Her Secret Pleasure by Jordan Bell

Castle.”
    “Oh shit, of course you are.” The nerves came back in full and she immediately covered her face with both hands. While Taylor had a look of disgust and horror in her eyes, Zach could barely contain his laughter. Mercifully, Taylor kept her big fat mouth shut. “Can I have like, five minutes to pull my foot out of my mouth?”
    “Yes, take five, then join us through those silver doors. Take your time. This isn’t a firing squad so relax and be yourself.” Zach hovered indecisively next to the girl before turning and dragging Taylor away by the arm.
    “ Be yourself ?” she hissed when she thought they were out of earshot. They weren’t. “Isn’t that kind of the problem, Zach?”
    Before he could answer her, he shut the door hard and their voices faded out.
    Dani helped me haul her things over to an empty booth near the mural. Her breathing calmed and she looked less wild and out of control than she had when Zach and Taylor had been in the room.
    “Did I totally blow this interview?” She leaned against the booth and unbuttoned her jacket. Underneath she wore a beautiful teal flocked shirt. She fanned the edges of her jacket to cool herself down.
    “Don’t worry about it. Zach’s a really down to earth guy.” I leaned next to her and stared down at my ruined, paint spattered dress. I knew how she felt. “The woman, Taylor, I only just met her but I don’t think anyone can meet her expectations. Don’t play to her demands. Keep your eyes on Zach. He’s the only one that matters in that room.”
    Dani wilted next to me, but nodded. “She was wearing a three thousand dollar Nathan Arctic original. How can anyone compete with that?” When I gave her a funny look, she blushed. “I know clothes.”
    Holy…that dress was three thousand dollars? I felt myself wilting too. How could anyone compete with that? It was impossible. Her personality was startlingly atrocious, but she was everything else I could never be.
    “I’m pretty sure my entire wardrobe isn’t worth three thousand dollars.”
    “They didn’t give me more than a few minutes to grab a few things before I was escorted out. I don’t even know what I managed to save. Then I had nowhere to put what I could save so I had to drag it on the subway at rush hour. Then I got through making a spectacle of myself in front of a potential new employer. Now the interview and afterwards? I have no idea where I’m expected to go then.”
    “One thing at a time. I noticed you saved a first edition A.A. Milne. If it were me I would have grabbed that one book too and let the rest of my possessions drown. That’s a really special book.”
    She smiled. “Thanks. It was my grandpa’s. It was the first thing I grabbed before I went for the clothes. It’s not in great shape, but you’re right. It’s very special. I only saved the groceries because they were already packed and still sitting next to the door. You like books?”
    “Love them. I work most days at the Philomel Public Library. Stop by sometime and we can dish over our favorite literary heroes.” I smiled and she smiled and took a deep breath.
    “That sounds like the most fun I’ve had in months. You’ve got a deal. Kara, right? I think I’m ready. How do I look?” She opened her arms and pirouetted.
    “Like a crazy person.” I grinned. The way her wild, windblown hair fell across her face and shoulders made her look like a lion. “But I agree with Zach. Go in there and be yourself, and if the inner you is a crazy person, well, best to just embrace it.”
    “Well, here goes nothing then. Crazy and everything in between.”
    She turned and marched herself right to the silver doors, threw them open, and disappeared into the silvery winter themed room beyond.

 
     
     
     
    6
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    An hour later Zach escorted Dani out of the interview and helped her carry all her things to the parking lot. They were chatting like they’d known each other for a hundred