“Ladies and gentlemen. Members of the press. Invited guests. Corporate spies. Welcome to Seth-Tech Tuesday!”

Cheers and laughter filled the large room where fifty people waited for the event to start. The voice had permeated through the room, coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. I probably shouldn’t have been surprised. Seth Spencer Technologies was one of the most innovative companies in the United States. That was one of the reasons I wanted to work here so badly.

Then the other reason bounded up on stage. Seth Spencer, the man himself. The noise level was deafening, with reporters and celebrities alike applauding loudly, eager to see what fun new gadgets the innovative tech company had come up with this month. From my position at the back of the room near the door, I clapped too, though I couldn’t have made the loud whistle a man in front of me did if my life depended on it.

Fortunately, it didn’t. But it kind of felt like my life did depend on my interview today going well. I’d been so nervous I’d arrived a half hour early. When the receptionist said I could watch the press conference until they were ready for me, I could have died happy. To see Seth Spencer in person? It was a dream come true.

Now that dream was on stage, and a hush fell over the crowd. They were probably as excited as I was to be here.

No, wait… on second thought, I didn’t see how anyone could be as excited as I was now. Well, excited and scared about the interview—but there was no way I was going to let nerves spoil my first real look at him.

Good god, he lived up to the legend and then some. I’d seen pictures of him online, read magazine articles, and watched every single one of his online presentations, but nothing had prepared me for this. The man looked like a god. Not just the tech god he was, but an actual god. As in the men of myth that women had swooned over for centuries.

He stood at the podium, but I knew from watching him over the years that he’d soon be moving around the stage. Owning the stage. He was a force of nature.

A force of nature with a fantastic body.

I’d read in an interview that he worked out for an hour each morning. He’d joked that fitness was one of the few things we’d have to do on our own when robots took over the world. Whatever his real reason, he looked amazing. Slim in his black pants, but then his upper body filled out his crisp white shirt. I couldn’t see his famous abs, but I knew they were there where his shirt met his belt over his flat stomach.

But Seth’s most devastating physical trait had to be his eyes. Even from here I could see the vivid blue. They sparkled like jewel sapphires. Those eyes were the reason I owned a blue car. And a blue sofa. And several blue sweaters. But none of those things even came close to the brilliance of his gaze.

The audience laughed—I’d missed something while I’d been staring at awe at the man on the stage.

“It can be controlled right from your phone. No special equipment required.”

His voice was a rich baritone, but as always, there was a hint of playfulness in it. Despite being one of the most innovative people in our time, the man refused to take anything seriously. Life was a game to Seth—one that he excelled at.

He bounded around the stage, keeping the audience captivated with slides on the screen behind him or sometimes with nothing more than his infectious enthusiasm. When Seth grinned, everyone smiled back. And what a grin it was. Even from here I was affected the cocky upturn of his lips—almost a smirk. It was sexy as hell, and it was part of the reason why the tabloids eagerly reported the details of his love life, which model he was dating, which starlets were fighting over him, and so on.

Wait, I wasn't supposed to be drooling over him. In twenty minutes, they’d come get me for the interview. That thought made my palms sweat. I could do the job I was applying for—I knew that. But getting the job was another matter entirely. It took an entirely different skill set to land the job, and I didn't interview well.

Since graduating from college a few months ago, I’d applied at a few other places, but that was mostly for practice. This was where I wanted to work. Ever since it burst onto the national scene four years ago, I’d dreamed of nothing else except working at Seth Spencer Technologies.

The job itself was entry level. A junior copywriter for the marketing department. But it was a foot in the door. Plus, I loved writing. It was easy for me. But talking myself up to strangers at an interview? That was pure torture

The two other interviews I'd been to had been horrible. I’d gotten tongue-tied. I'd said stupid things. At one point I'd even blanked on my middle name. How hard was it to remember Erin Marie White? It had been my name for twenty-two years. Somehow when I sat down for an interview, my brain cells jumped ship and floated out through my ears. And my ability to put together a coherent sentence, which came so easily in writing, vanished, too.

It was extremely frustrating, because this was Seth-Tech. If I could work any place in the world, this would be my first choice. Hands down.

Frantically, I reached in my bag and pulled out a very worn sheet of paper. It was a printout entitled "Top Ten Things NOT to Do at an Interview." I’d memorized it, but it couldn’t hurt to go over it a few more times anyway.

On the stage, Seth was presenting a new product with the showmanship that seemed to come naturally to him. I couldn’t even imagine speaking in front of a roomful of people, but he did every month. And the crowd loved him. “For this next demonstration, I need a volunteer.” Reporters raised their hands eagerly. Weren’t they supposed to report the news, not be a part of it?

