Big Chicas Don't Cry(43)

How’s Nathan?

When is he coming to visit again?

Why don’t you bring him over for dinner?

Why do you not want to be happy?

Do you want to be alone forever?

Et cetera. Et cetera. Et cetera.

The truth was, I didn’t know what I wanted from Nathan. And I didn’t know what he wanted from me. Besides, I had enough on my mind with the account manager job interview with Kane. I couldn’t think about relationship stuff too.

Even still, I didn’t argue when he suggested I stay at his apartment rather than get a hotel room. It made sense since I was arriving late and only planned to stay until Saturday night.

It worked out perfectly too. We stopped to pick up takeout—I had no idea so many food places in New York stayed open so late. After dinner, we had sex (of course), and then I passed out from exhaustion.

By the time I arrived for my interview the next day, I was well rested and ready to make an impression on Kane’s search team.

The team included the company’s HR director, the director of client services, and the director of the marketing department. Their questions were tough, but I was prepared.

What I wasn’t prepared for was when they told me to wait in the room for my second interview.

Second interview?

Apparently, because I was an out-of-town candidate, they decided to do the next round in the same day. This time, my interview would be with Leo Markham, vice president of marketing, communications, and public relations.

His size alone was intimidating.

When he entered the room, it was as if everything shrank. Including me.

He was well over six feet—that much I knew. His large hand swallowed mine, and his deep voice reverberated even in the large space.

Where the search team was easygoing and warm with their questions, Leo was stiff and arrogant.

“Based on your résumé, I honestly don’t know why I’m interviewing you today,” he said matter-of-factly from across the table.

It took me a few seconds to digest what he’d said. “Excuse me?” I asked, trying to figure out if I’d heard what I’d heard.

He let out a long, bored sigh. “On paper, you’re not qualified, Ms. Lopez. So, tell me why I should continue with this interview.”

I tried to channel my sister’s patience and my mother’s constant advice about not saying anything if you can’t say anything nice. “Well, isn’t that the point of an interview—so I can let you know what’s not on that paper?”

“Fine. Go right ahead.”

I cleared my throat and then gave him the spiel I’d been practicing all morning. I talked about the accounts I’d worked on and the awards I’d helped Umbridge & Umbridge win over the past few years.

But the more I talked, the more I clenched my fists under the table. Markham still looked bored. He didn’t even bother to stop checking his phone. Except for when I started to go over my daily responsibilities. That’s when he held up his hand.

“That’s all fine and good for your little agency. But Kane is a player in a whole different world. Our clients have the highest of expectations, and I just don’t see how someone with your limited experience can meet those expectations.”

And that’s when I decided I’d had enough.

“You know, just because I may not work at a big agency right now doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be an asset to Kane. In fact, I think I’d be a pretty fantastic addition to your team. Yes, I’m used to a smaller office and fewer people, but guess what? Less people means less hands to help. Here you have a person to focus just on advertising, someone else to take care of social media, and another one to focus on PR. I have to do everything at my agency. That means I can look at accounts from all perspectives and understand the strategies behind them. Also, some clients need to have their hand held. They don’t want to feel like they’re just another contract. They want personalized service and to feel like their project isn’t getting lost in the shuffle. That’s my specialty. Why? Because I make time to answer their calls and their emails. And they love me for it. I think your clients would love that kind of personalized attention, too, especially since you are so big. But it sounds like you’ve already made your decision about me, so I don’t want to waste any more of your valuable time. I’m sure you have better things to do in this big, giant agency of yours.”

My heart was beating like crazy. And I held my breath as I waited for Leo to say something.

His eyebrows arched, and his eyes widened in surprise. For a second, I thought he’d start yelling. Instead, he put down his pen and said, “Well, I guess there’s nothing left to say.”

I stood up, smoothed down my skirt, and grabbed my portfolio off the table. I picked up my purse and pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes. “Thank you for your time.”

I walked out of his office with trembling knees, but my head held high. I cursed at myself for losing control the entire elevator ride down and in the taxi ride back to Nathan’s apartment. Fortunately, he had meetings the rest of the day and had given me his key. I didn’t want to face him just yet.

Of course, Nathan texted soon after to ask how everything had gone. I’d just responded: Fine.

The rest of the afternoon, I tried to read and watch television. But my mind was racing a mile a minute, so I filled the bathtub and tried to soak away my anxiety.