Finn thought the five stages of grief summed up his weekend pretty well. Except that he wasn't grieving, so it was more like the five stages of accepting a job he was totally unqualified for and had no idea what to expect from.
He was in denial when he came home from the dinner. His parents had gone out for dinner, since both of their kids were gone, so he returned to an empty house and no one to talk to. He'd entertained the idea of going to Maddox's party, but he really didn't want to get involved in all the drama that was sure to be happening. He had enough drama in his own life.
By Sunday morning, he was caught somewhere between anger and bargaining. Sure, Eden apparently didn't think he was qualified, but Qadir must have seen some potential in him. Why else would he have offered the position? Unless he just wanted to watch Finn crash and burn, which was a rather unpleasant possibility.
He skipped depression entirely by going to Freddy's and getting a juicy burger and fries for lunch, choosing to eat his worries away. Food would never disappoint, after all.
By that evening, he was resigned to his fate. He'd already accepted Qadir's offer, anyway, so unless he really wanted to seem like a coward and a liar, he would just have to try his best when he started tomorrow.
His parents had taken the news of his new internship well, despite the fact that it meant he had to quit the restaurant. His dad even joked that Qadir seemed to be trying to adopt Finn. Abby said that nothing would make her happier, causing Finn to roll his eyes. She had seemed a little subdued since last night, but he attributed that to the raging hangover she was no doubt nursing.
After school the next day, he stopped at home to change out of his uniform, swapping the emblazoned blazer for his nicest suit. The last time he'd worn this Tom Ford piece had been at a showcase in Las Vegas when his parents were unveiling their third restaurant. He remembered walking down the Strip in awe of the neon lights and flashy buildings, despite being too young for many of its gaudier attractions.
The suit had looked slightly ridiculous on him then, but he'd filled out in the last two years. The jacket that used to emphasize his skinny frame now fit snugly across his broad shoulders, and the pants no longer threatened to swallow his once toothpick-like legs. He paused to admire the contrast of the navy against his fiery hair, grinning in the mirror. Blue was certainly his color.
His confidence wavered the closer he got to the glass and steel structure that marked Sayed Atlantic's headquarters. It was only a few blocks north of his parents' restaurant, but KC's Central Business District boasted a much more intimidating aura than the neighborhoods it was surrounded by. Skyscrapers towered around him, though the tallest was directly in front of him, marked with a giant SA logo near the top.
Finn walked through the doors with feigned nonchalance. The lobby looked pretty much the way he'd expected—white and neutral color scheme, a modernized feel, plenty of windows and fluorescent lighting illuminating the space—except for the fact that it was nearly empty. A lone receptionist sat behind a desk across the room from the entrance, typing furiously. The sound of his keyboard clicking was audible even across the spacious lobby. He headed in his direction, steps echoing on the marble floor.
The receptionist's blonde hair was gelled and combed to the side meticulously, which Finn only noticed because of how long it took for the other guy to look up and acknowledge his presence. "Can I help you?" Finn didn't miss his disdainful once-over and the dismissive undercurrent in his tone.
"I'm here to see Qadir Sayed," he said with as much authority as he could muster. What if I've made a huge mistake? Qadir had to be kidding. There's no way this is real.
The receptionist snorted, returning to his task. "Yeah, and I'm the Prime Minister of Canada. Get lost, kid. Mr. Sayed doesn't have time for pranks."
"You're right, I don't." The sound of Qadir's voice ringing across the lobby caused both Finn and the receptionist to turn in his direction. Finn watched as the receptionist's face paled, fingers stilling on the keyboard. Qadir ignored him completely, approaching Finn with a... well, not a smile exactly, but it wasn't a death stare either. "Finn, I'm glad you made it. Right on time." He waved a hand at the blonde man. "Send an email to HR for new employee paperwork."
Finn had no time to relish the other man's shocked expression before Qadir had turned and started walking toward the chrome elevators. He followed, finally realizing that this was really happening, that he was really standing in the headquarters of one of the world's largest conglomerates, about to begin the internship opportunity of a lifetime.
And he still didn't have a damn clue what he was doing here.
The two of them rode the elevator in silence. Finn risked a glance at Qadir and realized the other man was staring through the glass wall of the back of the elevator, lost in thought as they went higher and more of the city came into view. In the distance, he spotted the arches of the Kauffman Performing Arts Center, a building that always reminded him of the Sydney Opera House. The familiar city surroundings gave him a sense of comfort, even though he still had no idea what he'd signed up for.
A soft ding that announced their arrival broke him out of his musings, and he walked with Qadir down a hallway. Conference rooms and offices lined either side, their occupants visible through the glass that doubled as walls and windows for the area. So this was where all the people were.