Some tall young men shouted Seth’s name from near the front. Their jackets identified them as members of a professional basketball team. Seth pointed into their midst and a long-legged man jumped onto the stage.

Concentrate, Erin. Yes, it was beyond thrilling to be in the same room with Seth, but I needed all the preparation possible.

Ignoring the loud noises around me, I reviewed my list.

1. Don’t be too early or too late.

Oops… I’d already messed that one up. I glanced at my watch. I still had at least ten minutes until the interview with a woman from human resources.

2. Don’t apologize for any lack of experience or gaps on your resume.

3. Don’t talk negatively about a former employer.

That last one was easy since the only place I’d ever worked was at the university library. Oh yeah, and one summer as a cashier at a drugstore. Those weren’t the kind of jobs I’d be likely to brag about during an interview with Seth-Tech. Trouble is, once an interview began, one of two things always happened: no words came out or a whole bunch of wrong ones did.

4. Don’t use fillers words (i.e. like, um, uh, etc.)

5. Don’t reveal weaknesses that actually make you look weak.

I’d learned that last one the hard way. When one potential employer had asked me my strengths, I’d mumbled about my writing ability as well as my ability to work well with others. When she’d asked me my weaknesses, I’d rambled on for five minutes. This time around, I was better prepared for that question. My answer would be short and sweet: public speaking. But then I planned to follow that up with several examples from my portfolio showing how well I communicated through my writing.

The audience applauded, and I looked up. The basketball player bounded off the stage, some kind of tech gadget in his hand. His buddies all gathered around him excitedly.

Seth clapped his hands together, and I stopped for a minute to watch. “And now… I know I promised you an update next month, but I just couldn’t wait. You know me—restraint isn’t my strong suit.” He grinned at the crowd, and it felt like my heart stopped. How could any man that talented also be so damn good-looking and charismatic?

Every eye in the room was on him as his baby blues twinkled. “I’ve brought a friend here to visit you all today. You may know this little lady as… NT3000.”

There was a collective gasp as a small robot rolled out onto the stage next to Seth. Then there was wild applause.

With effort, I forced myself to look away from the demo. Seth-Tech produced top-of-the-line robotics as well as other high-tech toys, and under ordinary circumstances, I’d love to see one of Seth’s gadgets in action, but right now, I needed to focus.

6. Don’t ramble on at the end of your answer.

7. Don’t say you really need the job.

I was worried about both of those. A lot of interview questions left me floundering for something to say, but sometimes I did the opposite and started babbling. When that happened, I knew I was doing it but couldn’t seem to stop. And as for needing the job, I’d try not to say it, but I needed this job like I needed air. Or food. Or water. Probably it would be best to refrain from saying that at the interview.

“I need another volunteer, but this time, we’ll come to you.” Seth’s rich voice demanded attention, but I resisted. I had to nail this interview, and this was my last chance to prepare.

8. Don’t provide too much personal information.

9. Don’t ask the hiring manager personal information.

Again, those two depended on if I went into silent or ramble mode.

“The NT3000’s new wheels can travel smoothly over hardwood floors, concrete, or any kind of carpet…”

Grimly, I ran through some of the anecdotes I planned to tell. Stories about how I’d published a few articles in various trade magazines.

“NT, have you found us a volunteer yet?”

Maybe I should mention the writing tutoring program I started at the library. Digging through my purse, I found the brochure I made for it.

“Miss? Miss!”

I found the brochure only to drop it when someone tugged on my sleeve. A man in the row in front of me smiled. “I believe someone wants to speak to you.”

Oh god, then it must be time for my interview. I whirled around, looking at the door behind me, but it was still closed.

A few people in the crowd laughed, and an amplified voice said, “Wrong direction.”

That was Seth. Seth Spencer. Had one the biggest tech gods in the country just spoken to me? But what did he even mean?

I turned back toward the stage.

Good god. He was looking at me. Seth Spencer was looking at me. So was everyone else, but I only had eyes for him.

“Why don’t you try again, little NT?”

I didn’t have the slightest clue what he meant, but I smiled back at him. I still couldn’t believe I was here at a Seth-Tech Tuesday, let alone that Seth was looking at me. I wondered what he saw? My brown hair was swept back from my ears, but it still flowed loosely past my shoulders—I hated the way I looked when it was up. I wore thin wire glasses and a little makeup. My suit was a pale blue with a white blouse underneath. The skirt ended just below my knees.

