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"Perhaps it just ht," he admits, and I am pleasantly surprised at the very human admission, the tiny bit of vulnerability he allows me to see with it
He taps the folder "There’s plenty of reading for you to do in the folder Aet you set up on the co Pass them and we’ll talk about just what your role will be here If you can play with the big dogs, and interact with Riptide quality transactions, I can assure you that money won’t be an issue"
My heart races with this news Could this really be happening? Could I really have the chance to ht on the tests"
He leans in closer "I see so to prove ht" Without another word, he pushes to his feet and leaves the roo et an answer about e Most ih, I am frustrated at myself because I haven’t asked about Rebecca You will, I proht
Thirty ed to claim my new office, on loan froet Aed me into the computer and headed back to her desk I am now alone, with the door shut, ready to start to work
I pull upfrom Mark, or rather, Mr Compton I wonder if he intends to stay that formal with me, but then, it appears he has with Amanda, so I would assume that to be the case I click on the email
Welcome Ms McMillan:
You will find a link to a number of tests below Each is a timed evaluation to ensure you cannot use the internet for help, though I’
May the odds be ever in your favor, and h at the reference to Hunger Games, and I am shocked but pleased that my new boss has a sense of humor I feel silly now to have been so intiically, I knoas responding to this fascination I have with this world, this deep desire to belong here, that wasn’t about hihosts and skeletons I’ at this desk And the journals, I remind myself as the soft scent of roses I now associate with Rebecca teases ht and find a lighter and set the fla on the candle The flaaze falls on the brilliant rose colors on the wall I picture Rebecca sitting here and sohtening In fact, I feel aln she is alive and well I feel hope that she will return, and perhaps I will have a place in this world as well Do I dare believe I can chase this drea at it? Excitement and hope expands within htens me I knohy I have never tried and one of those reasons, money, seems to be resolved with the inference I will be paid coly big If I fail, if I o back to my old life, it will destroy me
"You have to try," I whisper to the empty room "You have to"
New resolve forms and I shake off my fears If I a around, then I need to get busy I quickly dig into , I am pleased at the ease at which I co up a fourth, and stretching, considering seeking out a caffeine escape--this time one that is supposed to be cold--when I hear a knock on my door
"Come in," I call, not sure why my sto isn’t co time since every piece of my day has felt like an adventure
An Asian man in his late twenties appears indude"
"Ralph," I say, with a nod, and I barely contain a smile at both his ‘dude’ reference and his red bow tie and crisp white shirt There is so friendly about this man that I like instantly
"Yeah, yeah, I know," he says, clearly reading thein my smile "I don’t look like a Ralph My folks wanted me to fit into the Ah to know ‘Ralph’ isn’t exactly a cool naht off the bat, and like you, it er now "I think you should be in sales You could make that work for you"
He snorts "And deal with all the arrogant rich people that come in this place? No thanks" He softens his voice "Mark is all I can handle"
Laughter bubbles from my lips "You’ll have to share your secrets to that little trick"
"I’ll buy you coffee sometime soon and tell you all his secrets"
"I’ll take you up on that"
He waves and departs, pulling the door shut behind hi An hour later, theand ized to frazzled I can see why I ht be tested on random collectible items, if I am to ith Riptide, but wine, opera, and classicalabout these non-art subjects and I decide now ood time to find out how lunch works around this place