His steps were muffled by the carpet, but he didn't miss the curious glances directed his way as he trailed behind Qadir. Men and women in every manner of professional dress looked at him. No doubt they were sizing him up, wondering what exactly this kid was doing with the CEO of SA.
Finally, as he was beginning to wonder if they would ever stop walking, they came to a stop in front of a sleek glass conference room. This one was bigger than the others they'd passed, with a long mahogany oval table in the center and swivel chairs scattered around it. Three of the four chairs were occupied at one end of the table: Eden, Seth, and another girl. Qadir pushed open the door and gestured for Finn to step inside.
He felt like he'd entered a viper's nest. The other three fell silent immediately, though judging by their faces, whatever they'd been discussing seemed less than pleasant. The second girl had haughty, upturned features that seemed familiar. Finn was trying to recall where he'd seen the same condescending smile when his gaze slid over and landed on Seth. Those two had to be related.
"Eden, Seth, Kamilah, this is Finn, the newest member of your team. He will make an excellent addition, and I expect him to be treated with respect." Qadir smiled while Finn met the other three gazes evenly.
If Seth looked surprised to see him, he hid it very well. "Of course, Qadir." He gave Finn a smile that almost seemed sincere. "Welcome to the team."
Finn gave him a brief nod in acknowledgment. Kamilah glanced him over, then turned her attention back to the laptop in front of her, evidently deeming him uninteresting.
Eden had crossed her arms at the sight of him but didn't make any comments. Qadir's hand landed on his shoulder, and he tensed imperceptibly in surprise, but then a moment later he heard the door open and close.
Wait, what? Did Qadir just leave?
If he'd felt like he'd stepped into a viper's nest earlier, now he was just waiting for the first snake to strike. His money was on Eden. She never seemed enthusiastic to see him, except for the first night they'd met. At least with Qadir here, he had one person in his corner. Now he was tossed back into the ring without any protection or warning.
Kamilah glanced up at him, raising an eyebrow. "Well? Have a seat. If you're going to be working with us, you better get caught up."
That was a surprise. Finn walked over to the table and pulled out the chair by Eden, which happened to be the only seat left. Her eyes flickered over to him for half a second, but he didn't miss the way she scooted her chair a little further away. He frowned. He'd put cologne on; he couldn't smell that bad, right?
"So, what's your deal?" Finn looked over at Kamilah, who sat across from him. Her dark eyes glittered with curiosity. She was beautiful and mysterious, but underneath the warm smile she was giving him, he sensed a malicious whirlwind.
He straightened up. "Qadir offered me a position last week, and I accepted."
"Which company did he poach you from? AGPR? Black and Veatch? Ugh, don't tell me it was Meridian. Those damn St. Claires are so stuck-up."
"Uh..." Finn knew those were all huge corporations, but that was about it. Somehow, he didn't think Kamilah would be too impressed by the fact that he'd spent the last several years working in his parents' restaurant, no matter how prestigious it was.
Eden came to his rescue with a sigh. "Can we just get back to work? I have plans tonight. I'd rather not be stuck here all afternoon while you interrogate him."
"It was just a simple question," the other girl scoffed, but she leaned back and crossed her arms. "Alright then. You can get him caught up."
Seth had watched their whole exchange with narrowed eyes. Finn wondered why he hadn't said anything or exposed him for being nothing more than a server with zero corporate experience.
Eden flipped open her computer, a steel gray MacBook pro that put his dinky laptop to shame. She pulled up slides with graphs and figures on them, projected company earnings and expenses. Basic economic details. Thank goodness he'd taken AP micro and macro already.
For someone who claimed to want nothing to do with running the business in the future, Eden sure had a lot to say about this project. Finn didn't miss the way her eyes lit up as she talked about some ideas for expansion and ways to reach a bigger market. It was a sharp contrast from her behavior at the restaurant, and her vehement denial of having anything to do with Sayed Atlantic's future. Even her usual snark was, well, not gone, but less cutting.
By the time she'd gone through the powerpoint, Finn's head was spinning with numbers and graphs. It was a lot of information to process at once, and he was sure he'd need a while to sift through it all. But he was also excited to get started, he realized, even though the prospect of working with Seth was less than desirable.
Speaking of the devil, the younger Al-Haroun seemed somewhat... subdued in his sister's presence. Finn could relate. Abby's personality demanded attention, like a fireworks display, while his was calmer, more like a bonfire—no less bright, but definitely easier to overlook. Kamilah and Seth appeared to have a similar relationship, though maybe more extreme with Kamilah being several years older and already an established business mogul.
