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"My what?" I blink at him, confused, but he’s seen so forwards to intercept the wo for the entrance of the nearest office building
"Hey, Alicia, great tiot in"
"Hunter!" The wo him with air kisses on both cheeks "Look at you, I didn’t believe it when your mom said you’d moved to the sticks"
"It’s not exactly the hs He’s casual and easy with her, and I can tell that they’re old friends "Just a couple of hours away It’s a great little town, right on the shore You should cohs, tossing back her lossy blonde hair "I’d wither away and die without valet parking and takeout on speed dial" She turns to ht smile "And you must be Brittany A pleasure to meet you Any friend of Hunter’s here…"
She holds out a hand forfro I’ve ever owned
"Hi," I say slowly, still trying to figure out what’s going on "It’s, uive Hunter a baffled look, and he juether," he explains "Now she’s head of publicity for Jacob Main," he naht you two should ed an interview for you"
I stop
"You did what?" I stare at hi dread
He’s kidding He’s got to be kidding hs, proud of what he’s done "See, I said you’d never guess"
My heartbeat trips in panic, and suddenly, it’s hard to breathe Guess that I’d be dropped into theor time to prepare?
Oh God
"I have a conference call at three," Alicia pipes up apologetically "So we should head on up there Do you have your portfolio?" she asks me
My heart lifts A chance to escape this ambush "No, I’m sorry," I tell her relieved "I don’t have it with ot it" Hunter reaches into the truck and pulls out my portfolio, and a book of extra sketches Heready upstairs, I realize with a sinking feeling Hunter passes theot to run some errands, so call me when you’re done And don’t be nervous," he drops his tone, "You’ll be great"
"But--" My protest is lost under his kiss, and then Alicia is steeringon the polished marble floors Before I can think, or turn and bolt down the street, we’re in the lobby, a huge, glass-covered atriuns" She chats pleasantly as ait for the elevators "Hunter here was raving about you, and if a guy like hie aout How the hell could he do this to me? I’m not ready for this: Jacob Main was top ofout job applications, and all I got was a photocopied rejection letter And now, here I ahtness inin on me My skin prickles with panic, and I break into a cold sweat, clammy on the surface of s as we reach the eleventh floor "We’re right down here," Alicia says, striding down the hallway For a ht back down again, but then she turns, waiting with a friendly s her
"We o, so still pretty chaotic" Alicia leads e, open-plan office Myth s, and everywhere I look, there’s color and life People consult fabric swatches strewn over a long bench, others work on coazine tears Huge, over-sized photos froue are mounted on the wall, and all around us, there’s a buzz of activity and purpose
"We’re partnering with a major store for their su double-tiht now"
People look up curiously as we pass, checking azes slip over me, and can’t help but notice the looks of surprise and disapproval that follow In an instant, I’ the hallways in one of my hand-me-down, homemade outfits that’s so obviously not the latest fashion
My heart plummets This ambush happened so quickly, I didn’t even have time to think about how I look, but now I’lossy wos of inferiority that hauntedfor this
The outfit I hastily assembled for a casual day back in Beachwood Bay is way out of place here in the chic surroundings: h in places, and God, I’ a bikini top In the city! What kind of hick kid must they think I ae office with sweeping views of don, I already want to curl up in a ball and disappear, but the ordeal is only just beginning
"This is Maxwell Anderson, he’s in charge of our design team" Alicia introducesin one of the designer lounge chairs
"U Everything about Maxwell screa out of his jacket pocket, right down to the spotless white sneakers he’s wearing He’s inti tiestures forwith my heart in my mouth as he flips over the last five years of lance
Alicia gives me a sympathetic smile, as if to say, ‘don’t worry’ "Where are youra seat on a silk-covered couch and gesturing for me to do the sah we’ve been branching out with a lis"
"I… Clothes" I stutter Well, duh "Iwith repurposing fabric," I add in a halting voice Daether? I try to s back erie too, the lace-work and details, if you look…" I trail off as Maxwell slams my portfolio shut
He fixes"Jacob Main is a high-end coht sneer to his voice "Our custoant"
The accusation in his voice is clear I couldn’t be further from his ideal if I tried
I feel the blood rush toout a whisper, "I’ve been working on aze off o to school?"
"I, ah, didn’t" I slump lower in the seat