Kaliope stared at her phone on the bathroom counter as she brushed her teeth, daring it to ring or chime. Email, text message, phone call. Anything. She sent out half a dozen resumes in the past week. Was it too soon to expect a callback? It wasn't her first time scouring the job market, but this time felt different.
You'll be lucky if you ever find another job in this city again. Be nice, and I might forgive you.
She hadn't applied to any big firm, so perhaps it wasn't because Larry meddled.
With your brains, talents, and drive, working in some small nondescript firm will be like a shark swimming in a fish tank.
Kaliope spat out the toothpaste. Rinsed her mouth.
"More like a shark circling the drain."
Kaliope slipped closer and closer to insanity, unaccustomed to unlimited free time. She needed to be doing something. But every day fell into the same mundane routine.
Wake up, eat breakfast, sulk, and vegetate until evening. Kick and punch things at the gym because Larry's smug face wasn't an option. Pick up dinner at her favorite restaurant while skillfully dodging the flirtatious advances of the owner because romantic entanglements were not on her menu. Head home, vegetate on the sofa watching tv, consume an ungodly amount of ice, and sleep. It was monotonous and blindingly dull.
She was considering the pros and cons of a voluntary lobotomy over a tub of chunky monkey for breakfast when her phone chimed. A text message. She scrutinized the phone briefly, not wanting to get her hopes up.
Text message: Good morning, Ms. Barnes. You're invited for a job interview at Sage Towers Consul—
Kaliope gaped. Sage Tower Consultancy? She bolted upright, discarding her ice cream on the coffee table to read the message. Sage Tower was the country's number one crisis management and public relations firm. She slapped a hand to her forehead, hardly believing her luck. Then it hit her...
"Wait. I never applied for a position." Of course, she'd dreamed about applying, but the application process was grueling. Of the hundreds of candidates who applied each year, maybe two or three made it onto the payroll.
Was it a scam? The message said the interview was at noon, in three hours. Would they send such a last-minute message? And again, she never applied for a position. How did they get her information? There was a closing notice for her to call the number if she had any questions.
"Hell, yes, I have questions." Kaliope dialed the number. Two rings and a woman answered. "Hello, yes. This is Kaliope Barnes. I received a message about an interview at Sage Tower today at noon."
"Yes. Ms. Barnes. Our apologies for the late notice. Will you be able to make it? We can reschedule for another time if that's more convenient."
Kaliope pursed her lips. It was only possible to prove if the woman was actually from the company if she showed up and the security turned her away.
"Ms. Barnes?"
She started at her name. "I'm...I never applied—"
The woman laughed. The sound was as bright and playful as her speaking voice. "Think of it as an impromptu recruitment. We look forward to meeting you."
"Ah. Yeah. Yes. I'll be there."
Too stunned for complete thoughts, Kaliope neglected to ask the woman her name. She remained slack-jawed, her thoughts swirling so quickly it was hard for her to follow them. They all circled into one simple sentence.
Sage Tower Consultancy was recruiting her.
Reality torpedoed her shock, and she dashed for the shower. She wrangled her mop of brown curls into a low bun. Dressed in emerald green high-waist dress pants and a beige collared, long-sleeved, buttoned blouse, Kaliope examined herself in the mirror. She skipped the makeup. Donned simple nob earrings and necklace.
Corporate chic, not too fussy, but not too plain.
Kaliope was hopping into her heels on her way to the door when she spoofed the ice cream on the coffee table. She grabbed it and slapped on the cover with the spoon inside. Container stowed in the freezer, she bolted for the door.
An hour later, Kaliope stared at the glass spire that was Sage Tower Consultancy. The luxurious high-rise building was a sight to behold. Its modern architecture featured sleek lines and curves, with windows of tinted glass that shimmered in the sunlight. The building stood tall and proud, dominating the skyline with its grandeur.
If this was a dream...
Let's not wake up.
Kaliope straightened her posture and strode towards the entrance with more confidence than she felt. She had thirty minutes to quell the butterflies in her stomach—or so she believed. Someone called out her name as she was about to sit in the grand lobby outfitted with comfortable seating and marble accents.
A slender woman wearing a black pencil leg black suit and a black tie approached her, her heels clicking on the tile. Her straight black hair curtained both sides of her face, her bangs covering her forehead. The woman smiled. Her light jade-gray eyes stood out in her slim, almost fox-like features.
"Kaliope."
She recognized the woman's voice from the phone call. So it wasn't a scam.
Kaliope fought to maintain her composure and silence the churning storm of jitters in her stomach. "Yes. I'm a bit early."
"The boss says when you're early, you're on time. When you're on time, you're late. And when you're late, you're fired." She held out a hand, and Kaliope accepted it. "I'm Inola Nerard. Come with me, please."
It was unlike Kaliope being this flustered. Then again, Baylor and Company was a hot dog stand compared to Sage Tower.
Damn it. If Larry released that video, it wouldn't take long to circulate.
The PR world is smaller than you think.
Hopefully, not too small. This was the opportunity of a lifetime. Kaliope wanted to strangle herself for making such a scene. Now it would hang over her head for the rest of her career.
"Something the matter?"
They were standing at a bank of elevators, Inola at her side. The woman stood a few inches taller than Kaliope in her heels. Kaliope forced a smile.
"Your call was unexpected."
"You were unexpected." Mirth lit Inola's eyes. They seemed greener than they'd been before.
"Me?"
The elevator dinged and expelled its passengers before the two boarded. Inola clicked the button for the fourteenth floor.
"May I ask exactly how you found out about me?"
"Recommendation."
"Recommendation?" That didn't make any sense. Not one of her past employers would recommend her for a job at Sage Tower. She was that psycho who stood in the middle of the bridge and burned it, herself, and everyone else. It was a habit she'd do well to shake. No possible source for a recommendation crossed her mind.
They reached the fourteenth floor and disembarked. Inola led them to a board room. "Please, have a seat. The boss will be here shortly."
"The boss?"
"The CEO. Ronin McIntyre."
The chair slipped from Kaliope, and Inola caught it. Held it out for Kaliope to sit. The CEO? Why would the CEO of Sage Tower be conducting her interview? The man's reputation and name garnered more recognition than his face. The memory was lost somewhere in her mind if she'd ever seen a picture of him.
Ronin McIntyre. Everyone who spoke about him did so with reverence, envy, and a touch of fearful awe. Meeting a man like him was a tremendous deal.
Breathe, Kaliope.
Kaliope flinched when Inola placed a glass of water in front of her. She sipped it.
"Don't worry. He won't bite," was Inola's consolation moments before the door opened.
And the man who filled the doorway...He looked like he'd aim for the throat.
~~~
Ronin's reputation proceeds him, but how will things pan out when he meets Kaliope?
To read the entire first season, along with Seasons 2 and 3, join me on Ream. The link's in my bio on the home page. Hope to see you there.