What was she doing here with a bunch of interns? Eden had touched on brief introductions of each of their roles in her presentation, and Finn had been shocked to hear Kamilah Al-Haroun's extensive list of accomplishments, not only for Capstone Energy—her father's empire—but the other companies she'd worked with. He'd also been surprised to learn that Seth was also a senior, though he went to one of the all-male private schools in the area, which explained why their paths hadn't crossed before.
Kamilah checked the polished watch on her wrist and stood. "Now that the newbie is all caught up, I hope you'll have progress for me by next month. I have a meeting with some of Dad's less-enthusiastic associates to get to." She rolled her eyes and headed for the door, heels clicking against the floor with each graceful step.
Seth blew out a breath when the door shut behind her. His posture relaxed infinitesimally, and Finn almost felt bad for him until he remembered the carrot head comment the other boy made after dinner that night.
"Alhamdullilah, she's finally gone," Seth muttered. "I can't focus when she's breathing down my neck like an angry dragon."
"Kamilah doesn't seem so bad," Finn offered. Immediately, Seth's dark-eyed glare swung toward him, and he wished he'd kept his mouth shut.
"You wouldn't be saying that if I'd told her the truth about you," the other boy retorted disdainfully. "I don't know what Qadir was thinking, putting you on this project. As if you have any idea what it takes to run a business."
Finn hated being told that he couldn't do something, and he was sick and tired of people doubting him. Just because he hadn't done it before didn't mean he couldn't do it at all. Take soccer, for example. His sister had practically been born with a ball at her feet, but he hadn't started playing until middle school, years behind his classmates. Now he was one of the best defenders in the entire damn state. He'd worked his ass off, and he knew he deserved every bit of praise that came his way.
Seth wanted to see him fail, that much was clear. Expected it, even, judging by the infuriating smirk on his face. Finn had no idea why the other boy hated him so much—maybe he had something against redheads—but he sure as hell wasn't about to let himself get walked all over.
"You wanna test that?" he challenged. Eden glanced at him, but his gaze was fixed solely on Seth. "Let's see who comes up with a better pitch for the next meeting with your sister."
Seth snorted. "I really don't think you want to embarrass yourself like this."
"I'm not the one who's going to be embarrassed."
A muscle twitched in Seth's cheek. "Fine. I can't wait to see you get fired a week into your job. At least you can always go back to washing dishes at your parents' restaurant, server boy." With that, he gathered up his things and stormed out of the room.
Finn glared after him, blood rushing through his ears. What an asshole. He couldn't believe the nerve of that guy. Well, actually, he could. Years of dealing with entitled brats at Giovanni's had pretty much exposed him to every manner of rude behavior, though it never got easier to stomach.
A scoff from his right brought his attention back to the only other remaining occupant in the room. "What the hell have you gotten yourself into?"
He bristled at the look on her face. "What, you don't think I can do this, either?"
"It's not that, it's just—" she huffed in frustration. "I don't understand why you have this obsessive need to prove yourself to everyone. Seth is a dick, and he deserves to get taken down a peg or eighty three, but you can't fight against everyone who has a negative opinion of you. Believe me, I've tried."
"It's not about proving them wrong, it's about proving me right. And I've never been the kind of person to back down from a challenge." He hesitated. "Though, I really don't have that much practical experience with this kind of thing. So... are you willing to help me?"
She gave him a disbelieving look. "Let's see, you completely ignore everything I say, including not stalking me at school and getting yourself into situations over your head, we've had maybe three conversations together in total, and now you want my help to plan a business proposal that I have literally zero interest in? Fat chance, buddy."
"But you said yourself that Seth deserves to be taken down! Please, Eden, I can't do this without you. Besides, I think you're more interested in this business than you like to claim."
"Let me stop you right there," she said, honey eyes flashing in anger. "I said no. I want no part of this idiotic pissing contest between the two of you. And stop acting like you know the first thing about me!"
Finn held up his hands in surrender. "Jeez, okay." He would never understand this girl. Every time he thought he was making progress with her, it was like she fought twice as hard to reverse it. One step forward, two steps back. "Can you at least send me the presentation with the info about the project?"
She nodded stiffly. He waited for her to say something else, but when no verbal response was forthcoming, he figured the conversation was over. He stood and headed for the door. Might as well head home and get started.
As his hand closed around the doorknob, Eden sighed from behind him. "For your sake, I hope you succeed, Finn."
He turned to look at her, but she was resolutely avoiding his gaze. That was far from an encouraging message, but coming from her, it sounded like she was actually wishing him luck. His mouth quirked up in a half-smile. Maybe today he'd only taken one step back instead of two. "Thanks."