I couldn’t help but laugh. The man was truly absurd.
He extended his hand. “Deal?”
“I’ve probably lost my mind, but, hey, why not? I’m days from being unemployed.” I put my hand in his, but instead of shaking it, he brought it to his mouth and kissed the top. I felt it all over. God, I’m in trouble.
He smiled wolfishly, revealing a dimple I hadn’t noticed earlier. It was a good thing he hadn’t taken that thing out before. Dangerous.
“All we have to do is get you hired now. You want some inside info?”
“Sure.”
“Tell Josh he looks like Adrien Brody. He loves it.”
I smiled warily. “Good to know.”
“And for Sam…never say you’re a Mets fan, even if you are. Yankees all the way.”
I squinted suspiciously. “You think baseball will come up in my interview for a marketing position?”
“You never know.”
“Why do I think you’re screwing with me?”
“One other thing, Josh isn’t hitting on you. That’s a twitch he’s got going on with his eye. Thought he was into me for the first week he worked here.”
I laughed. “Okay.”
Chase walked me back to the conference room, where Sam and a man I presumed to be Josh (since he looked exactly like Adrien Brody) were talking.
“Showed your interviewee the way to the ladies’ room,” Chase said and then introduced me to Josh. After we all shook hands and the three of us had taken seats in the conference room, Chase lingered in the doorway.
He held up a hand. “Nice to see you again, Reese. Good luck with your interview.”
“Would you like to stay for the interview, Chase?” Sam asked.
“No. I’m good. I’m sure you two have it covered.”
“Any questions or anything before you go?” she added.
“I don’t think so.” Chase pivoted to leave and then stopped. “Actually, I do have some quick questions. Do you mind, Reese?”
“Not at all.” What is he up to?
“Great. Favorite baseball team?”
I squinted at him, debating whether I should trust him or not. He looked amused when my answer didn’t come quickly. I took a deep breath, followed by a leap of faith. “I’d have to say the Yankees.”
“Good choice.” Chase’s eyes flashed to Samantha, whose face had brightened.
“One other question.”
I knew exactly what it was before he asked, but played along anyway.
“Does Josh look like any particular celebrity to you?”
I turned to Josh and pretended to deliberate for a moment, then turned back to Chase. “Adrien Brody, except with glasses.”
Sam looked at Chase like he’d lost his mind, and Josh sat a little taller.
“Good luck with the rest of the interview, Reese.”
Chapter 6
Reese
It was still dark outside when I arrived at Parker Industries the following Monday morning. Considering the building lights were off, and the doors were locked, I realized I might have been a tad overeager for my first day. After loitering a few minutes in front of the building, waiting for someone to show up, I decided to head over to Starbucks for some coffee. It was next door to the restaurant where I’d first met Chase.
While it seemed no one was ready to go to work yet, there was a hell of a long line for coffee. I joined the brigade at the back of the line like a good little soldier and proceeded to catch up with reading emails on my phone. A hand at my back startled me, but it was the voice whispering over my shoulder that sent a shiver down my spine. “Am I the background on your iPhone, too?”
I jumped. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“Sorry. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sneak a peek. Figured since I’m your laptop background and all, the obsession might run pretty deep.”
I turned and held out my phone. “I can see the similarities, but the photo is definitely not you.”
Chase took the phone from my hand. “What the hell is that?”
“It’s Tallulah.”
“Is that thing real?”
“Of course it’s real. Really ugly, isn’t it?”
“Is it a cat?”
“Yep. It’s a Sphynx. A hairless cat.”
It was seriously the ugliest pet I’d ever seen. Her head was too small for her body, and her face looked like a devil’s. Wrinkly, pale, fleshy-colored skin made her resemble a turkey before you stuck it in the oven.
“My stepfather bought it for my mother for her birthday because she has bad allergies, and she really wanted a pet. Turns out, it isn’t the hair she’s allergic to, it’s the protein in animals’ saliva and skin. So she dumped the thing on me this weekend while she tries to find it a new owner. He paid two thousand dollars for that ugly kitty.”
“You do see the irony here, right?” Chase asked.
“Irony?”
“You have a hairless pussy, and today you’re starting a job where the flagship product is—”
I covered my mouth. “Oh my God! You would find irony in that.”
“What can I say? Bald is beautiful has made me a lot of money. That cat should be our company mascot.”