Chapter 6 The Job Offer

Rose POV

I listened as he explained his reasons for getting his PhD, and I couldn’t hide that I was impressed. Not just because he had achieved it, which was a feat in and of itself. But the reasoning that he had used, and the purpose behind it.

He wasn’t a lawyer for the money alone. He had a goal that he wanted to achieve. I wanted to ask more questions, I wanted to hear him explain his plans a bit more. But I knew this wasn’t the time.

I was still in the middle of an interview, and I had to do the best I could with what I had. Right now, though he was an incredible person to learn from, that wasn’t what I needed. Unfortunately, I needed to survive, so I had to make choices that would help me with that.

I had to stick to my original purpose of coming here.

“Thank you for answering my questions,” I told him cordially. “This seems like it would be a great opportunity for me, and a place where I would have a lot to learn and gain.”

And there was also the additional little fact that he hadn’t harassed me like any of the other people that had interviewed me. Cayden Colbert had been professional the entire time, and it was terrible that this was how low the bar was, but that’s what it was.

Cayden regarded me for a moment longer before speaking.

“The proper procedure here now would be that I thank you for coming in,” he explained calmly, tapping his fingers on the hardwood desk. “And then we would send a follow-up email, awaiting your response. We would then have an internal discussion and then probably offer you a job.”

That sounded exactly what I had signed up for. Except for the part about actually getting the job, which had been more of a desperate hope.I didn’t want to get ahead of myself, but I felt secure enough in what he was saying that I felt like I wasn’t being over-zealous. There was a real possibility of a job for me here.

He sighed heavily.

“But I don’t feel that proper procedure would be the wisest thing to do here,” Cayden said again.

I felt a tinge of fear pull through me. Was he not going to offer me the job? Had I somehow done so terribly in this interview that he wasn’t even going to go through the necessary steps to do what needed to be done?

“I have already offered you the job,” Cayden said again, not waiting for my response. “So you don’t have to go through all those loops and bounds. I believe that you’re a great fit for our company, and it would be ridiculous to take the chance of losing you to another head-hunter. So, I will have the contract sent over to you as soon as you get home.”

I had no idea what to say. A job. And not just any job. One that would best put me on the path that I wanted in life. One that would keep me safe from having to go back to my father.

The only thing I could do was grab it with both hands.

“Of course!” I exclaimed and then caught hold of myself. I sat back a little, more reserved. “I am honored to accept,” I said again. That was a little more dignified.

Thankfully, Cayden didn’t seem upset by my little outburst.

“Perfect,” Cayden said, clapping his hands together once. “Take a look at the contract after you get it, then please fill everything out and send it back as soon as possible. You can start on Monday.”

I listened intently. There was absolutely no way that I could afford to miss anything that he was saying right now.

“There are a few extra rules to keep in mind while working here,” Cayden added. “But I’m sure that you will have no problem with them. We have a reputation to uphold, with our clients and our competitors, so we put a lot of emphasis on our dress code. You will be given a work clothes budget, along with a list of clothing to purchase and where to purchase them from. Those are not suggestions. You need to keep the image.”

“I understand,” I told him. “Thank you so much for this opportunity, I can’t begin to explain to you what this means to me.”

Cayden got up out of his seat, and I followed suit. I thanked him again, and Cayden held his hand for me to shake. He then opened the door to the boardroom and escorted me back to the secretary.

As he explained to the secretary that I was going to start working soon, she seemed surprised. I wouldn’t blame her, I was still digesting the surprise myself.

When he finally said goodbye, I shook his hand and was able to appreciate the kindness yet firmness he took my hand in. His eyes never parted mine, until the handshake was over. This was it, Cayden Colbert had just given me an interview himself and hired me.

I left the building feeling more than a little dazed. I couldn’t believe that I had gotten the job. It just wasn’t possible. I would have been able to convince myself that I had imagined the entire thing, but as I sat in the cab taking me back home, I saw that I had already received the contract from the company.

This was real. As soon as I reached home, I got out of the cab at my building and blinked.

I was sure I wasn’t seeing what I was seeing.

But after another few moments of blinking again and again, I had to accept that what I was staring at was in fact real.

“Rebecca!” I screamed and then ran toward my sister.

Her arms came around me immediately, and I held on for dear life.

“What are you doing here?!” I demanded.

“What?” She asked, putting her hands on her hips. “You think my little sister can just rock up in my town and I wouldn’t know about it?”

We had all gone to different cities. But Rebecca was the most well-traveled, she had clients in almost every state.

