Feeling nervous about her job interview, Sienna Smythe tucked the strand of brown hair behind her ear that had slipped out of her bun. She'd tried on most of her wardrobe and had selected a gray pencil skirt, a white silk blouse and her nicest sensible heels. She had wriggled into some extra strength spanx that had allowed her to do up her skirt. She turned to look at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. Curves were en vogue right now, but not on a five-foot three-inch girl who still needed to lose the twenty pounds she put on in college.
She needed this job. Her Father was ill and she needed to help pay for his medical bills. His insurance only covered a portion of his medical costs, leaving him with thousands of dollars that he was responsible for. His smoking had finally caught up to him and he'd developed lung cancer. They'd caught it early, and she hoped they'd cure it. She wasn't ready to lose her Dad. Especially since she'd already lost her Mom to cancer as well. She still missed her Mom, every day.
She reviewed her notes about the job description and also her research about the executive officers of the company as she slammed back a coffee and toasted a bagel. From all the information that she found online, this Johnathan Wise sounded like a first-class asshole.
She shoved the folders into her leather messenger bag, grabbed her transit pass and headed out the door only to return seconds later shivering. Her nicest coat was not going to cut it today. The roads were icy, the wind was whipping and there was no way she could make it downtown wearing heels and a dress coat. She kicked off her shoes, and put them in a plastic bag to take with her. She crammed her feet into her thick warm boots and grabbed her down bomber jacket out of the closet.
"My breakfast!"
She shuffled into the kitchen and grabbed the bagel out of the toaster, catching a glimpse of herself in the hallway mirror. Her reflection looked back at her and she looked only slightly better than homeless, but she’d be warm and not starving.
On time, Sienna trudged into the lobby of the building, kicking off the snow from her boots and shaking off her hat. The doorman smiled at her, she smiled back and walked very carefully across the slippery floor to the elevator.
The doors opened up into a gorgeous office that looked like Christmas had thrown up all over it. She stepped out into the twentieth floor and saw the most beautiful women she'd ever seen in her life. Her mouth gaped open. Jingle bell rock was playing and the receptionist was wearing a red crop top and a fur skirt – it was like a scene from a cheesy-as-hell porno. They all looked like they had just walked off the cover of Vogue, or whatever the trashier version of Vogue is these days.
The flirting, giggling, and general chaos around the room startled her. It was the most unprofessional setting she'd ever seen in her life. Wondering if she was in the right building, Sienna stared at them blankly until one of them finally noticed her and waved her over.
"You must be here for the interviews. Mr. Wise is waiting for you in his office." The girl pointed to a large glass door at the end of the hallway, without even looking up from her phone.
"Thank you." Sienna told her.
“May I take your puffy?” another blonde asked.
“Sorry, my what?”
“Your coat,” the girl smirked.
Sienna slid out of her coat and handed the damp lump over to the girl who pranced away holding it between her fingers like it was a stinky rag. Sienna sighed and sat down to change out of her winter boots.
“Shit, shit, double shit” she muttered to herself. She realized that while she was busy grabbing her bagel from the toaster she had forgotten to bring the bag she'd put her heels in. She stood up and smoothed her skirt and decided just to try to make the best of this interview. She proceeded to walk down the hallway to Mr. Wise’s office trying to avoiding the judgmental eyes that were following her every move.
“Oh my god, someone certainly loves carbs and mukluks” she overheard one of the girls titter once they thought she was out of earshot.
“Bitch,” Sienna muttered to herself, trying not to let the catty comment get to her as she reminded herself of her Father's debt. Standing tall and walking with her head held high, she knocked on the glass door of the office.
"Just a moment." Jonathan called. His high back chair was turned away from the door.
Sienna heard the chair scrape along with giggling. A few moments later a girl popped up from in front of the chair with smeared red lipstick, buttoning a low-cut blouse, which really served no point as you could see her perfect pink nipples as clear as day through her shirt. Sienna felt revolted and started to turn away in disgust.
"Come in Miss Smythe." Jonathan called. "You are my morning interview, right?"
She paused, holding her hand on the door and felt the skin on her neck prickle and her face flush. That voice. She would never forget that voice. She didn’t want to turn around to face him, but she knew that she had to. Slowly, she shuffled her heavy boots around and raised her gaze to look into the ice blue eyes of her step-brother, Johnny.