Glancing over the resumes that Colin left in my office last night, I was glad that I didn’t have to attend the interviews. Colin didn’t actually have to attend them either, but he wanted to. He always wanted to. And he always attended them.

“See anyone you like on paper, Anth?” Colin asked me when he walked into my office before lunch.

I shrugged. I wasn’t an interviewer or anyone in Human Resources. I had no idea what to look for in these receptionists. The funny thing was that the receptionist position is actually handled by the building’s staffing agency company; not Everett Gaming. Colin still wanted to attend.

“Why do you have to go to it? You’re adding an afternoon full of boringness,” I said over lunch.

“Anth, it’s my company. I want to attend the interviews and have a say in the hiring process,” Colin said.

I shrugged. It was his decision. And honestly, I thought it was smart of him. I just enjoyed giving him shit about it. Especially since a hiring agency was going to hire someone to be a representation of Everett Gaming on the main floor. At least with Colin going to the interviews, he had some say. I’m sure if he told them that he absolutely didn’t want a particular person that they’d listen to him.

Around late afternoon I strolled into his office to see how the interviews went. I think he was distracted by all the stuff piling up on his desk and was pretty quiet about the interviews.

“No one jumps out at you?” I asked.

He looked up at me and had a funny look in his eyes. It was almost a smile with his eyes. I tilted my head to the side as he sat back in his chair.

“There’s this one girl...” he started.

I raised my eyebrows at him.

“Do tell, Mr. Everett. I’m all ears,” I said, completely interested in this one girl.

I leaned back in my own chair and watched Colin as he talked about the interviews.

“Out of the applicants, three had a lot of experience. Two of them even worked for a few big hotels. The fourth one didn’t have as much experience as the others, but she had a fire in her. This girl, was the one I liked best,” Colin said and handed me the resume.

I had glanced at all the resumes this morning, but this time I paid a little more attention.

“Sydney Burke,” I said out loud and flipped past her cover page.

She was the youngest of the applicants and also the one with the least experience. She was also the one that Colin seems to prefer. So, I joked with him a bit.

“So, you want the staffing place to hire the youngest with the least experience,” I commented as he stared at me. “She hot as fuck? Did you detect a platinum pussy on that one?” I teased.

I knew that Colin had morals and ethics and that he’d never. base anything on looks. But it was fun for me to tease him about this.

“No, not at all.” Colin got up from his desk and walked to his window. “There’s something about her though. This wouldn’t just be a job for her.”

Colin seemed to be deep in thought, so I glanced back down at the resumes. There were four in total. Three of the resumes were in professional portfolios, with a cover page, letters of recommendation, typing speed test results, some even had copies of customer service awards or mentioned awards. They were extremely easy on the eyes on paper. But people can be different on paper.

“What about the others? They have a lot of experience, and a few would already be familiar with the gaming industry. They’d know how to professionally represent Everett Gaming,” I commented.

“Experience isn’t everything, Anth.”

I shut my mouth and thought. He was right. I had no experience in any form of management when he made me CFO. He took a huge gamble on me.

I took another look at the resumes sitting on the desk. Sydney’s was nothing more than a two page resume stapled together in the upper left corner while all the others were in nice portfolios.

It made me think about all the times I tried so hard when I was little to compete and keep up with kids who had normal families or kids with money. My book reports never had the plastic book report covers or folders. Mine were stapled together with construction paper for the cover. I didn’t have fancy mechanical pencils; I had wooden ones that I used until they couldn’t be sharpened anymore. I didn’t have any supplies like the other kids, but I made do with what I had.

I wondered if “this one girl,” was the same.

* * *

I looked up at the sound of a knock on my open door. Colin stood there with someone; I gathered it was the new girl.

“Got a sec?” Colin asked.

I nodded and gestured for them to come in. I stood and walked around to the front of my desk as they walked closer. Sydney was about five feet, five inches and was really skinny.

“Sydney, I’d like you to meet my best friend and the CFO of Everett Gaming, Anthony Graves. Anthony, this is Sydney Burke,” Colin introduced us.

I extended my hand toward her, and she shook it. Like most women’s hands, Sydney’s hand felt small in mine. She looked very nervous, but when she smiled to greet me, it lit up the room. Her blue eyes were easy and comfortable.

“Welcome to the floors of Everett Gaming, Sydney. Let me know if you need anything,” I offered.

“Thank you. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Graves,” she said and left with Colin.

I went back to work while he was out playing host. After Colin was done introducing Sydney to everyone and showing her around, he came back to my office and launched the foam ball at my chest before sitting down.

“So, what’d you think?” he asked as he sat across from me.

“She seems nice,” I replied, not committing one way or another.

“But…” he prompted.

I held my hands up.

“But what?” I asked.

“You were going to add something. I know you, Anth.”

We both laughed, and I set my pen down and leaned back in my chair.

“I think she will be fine representing the company. You made a good decision with her. I like her.”

“She’s a delicate one, isn’t she?” he asked.

I nodded, but found his comment interesting. He’s never made an observatory comment like that about anyone else. Of course, she wasn’t really an employee of Everett Gaming. Sydney was a receptionist employed by the staffing firm in the building, who happens to be assigned to Everett Gaming.

“She’s sweet and smart. She was taking notes about which people were in which departments. Day one and already trying,” Colin said.

I just sat there and listened to my best friend talk extensively and excitedly about the new girl nine floors below in the main reception area. He was right; there must be something special about this girl if she’s already gotten to him. I had a feeling that I’d be hearing daily about her from Colin…and I was looking forward to watching this twenty-something, with next to no experience, unravel the CEO and my best friend.