CHAPTER TWO - CINDY
“Girl, where are you?” My best friend, Patrick, who was always a bit dramatic hadn’t called my phone just to ask me that.
“On the moon; away from everyone where I can try to gather what’s left of my sanity.”
“Well, I have the perfect job for you if you want it, so you better come back down to earth.” Through the phone, I could hear the sounds of his kitchen as he banged around at work.
“What is it?” I had a feeling it was going to be waiting tables or strapping on a pair of dish gloves.
“Event coordinator. As in money, bitch! I’d tell you more, but you really need to get your sweet ass over here right now. I told Selena White that I had a friend and she wants to meet you today. I told her you’re eager, so don’t make me a liar.”
“I’m getting ready as we speak, keep talking and tell me more.” I put him on speaker phone and then got up and went to the bathroom mirror where I brushed my hair back into a sleek ponytail and then went to my closet for a crisp white shirt.
“Well, the head coordinator bailed on the sisters today, and they have three huge events coming up. I told them that you used to work for the Gold Standard as their coordinator, and the rest is me telling you to hurry up.” I could have sworn I heard him clap his hands to rush me along.
“Well, it’s been a while since I was in party planning, but I’m sure it’s like riding a bike, right?” He made a sound that had me regretting saying a word.
“No self-doubt. You’re one of the most confident and capable people I know, and you’ve got this.”
“Didn’t you say they are a couple of tyrants?” I’d heard so much about the two-sisters-turned-business-partners and I wracked my brain trying to figure out if any of it was a reason not to go for this job. He made another sound of frustration. “I think I used the word ‘eccentrics’, so there’s a slight difference.”
Twenty minutes later, I was dressed and ready to go. Patrick talked to me the whole way to my car, which was in a garage about half a block from where I lived.
“You’re going to want to impress Selena the most. Her sister, Emily, she’s a softie. She’s going to be a piece of cake, but Selena; she’ll be nice at first, professional, but she’s got a mean streak. If I thought you couldn’t handle them, I wouldn’t have recommended you.”
“Well, I’m glad you did. Living expenses are a bitch right now.” I’d needed a job badly. After the mess with Megan, my old roommate, I was in desperate times. Megan had left me in hot water when she moved out to be with her boyfriend and stuck me with the rent that I couldn’t afford.
“You could always stay with me if you needed, and I’m sure Edward wouldn’t mind. He loves to have company over and spent all of the last summer redoing the guest room.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, but I do prefer to have my own place.” I’d tried living with Patrick in college, and the two of us were so different that it didn’t work out. I was the quiet introvert, while he was the loud and crazy extrovert who was constantly bringing home strangers who sometimes stayed weeks at a time.
I got in my car and put the key in the ignition. “How do I get to White Linen from my side of town?” “I’ll text you the address, and you can use your GPS. Good luck, honey. Selena’s office is in the front, so you’ll have no problems finding them when you go in.”
“Thank you gorgeous! You’re the best!” I hung up, typed in the address, and then I was on my way.
Arriving at White Linen, I was relieved to find a nice parking lot close to the building’s main entrance. I’d had enough exercise and didn’t want to go in sweaty and out of breath.
“Don’t tell me how to run my fucking business, Lenny. You get my glassware back, or I’m coming down there to make a scene.” Selena’s voice filled the entire room as I walked in the door. Despite her boss’ shouting, the secretary glanced up over the tall counter with a wide smile.
“May I help you?” She kept the smile plastered on as Selena shouted a few more obscenities.
“I’m here to see Selena White. I don’t have an appointment, but—”
“Are you Patrick’s friend?” The woman asked, her brows raising even further to the top of her forehead.
“Yes, that’s me. I’m Cindy Peterson. I can come back if this is a bad time or day, or—”
“No, it’s fine. Have a seat, and I’ll go tell her that you’re here.” She didn’t wait for Selena to finish cracking skulls before she got up and went to the back where Selena’s door was open, and she stuck her head in.
After a moment, she came back and motioned me to follow her.
Luckily, the tirade had ended by the time I got to the back, and the secretary held the door open for me as I stepped into Selena’s office. I hadn’t expected her, but Emily White was there too. Everyone knew the White sisters. They’d been doing parties in the New York area for decades and had been part of high society since their childhood.
“Hello,” the two said in unison, as I walked in and took a seat. Emily, who sat next to me, extended her hand.
“You’re Patrick’s friend, Cindy?” She gave her sister an encouraging smile.
“Yes, I heard you need a new coordinator. I’d love the opportunity.”
“We have three weeks of galas coming,” said Selena with a much deeper voice than I’d expected. “We’re not usually in the habit of hiring someone without first putting them through the test and proper training, but since you’re so eager and you used to be employed at Gold Standard, I think we can give you a shot. You know, my sister and I started out at Gold Standard back in the day.”
“I wasn’t aware of that, how interesting. You have done very well for yourselves.” I didn’t know what to say and hoped I wouldn’t slip up and say something that might offend, so I decided it was best to say as little as possible.
“Were you there when they downsized?” Gold Standard had taken a big hit when White Linen became the first competitors to break their monopoly over the events industry, and I had been a casualty.
“Yes, I was in the last round of layoffs.” I had been one of the last cut because I was not making as much as the older coordinators.
Emily gave me a sideward glance. “You lasted a long time. Most were cut right away. You must have been a very good worker.”
“I did my best, and I’ll do my best for you.” I kept a smile on my face and breathed a sigh of relief once Selena passed me my employment papers.
“Sign these, and we’ll get you in the system. You’ll be coming in over a few heads, so I hope you know how to handle that kind of situation. Since you’re new, you’ll also be on a probation period. You screw up or piss me off in any way, and you’re out.”
Emily leaned forward and put a reassuring hand on my arm. “She means it, but you’ll do fine.”
I breathed a sigh of relief and was grateful for the job, but something told me Selena would not make things easy.