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That choking sensation cliI worked so hard on for the past ten years My credit would be trashed, student loan collectors would harass me to no end, and my contract with the church would be violated I didn’t think anything of it at the ti seemed like a reasonable part of a job However, since they were the ones that caused the financial distress, it hardly see in the rearview mirror, I pulled out How hard would it be to fake h an interview? Anyway, I was already dressed No point in giving up, not yet Where there’s a will, there’s a way--and other crap like that sputtered through my mind What was the worst that could happen? Without hesitation, I drove directly to the address on the paper My jaw nearly fell off allery--and it was beachfront property--on theIsland The official naolden letters on a blue sign in front of the door

Stepping fro the white sand The sound of the ocean crashing into the shore filled my ears When I pulled open the door, several wo in a poshly decorated roo when I saw the other woed their bodies as if the garet dress with a white collared shirt underneath Holy crap I looked like a Sunday School teacher, or a nun in her street clothes These were the wrong clothes for a place like this, but it was too late to do anything about it now

The receptionist smiled wanly at me and handed me a clipboard "You’re late," she scolded "I shouldn’t even let you in, but since they haven’t started the first round yet, I’ll make an exception Fill out your paperwork quickly Mr Gray doesn’t have all day"

I nodded, s Barbie doll She arched a perfectly plucked brow at noring her, I filled out my paperwork My heart raced a little bit I didn’t realize how s; I e of it And the job description plastered across the top of the papers allery assistant The salary was stated with an additional commission on each sale I’d easily be able to pay my loans on time, and not mooch off of Kate Hope swelled in my chest

It took two hours for them to call my name I was the last candidate I followed the receptionist into a large roo s that overlooked the ocean My eyes went straight to the s, staring at the sea I didn’t realize how much I missed it

"Miss Tyndale," a man’s voice calledaround the long empty table to the other side "I’ your interview As you knoe are a prestigious art studio Jonathan Gray’s works sell for a pre with the wealthy?"

S, I leaned forward, "Yes I’ve worked with many different people in the past Some were difficult, but that was only because they demanded the best Other personalities may have seemed easier to deal with at first, but they proved harder to assist" Was that a good answer? Interviewing for church jobs was very different There was a fine line between telling theht Everyone was on best behavior, asking questions that usually didn’t matter, but Gus’ question see off a little bit, as did his reply

"How’s that?" Gus asked, jotting down things on a yellow notepad as I spoke, his eyes not lifting to meet mine

How is that, Abby? I was totallyanswers out of the air on the fly Explaining my rationale, I replied, "Well, the difficult people ca people knohat they want They have clear expectations and expect the and looked up atif you haven’t dealt with the people are actually harder to help, because they usually don’t knohat they need It takes ht and I noticed that I was sitting on the edge of my seat I tried to relax a little, to appear more confident I wanted this job somy accent seemed fuddled I didn’t sound like a New Yorker anymore, but I didn’t sound Texan either

Gus nodded, "Hhtly intimidated The man was in his early thirties, blonde hair and blue eyes He looked like a coverain When he was done, he looked over the top of iving cookie-cutter answers, Miss Tyndale, but you have no previous sales experience It says here that you were a minister in Texas?" The man looked at me like I was insane As soon as I answered that question, this job intervieas over

Before I could speak a voice came from the shadows at the end of the room "So, that’s where you went? Texas" That voice It oose bu inside h I hadn’t heard it in years, I recognized his warm playful tone instantly I’d know him anywhere

My pulse quickened and I suddenly feltopen, I turned and stared at hiainst the doorjamb stood Jack Gray, and he was every bit as beautiful as he was the last ti to his trim waist and a black V-neck tee shirt showcased sculpted muscles beneath His arms were folded over his chest, his head tilted to the side, dark hair spilling into his blue eyes My pulse ratcheted up a few more notches I was nervous before, but Jack made me a million times worse A swarmy brains Butterfly bastards

Jack’s soft blue eyes slid overtiht The tension in his shoulders said he wasn’t happy to seehimself off the door, he strolled across the room A pair of Chuck’s, covered in paint, adorned on his feet My heart jumped into my throat Jack didn’t look the way I remembered him, he looked better It was likeIthroughforin his eyes as he looked down atthat Gus had written "This is interesting"

Gus responded, "Would you like to take over, boss?" The way he addressed Jack surprised me By comparison, it looked like Jack should be Gus’ assistant or office boy He was dressed so casually while Gus was dressed like a businessman, suit and all

My eyebrows shot up on htly in my lap, "Boss?" Oh, there’s my voice Think, Abby, think! Jack’s the boss What does that mean for me? The fat walrus in lancing up at Jack, then back at me "Miss Tyndale, this is Jonathan Gray He’s the artist and the owner"

My face felt hot "Oh, I didn’t realize" Of course not Why would I realize Jack was the owner? I couldn’t fathom why or how that was possible until Gus added, "Jonathan Gray is his penname, a pseudonym Few people still know him as Jack Gray As he became more successful his name became problematic--Jack Gray sounds like vodka, not an a he preferred a bottle of wine to a bottle of Jack I stared, shocked, as he spoke If the sign had said Jack Gray, I would have never opened the door Oh, holy hell Nohat? I wanted the job, but I wanted to get out of there too My face felt hot Think Abby, think!

Jack sat down across fro into the leather chair, his eyes locking with s you back to New York, Abby?" We’d been friends, once But I left, and hadn’t spoken to him since Actually, he was part of the reason I ran and didn’t look back Nerves caught up withthes, and I still wanted it, even if itwith Jack

"I need a job, Jack Someone told me to try here, so I’m here" It took every ounce of control I had to maintain the lock on his eyes I wanted to look away There was so about hih ers through his dark hair He let out a breath and sat up straight, pulling my papers in front of hiers to his lips, "Youwith people, Abby, but this job requires sales skills that you don’t have" Still watching ht now, if you can tellIt’s the least expensive in my collection"

Someone must have sucked all the air out of the room, because I couldn’t breathe, "Million?" I knew I shouldn’t have asked, but I had to This was Jack, for godsakes! The boy that dabbled in paint But he was more now A famous artist I didn’t know And the reason that I didn’t knoas because I didn’t talk to anyone ent to school with I didn’t go to our high school reunions I didn’t do Facebook or Twitter I’d fallen off the grid, partly to get away frooogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">