Britney takes a breath before diving into a list of classes and extracurricular activities she has been a part of.
“Have you ever worked before?” I ask, keeping my voice even. She’s so gorgeous and earnest, that I already know I’m going to hire her, barring some crazy past history.
She looks down at her hands. “No, sir.”
“You’re eighteen, right?”
Britney nods. “Yes, I’m a senior in high school.”
“How have you done in your classes?”
She smiles faintly.
“I have straight A’s, even though everything’s online now. I speed through my assignments because learning seems to come easy for me.”
“That’s good. What level of math are you in?”
“I’m taking calculus right now.”
I nod, impressed.
“Excellent, although you won’t be needing that as a cashier. To be honest, you hardly even need basic math because the registers are so advanced these days. But tell me, school aside, what do you do for fun?”
That’s not a normal interview question, but I’m curious about this young woman. She hesitates for a moment, biting her rosy pink pout.
“Well, right now, I don’t do much. I’ve been walking around the trailer park where I live. My friends and I talk on the phone sometimes, or we Zoom or Facetime. But mostly, I’m bored these days. I think having a job would be great because it would give me something to do, in addition to helping my family financially.”
I like that Britney brought it back to the interview. She may have never held a job before, but she’s doing well at answering my questions. I nod encouragingly.
“Everyone’s stuck at home right now. But what do you like to do when you’re not under quarantine?”
Britney laughs a little.
“I guess my life is pretty boring. When I’m not in school, I like to read and hang out with friends. We sit in the house and watch movies or listen to music. I guess I’m not that exciting.”
I chuckle.
“You don’t have to be jumping from planes or partying every weekend to be exciting. What matters is that you engage in activities that make you happy.”
“I guess that’s true.” Then, Britney cocks her head at me, those brown eyes curious. “What do you do for fun, Mr. Hemsworth?”
I laugh.
“Please, call me John. To be honest, not much. I’m the boring one, not you. I just work too much. Even when I’m home, I’m thinking about what needs to be done at ShopMore.”
She smiles.
“Does running this store make you happy?”
“Yes. I love it, and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.”
“Well, then, you must be exciting because you’re doing something you love. It’s a worthwhile way to spend your time.”
I smile at her. Britney is easy to talk to, and she’s wise to boot, which is shocking given her young age. She smiles at me again, and my heart swoops. Holy shit. This can’t be happening. She’s only eighteen, for crying out loud, and a potential employee to boot. I can’t be thinking these thoughts.
I stand up before I can do anything stupid. If we make eye contact for much longer, I’ll be leaning over the desk to kiss her.
“Well, Britney, I think you’d be a good fit here. You’ll mostly be handling the cash register and occasionally stocking products when there are no customers, which unfortunately, is happening a little more often than usual right now.”
She gasps, her cheeks going pink.
“Oh my gosh, are you serious? I got the job?”
I hold out my hand to shake hers.
“You did. Congratulations, and welcome to the team. Can you come by tomorrow to sign all the paperwork? You’ll need to bring government ID and a social security card.”
She smiles at me, and my heart contracts in my chest.
“Yes, I can do that. Thank you so much, Mr. Hemsworth. I really appreciate your time, and I can’t wait to start.”
“Please call me John, and I’m glad you’re excited, Britney. I’m sure you’ll be a great employee, and we look forward to having you on the team.”
Britney shakes my hand excitedly before gathering her purse and straightening her skirt.
“Thank you again, Mr. Hemsworth, I mean, John,” she says with a shy smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
With that, Britney leaves my office, and I sit there for a moment, just trying to recover. What did this sweet eighteen year old just do to me? I feel like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck and literally inhale a few times, trying to get oxygen into my lungs.
Unable to relax, I wander outside to where Kathy is checking out a customer.
“Feel free to take your break,” I tell her once she’s done.
The redhead grins.
“Thanks, boss. You hire that girl?”
“I did.”
She winks.
“I knew you would. She’s your type.”
I give her a hard look, but Kathy’s not intimidated at all.
“What do you mean?”
“She seemed to need help, that’s all,” Kathy says innocently. “You like taking on underdogs because it’s your thing. You hired me after all.”