lie'

grand glass doors of Hawthorne Ph

as a

ead lighting, and the quiet efficiency of employees moving about, it was a world far from th

was

bag over my shoulder as I approached the front desk where

nervous energy bubbling inside me. I'm Natalie Benne

that didn't smudge when she smiled, gave me a once-over before nodding. Wi

rces Department. They'll give you your official appointment le

keep my excitement c

e elevators, clutching the fo

ssing the button for the fifth floor. As the doors clos

sita

to talk to me. But a part of me hoped he'd coole

d the ca

r

n

ic

e ti

ans

y lips together as I ended th

i

de. Today was too import

ng Se

oyee who handed me my official internship letter and a neatly folded n

ning toward a row of chairs against the w

hands as I walked toward the chair

and out of offices with files in their hands, their expressions professional and

elf to take

ve worked too hard to let ne

footsteps approach

very ounce of relief

n Haw

fr

aking him stand out like a storm cloud in the middle of a clear sky. His secretary followed clo

lance. His eyes were forwar

n't b

ingers clenched around

silently praying he

awful gala. He had probably met hundreds of people since then. Th

by, his gaze fl

st a s

passing

ing into his office, the

y, shoulders slu

nk

my mentor. That was

again, and the secretary I had

now," she said,

n the nervous knot in my stomach. This was jus

breath, then s

king the city skyline. Dark wooden shelves lined the opposite wall, filled with boo

behi

n Haw

ach plu

his desk, flipping th

nearly

h to speak, but

said, not looking up

but there was something about i

wed. "Ye

s gaze, his blue eyes

Evelyn spoke about you," he s

mind scrambling to

y Ev

o, no

uldn'

managing to keep my voice stea

ed, as if he enj

he said

twisted i

d helped me get into this internship, the on

very clear at the gala

as not how I expecte

file shut and pla

cool but sharp enough to cut. "You may have gotten in beca

"I never asked for

uckle, but there wa

. "Because you

chin. "That'

moment longer, as if

tured toward the chai

he or

new this internship was