“Plus,” she said, a wicked smile pulling over her face. “It’s Mardi Gras. I hope you have a great dress and an even better mask because we’re going out tonight.”

Huh?

“Mardi Gras?” I echoed. “In Chicago?”

She just laughed.

“Oh, you have no idea!”

-

Cayden POV

I would have kept talking to her forever. Or at least, another hour or two. But I didn’t have the luxury of time with her. There was no need to really worry. I knew that she would accept the job.

It would be the best offer she would get. And if it wasn’t, I was more than happy to match whatever offer she had before coming here.

Because I knew that our team needed Rose Kinkaid on it.

As much as I wanted to keep talking to her, though, I knew that I couldn’t. I had a party to get ready for.

There was a party being thrown for the city’s Mardi Gras event, and though I didn’t really do parties, I had to be seen. There would be too many clients present, and far too many of them expecting me, for me to not show up.

So, once the meeting with Rose was finished, I headed to my office to sort out the last few things for the day, and then headed home. I had meant every word that I said to her.

Our company had a reputation to uphold, and when I expected that much dedication from my employees, I wasn’t going to slack in it myself.

I chose a white suit for Mardi Gras, with gold emblazoned all over it. It would be subtle enough that it wouldn’t be overshadowing, and it would be showy enough that I fit the theme.

The mask was gold, but that was pretty standard for Mardi Gras. My clients would know who I was, and they would see me there, and often that alone was more than enough.

Once I was ready, I headed to the party.

The party was in full swing by the time I arrived. I had timed it just right. I hated staying for these things, but the formalities required it. I just had to meet with everyone, and then I could take my leave.

I managed to see Hiroshima, Brudner, and Alkaid, three of our biggest clients. I didn’t have to meet with everyone, just our most important ones. Only four more and then I could make my escape. But before I got to it, an announcement came over the loudspeaker, dulling the music for a moment.

“And now,” the announcer called. “We will have the Silence Dance. We ask that everyone selected please allow our coordinators to partner you up, and please remember, silence in everything.”

I hissed under my breath. I had meant to be gone before this took place, but Brudner had kept me there with his constant questions. All I could do was pray that a coordinator didn’t touch me.

No such luck. I felt a hand on my shoulder guiding me to a point, and I watched as a woman came towards me. She did a little dip with her head and bowed slightly, and then she stepped towards me.

My body moved on its own account. I placed my hand on her hip and pulled her close. I couldn’t recognize her and that was strange, I thought I knew everyone at these events.

The first dance was slow, the music soft. And though it was an easy dance, I couldn’t help but feel that we moved well together, almost in sync with each other.

I didn’t know her at all, and yet, that wasn’t what I felt as we danced with each other.

We danced the entire song in sync. I felt like I knew her, somehow, from somewhere. And yet, I knew that I didn’t. The song finished, and I couldn’t hide my disappointment. I didn’t want this to end.

But the next started almost immediately, and I remembered that we had three to dance to together.

She smiled at me, a little wider and a little bolder. The second song became more lively, she seemed to enjoy it so I took it as an invitation. I touched more, I moved faster, and she answered just the same. I spun her in circles around me, and I was impressed with how much she trusted me to lead her.

All too soon, the song finished, too.

The third one that came on was the slowest, and I held her right up against me.

I desperately wanted to ask her her name, anything that would let me find her again. But I couldn’t take the risk. If she was a client or the spouse of a client, then I stood to lose a lot with one question. I couldn’t take the risk.

Now my day couldn’t be any worse; in less than a few hours, I met two women who caught my attention and drew me to them, and both were forbidden, one way or another.

The song finished, and then all of a sudden, the lights went out. It wasn’t planned, it wasn’t meant to happen. I had attended enough of these to know that.

But I knew what it was. Permission.

I didn’t think. I pulled her close to me, and crushed my lips against hers. And the current that went through us both was electric. I felt her soft lips, the warmth of her skin.

And then it was over.

“Could I have everyone’s attention please? Everyone needs to head to the nearest exits quickly, this is not a drill,” the call came over all the other panicked ones, and I knew it was an emergency, but I couldn’t pull away from her.

I didn’t have to. She pulled herself free of my arms and headed in the direction of the people rushing. It wasn’t the sudden dark that made me leave or the announcement that came over the speaker.

I followed her.

I tried to keep pace with her, but I lost her in the crowd. Once outside, I looked around, trying to glimpse her again.

I spotted the gold dress, even more beautiful beneath the moonlight, and I made my way toward her without thinking. She was hailing a cab, and one stopped for her.

I was about to reach her, when she took off her mask, stopping me in my tracks.

It was her. Rose Kinkaid.