“Jamie, right?”
My stomach dropped. “Yes…”
River put his hands up. “Chill, I just see her name on your phone screen a lot in meetings.”
“Oh, it’s a… I mean Jamie’s not a…”
He waited as I stumbled for words, but then recognition set in. “Wait, is Jamie a guy?” He groaned. “Oh no, please don’t tell me you have a guy best friend.”
“Why?”
River shook his head, eyes on the hand wrapped around his beer. “My mom always told me to never give my heart to a girl with a guy best friend, because her heart isn’t really hers to give in return.”
He couldn’t have known how those words would sit with me. He couldn’t have known that they’d snake their way in-between the bones of my ribcage, winding tight, cutting off my ability to breathe with their truth. I swallowed, the familiar burn of Whiskey invading my tastebuds. I chased it down with beer, wondering if River was right, wondering even more if it was okay that he was. Jamie wanted my heart, right? Would it be so bad if it was already his? Did I have a choice in the matter?
“Good thing you’re not trying to give your heart to your intern then, huh?” I winked, and River sat back on his bar stool, a small smile playing at his lips as he watched me.
“Yeah. Good thing.”
My sandwich was amazing, everything I thought it would be. Piled high with french fries and cole slaw, I was barely able to scarf down half and finish my beer, too. On the way back to the office, I was rubbing my stomach, surprised to find it still flat after that meal.
“So, there’s another reason why I wanted to take you to lunch,” River said as we rode the elevator back up to the office.
“Besides ruining me for all other sandwiches?”
He grinned. “Yes. Besides that.”
Silence fell between us, and I looked over my shoulder as if I’d find the rest of his sentence there. “Okay… so…”
We hit our floor and the doors opened to the office just as applause broke out. I jumped back, but then my hands flew to cover my mouth as I read the banner strung high above Mona’s desk.
YOU’RE HIRED.
“What is this?” I whispered, stepping off the elevator as everyone continued cheering. Mr. Randall Godsby made his way through the masses, wide grin that matched River’s firmly in place. The agents I’d worked with all summer were there, along with the media team and vice presidents. It wasn’t a huge office, but it felt big in that moment — like a family.
“Congratulations, Brecks,” Mr. Godsby said as he extended his hand for my own and I fought against the natural urge to cringe at my full name. I took his hand, looking back over my shoulder at River, but he was just smiling as he glanced between his father and me. “River has told me more than once how crucial you’ve been to the team this summer, but even if he hadn’t, I would have noticed for myself — and that’s saying something. If you’re looking to hole yourself up in Pittsburgh a while longer, we’d like to offer you a full-time job — as an Associate Literary Agent.”
I squealed, unable to contain my excitement as I shook his hand ferociously. Everything I’d worked for that summer came to fruition in a room full of people who’d doubted me from the moment I walked through the door. I couldn’t believe it, even as Randall dropped my hand and gripped my shoulder firmly with a proud smile.
My mind scanned reasons to decline, but came up empty. I was still completing my online M.S. Degree in Publishing: Digital and Print Media from PSU and I loved Pittsburgh. Rye Publishing was one of the top publishing houses, and I had no other offers lined up. Nothing was keeping me from staying, except for the clawing notion that it meant more time away from someone really important to me. But if he felt for me the way he said he did, he would understand. He’d be happy for me.
And so I smiled, and accepted my first job offer — one I’d earned on my own.
“I don’t even know what to say, Mr. Godsby. Thank you. And I’d be honored to join the Rye team full-time.”
“Huzzah!” River joked, grabbing one of the flutes of champagne from Mona and handing it to me. Evenshewas smiling — and that was saying something. “A toast, to the new Rye Rookie.”
“Cheers!” Everyone’s voices rang out at once and we tipped our plastic flutes together. Then, it was business as usual, everyone slowly making their way back to their desks or meeting rooms.
“Does that happen every time someone is hired?”
River shrugged. “Every time they’re promoted, yes.”
A slow grin found its way to my face as I let that sink in. A promotion. I’d been promoted after just two months as an intern. River’s hand reached up to squeeze my shoulder before he passed by me, and I stood there with my champagne, smiling like an idiot.
“You can get back to work now, rookie,” Mona said, plopping down into her chair and tapping at her keyboard immediately. She cocked a brow and gave me a small smile of her own. “And congrats.”
“Thanks, Mona.”
