The Anti-Boyfriend

Forcing confidence, I sat up straighter. “Because I know the business inside and out, not only as a performer, but I worked the admin side for a couple of years after my injury. That well-rounded experience, as well as my good writing and speaking skills, makes me a great fit.”

She moved her pen between her fingers. “But you don’t have any specific public relations experience. So you can understand my hesitation in hiring you for this particular job.”

“Well, I never worked in public relations. But months of having to respond to the press regarding my injury while keeping a brave face certainly helped prepare me for anything that might arise. And things like writing a press release are pretty straightforward. In fact, I’ve already enrolled myself in an online class that teaches the basics in anticipation of this position.”

“Well, it’s good to know you’ve been proactive. That shows real interest in the job.”

“I am very interested, Cynthia.”

“I have to say, I’m impressed that you could move on from the traumatic life change of your injury by accepting another position with your company. You chose to keep a foot in the industry, which I like.”

“Well, I’d danced all my life and did everything I could to make it professionally. So even when that was suddenly over, I wasn’t ready to leave. Being injured didn’t take away my love for the ballet.”

“What made you finally leave? Was it just your pregnancy, or something else?”

“I stopped working to take care of my daughter, yes.”

She tilted her head. “Why are you looking to go back to work now?”

“I’ve felt a bit antsy lately. I love being home, but I think it’s time for me to get back out there. There’s also the financial component. But mostly, I feel like having stepped away from the workforce for a while will give me a newfound energy for whatever I embark on next. I’m really excited for the next phase of my life.”

She sighed. “I realize you have a lot going on, so I have to be honest in saying that my biggest hesitation in considering you for this position is that you might not be as available as we’d need you to be.” She crossed her arms. “Yes, a good portion of the duties can be performed from home, but there are several events where we’d need you on hand. Sometimes we don’t have a lot of advance notice, depending on the situation—say, entertaining a new investor. Do you think you’d be able to manage childcare at the last minute?”

Deep down, I knew that was going to be my greatest challenge. But I wasn’t going to let her close the door on me. I was determined to find a way to make it work.

“I’m an expert at winging it, Cynthia. When I was injured, I made the best of it. When I suddenly got pregnant, I knew nothing about raising a child—winged it there, too. I want this position badly enough that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it work. Can I promise you that I’d be able to make a hundred percent of the appearances? No. But I can promise you I will make every effort to be where you need me to be. And if I have to miss something, I’ll work ten times harder to make it up to you, to make sure you know I’m dedicated to the job.” I let out a long breath.

She nodded silently. “There’s absolutely no doubt that hiring someone who’s been so respected in this industry would be a good public relations move for us. Not to mention, you worked for our competitor, so having you with us would be a get of sorts. I’ve always been looking for a way to stick it to Charles.”

I smiled. If that helped justify her offering me the job, I was all for it.

She tapped her pen on the desk. “Tell you what. Let me mull this over. I have a couple other people I’m interviewing, and I want to give them a fair shot. I’ll call you when we’ve made a decision.”

The idea of her interviewing people who likely had more experience gave me anxiety. Still, I tried to keep my poker face. “That sounds great.” I nodded as I rose from the chair. “And if there’s anything else I can answer, please don’t hesitate to email or call me. I hope you give me a chance to prove myself.”

She reached out her hand. “Carys, it was amazing to see you again. You’re just as lovely as I always remembered.”

After I left City Ballet, I went to pick up Sunny from Simone’s house. Since she lived nearby, she’d graciously offered to watch my daughter. But given her lack of experience, I didn’t want to dally in case something had gone wrong.