every available sitting surface when I had first arrived. I knew we had been in theinterview room for a while, but I hadn’t thought it had beenthatlong.

“Where did everyone go?” I wondered aloud as I took in the empty space.

“I’m sure they were told to return to their usual duties. They would have been told the position had already been filled.”

“Oh. I hope they weren’t too disappointed.”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” she replied dryly before tapping at the call button. “The car is waiting for you downstairs. Don’t forget, Emily, you needseveraloutfits for work and dinner. There is no limit on that card. It is for the company, and you represent the company, so you need to look your best. Okay?”

She gave me a stern look, and for some reason, I felt like I was being chastised even though I hadn’t even done anything yet. Maybe she knew I had a habit of trying to save every penny I could by shopping at the clearance racks and thrift stores. I looked down at myself, saw my ill-fitting clothes, and grimaced as I thought of how gorgeous she looked. Maybe she had a point.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. Since you already signed your hiring papers, you just check in at the front desk in the morning to collect your badge, then head straight to Mr. Lane’s office. He’ll be expecting you. Remember, eight a.m.”

“Right. Eight a.m. sharp. Thank you.” I stuck my hand out as the elevator door dinged and slid open. Mrs. Gunter shook my hand and gave me a warm smile, then stepped back. I nearly tripped as I turned, getting my heel caught in the elevator track, but two strong hands caught me before I could fall.