I wasn't normally like this – all star-struck and mindless. But in my own defense, I'd gotten only a few hours of sleep and was still reeling from yesterday's events, not to mention my sister's odd phone call.
"No," I told him. "In fact, I haven't yet begun."
"Obviously."
"Well?" I said. "Do you – or do you not – have something to tell me?"
"That depends," he said. "Are you gonna listen?"
"I'm listening now, aren't I?"
Without breaking eye-contact, he shoved aside his notebook and said something that I should've seen coming. "Tomorrow, you're starting a new job." He frowned. "Working for me."
I was staring again, but now for a totally different reason. "Is that so?"
With no trace of shame, he replied, "Yeah. It is."
"And whatsupposedlywill I be doing?"
"Administration."
Well that was suitably vague."Of what?"
"My book tour."
With growing indignation, I said, "So let me get this straight. You think I'll be what? Traveling with you?"
"I don'tthink," he said. "Iknow."
God, what a total ass."In case you haven't noticed," I said, "I didn't apply for any job."
He didn't even flinch. "Wrong."
"No.You'rewrong," I said. "Because I think I'd remember."
"Remember what? Applying for an internship?"
My mouth opened, but once again, words utterly failed. This time, it wasn't because of Jack's amazing eyes. In truth, Ihadapplied for an internship.
But that had nothing to do with Jack.Did it?
At the local university, I'd been one of countless students to apply for a work-study internship as part of the English lit program. If I'd gotten such an internship – which I hadn't – it would've been a dream come true, especially if it came with an actual paycheck.
But those were few and far between, not that it mattered. The deadline had come and gone without an offer of any kind, paidorunpaid. I hadn't even gotten an interview.
I knew why. It all came down to Professor Greenberg, who ran the program. He liked me well enough, but my status as a part-time studenthadn'tbeen a mark in my favor.
Plus, there was the little matter of my stepfather embezzling half the town. The truth was, mine wasn't a name that inspired confidence regardless of my own credentials.
But none of that mattered, not really. Timing-wise, that ship had already sailed.
I gave Jack a sarcastic smile. "In case you didn't know, the deadline was in March."
"So?"
"So that was two months ago."
"Yeah, well." He shrugged. "It was extended."