Seth kept looking at me—expectantly. What did he think when he looked at me? Did he—

Something touched my shin and I shrieked. Jumping back, I hit the wall behind me and everyone laughed again.

Shakily, I clutched my bag and looked down. The NT3000 was right there. How had I not heard it move up in front of me? Its cute little face, a round ball on top of a square body, looked up at me.

“Show her what you’ve got, NT.”

A panel opened up about where the little robot’s shoulder should be. If it weren’t just basically a cube with a head.

Something emerged, a dark cylinder.

“This is for you.” The robot’s voice was cute and cartoony.

Every eye in the place was on me as I reached down and picked up the cylinder. It was a ceramic tube, open at one end. I looked at it for a moment and then back up at Seth. Our eyes met for a second and it was as if a bolt of electricity shot into me.

Then his gaze dropped to the robot. “Do you have anything else for the nice lady, NT?”

The little robot’s bright electronic eyes turned to the floor. “No.”

The audience laughed and I wondered how a robot could sound sheepish.

“Then maybe you need some help. Call your sister.”

Lights activated on the side of the little thing, and I heard a series of beeps. Then the audience gasped as something moved over their heads. A drone. A small, personal drone was flying toward me.

“Miss, would you mind holding that out?”

Mind? I wouldn’t mind if Seth asked me to jump off bridge. I held my hand straight out in front of me, the tube grasped in my fist.

“Vertically.” There was humor in Seth’s voice and I blushed. Quickly, I shifted it so it was upright, the opening at the top of the tube.

The drone got closer until it hovered just above me. “Hold still,” Seth said. He had some kind of remote in his hand.

The flying contraption centered itself over my hand and stayed there a minute, hanging in midair. I almost felt like it was looking at me. Analyzing me. Then it dropped lower until it was almost touching my hand. A little door opened under it, and I felt something light fall into the tube.

Mission apparently accomplished, the drone flew off, leaving me standing there, holding a single red rose inside the ceramic tube.

The crowd turned back to Seth as the drone and robot returned to him. The drone came to rest on the palm of his hand. “And that, my friends, is how I hit on pretty women nowadays.”

Everyone laughed, and my face turned bright red. Even thought it was clearly a joke, I replayed his words in my head. He’d said “a pretty woman.” Was it a scripted line? Or could he actually mean that? Had Seth Spencer just called me pretty?

God, I had to get this job. If I didn’t, I’d never see him in person again.

Back on stage, Seth was finishing up his part of the press conference and turning things over to his partner, Brad Evans. “And now, time to let the grown-ups speak,” he said, getting another laugh.

He was so perfect. So funny. So smart. And hot as hell, of course, but I also genuinely respected him. And this company he’d founded. I just had to get this job. Still clutching the vase with the rose, I looked at the last item on my list.

10. Don’t say you’re nervous.

“Erin?”

I jolted as a hand touched my shoulder. A woman in her mid-twenties stood there, her straight red hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was dressed casually in jeans and a long-sleeve t-shirt. She gestured, and I followed her into the hallway.

“I’m Justine from Human Resources. Ready for your interview?”

Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself to be calm, cool, and collected. And then I opened my mouth. “Yes, but I’m a little nervous.”

Crap—that was number ten.

“Don’t be,” she said as we walked down the hall away from the auditorium. “Did you enjoy the press conference?”

“Yeah. I mean, yes. Umm… it was great.”

Filler words. That was number four. But maybe it would still be okay as long as I didn’t start rambling. Please don’t let me start rambling.

Once I was seated across from her in a pleasant office with a great view of the mountains in the distance, she spoke again. “Why do you want to work at Seth-Tech?”

“Umm… I’ve always wanted to work here.”

Okay, that didn’t really answer the question, but at least I hadn’t started babbling.

“But why?”

Her raised eyebrow said that I had to do better than that. “Well, umm… Seth-Tech is just such a forward thinking company, with their electronics, and their commitment to using sustainable materials in their products, which is really important to me because at my last job at the university library, no one recycled anything, even the boss when she wasn’t, like, yelling at people, and at the drugstore, people bought these cheap electronics that would break the next week, but at Seth-Tech you make high-end goods that last forever, well, obviously not forever since you’ve only been around four years, but just about forever, so it seems to me like—”

Stop, stop, stop, my brain said. I could hear how fast and frantic my voice was getting. Soon I’d be speaking in such a high pitch only dogs would be able to hear me. God, I had to stop.

But the babbling went on.

And on.

And on.

Damn.