Wrong Side of the Tracks by Ashley Zakrzewski
ChapterFive
I am a wreck on the day of my interview. Liam offers to drive me, since my car is still with the mechanic, but I probably would have needed a ride even if I did have a car available to me. My hands are shaking, and I’m distracted with trying to remember everything I have rehearsed in preparation for the interview. Not exactly fit for driving.
“Call me when you’re done, okay?” Liam says just as I’m about to climb off his bike. “And relax, Eva. You’ve got this.”
“I’ve got this,” I repeat, even if I’m not so sure that I’ve got much of anything at all. Liam squeezes my hand and gives me a quick kiss.
“They’d be idiots not to want you,” he whispers to me, his eyes locking onto mine. I feel a flutter in my stomach, and I’m not so sure it’s because of the interview.
The building is one of the larger ones in the neighborhood, and it towers over me with its glass and steel structure. Quite a different beast than the pet shop, that’s for damn sure. I breathe in, smile, and go through the front doors. I’m immediately greeted by a woman behind the front desk, immaculately dressed in a fitted ruby red suit.
“Hello there,” she says with a warm smile. “Can I help you?”
Some of my nerves melt off me, at least she seems nice. “I have an interview with Mrs. Roberts,” I say. “My name is Eva.”
“Oh, of course,” the receptionist nods, as if she knows very well who I am. “Have a seat, and she’ll be with you in just a few minutes.”
I thank her and sit down on one of the many colorful armchairs that have been placed around the lobby. I have to say that it feels a little better now, the inside of the building is way warmer and more welcoming than the outside. After a few minutes, a tall woman with curly red hair strides toward me in pointy heels. She reaches out a hand in greeting and I stand to shake it.
“Eva, how lovely to finally meet you,” she says and pats my hand. This woman is maybe in her early forties, just a few years older than myself, but she gives off a motherly sort of aura that instantly puts me at ease. “Let’s go to my office for our chat, okay?”
She shows me around as we’re walking through the building. There are people everywhere, but Mary seems to know everyone’s names. When we reach her office and I sit down opposite her, I’ve already made up my mind.
I need to get this job.
The interview is a lot less structured than the way Liam and I have been practicing. It’s more a conversation than an interview, and Mary answers all my questions. Before I know it, I have been sitting there for an hour. Where did the time go?
“Well, like I said on the phone, I really think you would fit right in with our team here,” Mary says. “It’s a big company, but you would mainly work by my side. I mainly deal with accounting and marketing, but there is of course a collaboration amongst all our different departments.”
“It sounds very interesting,” I say. I don’t think I’ve wanted something as much as I want this job. I want to ask her straight up if they’re going to hire me, but I don’t want to be too pushy. Thankfully, Mary puts me out of my misery.
“I hope so.” She leans back in her chair and regards me, and I can’t quite read the expression on her face. “Usually, I would have to go through my superiors to make a hire, but I think I’ve made up my mind. I would love to have you join our team here, Eva. I have a feeling we’d work well together.”
“Really?” I practically gape at her, and close my mouth. I don’t want to sit there and look like a fish in front of my new boss. “I would love that. Thank you!”
Mary gets on her feet and I stand as well, shaking her hand. “I’ll be in touch soon, I just need to set up some paperwork, but then we’re good to go.” She gives me a friendly smile. “Welcome to the company, Eva.”
I can barely contain myself when I walk out, convinced I look like an idiot grinning from ear to ear. I send Liam a text to let him know I’m done, and as soon as I’m out on the street I let out a little whoop, and an old lady turns to give me a look of disapproval. I don’t care. I got the job. I’m no longer going to be hauling around bags of dog food, and I won’t have to deal with Bob any more. I’ll hand in my notice first thing tomorrow morning, and a few weeks from now my new life will start. Finally.
I spot Liam’s bike and wave like a crazy person, my wide grin still firmly in place. I run to him and pull him to kiss his delicious lips, and I feel him laughing against my miuth.
“I take it things went well,” Liam says when I let go of him.
“I got the job!” I squeal. “She hired me on the spot.”
“Eva, that’s so great.” He pulls me in for a hug, bumping the horn with his elbow in the process, making us both jump. “Oh, shit. We should probably get out of the way, I can’t really park here.” He turns to me as he starts the bike. “You want to get something to eat? We need to celebrate.”
I nod, I was too nervous to eat breakfast this morning and my stomach is growling. “Definitely. I need food.”
We find a cute little diner and are seated in one corner of the restaurant, right by a window with a full view of the street outside. People are hurrying past, going about their day, and soon I will be one of them. At least for a few hours a day.
We get our food and I dig into my waffles. Liam sips his coffee, an amused look on his face. I raise an eyebrow at him.
“What?”
“I like seeing you like this,” he says.
“Like what?”
“Happy. Excited. I’m really proud of you for going after this job.”
I put my knife and fork down, not sure what to say. I just look at him, this gorgeous man that has fallen back into my life, just like that.
“You’re proud of me?”
“Of course,” Liam says and reaches for my hand. “You’re one of the most amazing people I know. I love that we get to spend time together again.”
I don’t know why his words make me want to cry. It’s a compliment, dammit. I should just smile and say thank you. I swallow, holding back the tears that threaten to spill over.
“Thanks, Liam. You’re pretty amazing too, you know.”
“Yeah, I know,” he says. “I’m the best.”
I laugh, shaking my head at him. He snickers and returns to his food. We talk about my interview, and I go over what I’m going to be doing in my new role. He asks me questions, and I love that he’s genuinely interested in what I have to say. Talking through it with him makes it seem more real somehow, like I haven’t just made it all up.
“Are you nervous about giving Bob your notice tomorrow? Liam asks. I just shrug.
“I was a little nervous, but now I’m mostly looking forward to it.” I smile, imagining the look on my boss’ face when I tell him I quit. “It’s going to be so freaking great to be free from that place. No more retail!” I say and raise my glass for a toast. Liam raises his as well.
“No more retail!” he echoes and we clink our glasses together.
We decide to spend the day in the city, just walking around and exploring. I’ve been here before, but just to visit some of the larger stores that we don’t have at home. I’ve never really spent any significant amount of time in the downtown area. It’s nice, there’s a different pulse to what I’m used to. I probably wouldn’t want to live there, I wasn’t lying when I said that I love the town where I live. But it’s nice to be surrounded by something different at the same time. With this new job, I get a bit of both worlds.
I cling tight to his massive body on the drive back home. We don’t talk, just enjoying being close to each other. He’s stroking the back of my hand with his thumb, I don’t even think he notices that he’s doing it. I notice though. Two emotions are waging a war in my chest. One is telling me to step back, to not let this get any further before he leaves. The other is screaming at me though. Screaming at me to hold on.
To not let him go this time.