“Ms. Green, you need to understand this job is more than a degree. The position is administrative, creative, and interpersonal. The work involved is not only tantamount to the success of the library, but our community. Are you prepared for the responsibility? The board is strict about maintaining the integrity of our institution, and as chairman, I take my position seriously.”
I stood then, realizing I should have when he first approached me. “I have dreamed of this and worked for it my entire life. Let me assure you, I will meet the responsibility and challenges head-on with professionalism and passion.” I allowed my emotions to seep into my voice. He seemed to care about this place and I wanted him to know that I did too.
“I’m going to give you a chance, even if this is unorthodox. I’m offering you a two-week trial period. If you do alright during that time, I’ll give you a month. Do well, and I will extend it to a standard six-month probation period with a contract.” The little pinch between his brow never eased, his doubt evident, but that wouldn’t deter me.
A smile curved my lips. “Thank you, sir. You won’t regret your decision.”
“I hope not.” He pulled a pair of glasses out of his breast pocket and put them on. The glasses made his eyes larger and his face more handsome. He shuffled through a thick stack of papers he carried, peeling off the top twenty pages. He handed them to me. “Fill these out now and give them back to me.
This one is the acknowledgment of the trial basis of your employment. Beneath it is your tax information and the code of conduct. This information is for the day-to-day needs of the position. Well, some, anyway. I’m sorry to say that these lists are dated. It’s important that you hit the ground running. Read this all over tonight and be back here tomorrow at eight sharp.”
I took the papers. “Thank you so much.”
He put a little folded piece of paper on top of them. “This is your salary. The pay is non-negotiable and decided by the board. You can call me Gavin.” He gave me the first genuine smile of our entire interaction and the joy of what happened exploded inside of me: I was a librarian.
I walked over to one of the tables set out for studying and got to work filling out the mundane questions. When they were all filled in, and my hand ached from the effort, I took them back to the office and handed them off to Gavin.
The décor was not his own, which made me wonder if this would become my office. A little tingle zipped through me at the thought. I went back to the same table and read through the materials. When I came to the point of keeping up to date with new releases and sourcing them, I cringed at how outdated the information was. The previous librarian had been here a long time.
I shook the worry off. This was the part of the job I was most excited about and nothing would stop me from flourishing here. The pay wouldn’t provide an early retirement, but the benefits were good. I could support myself and allow some extra things here and there. I needed to prove myself, and for once in my life, that sensation wasn’t based on fear. There was no doubt I could do this. The hard bit was over, I got the position. Now I just needed to work harder than I ever had and prove I deserved it.
A couple of hours later, I still worked through the piles of information Gavin gave me, making my own notes and compiling lists. Out of nowhere, I remembered my date with Mason. My stomach sank as I realized there was no way I could meet him tonight and prepare for my first day tomorrow. I left the library without saying goodbye to Gavin as he was busy in the back and likely thought I was gone hours ago.
The gray sky and dreary atmosphere sunk into me. Drops of rain fell, stealing the joy of the new job. Fear set in, and the potential to be disappointed worse than I’d ever been before. Failure would be soul-crushing. I needed to lay my eyes—and other parts—on Mason, but I couldn’t have everything I wanted, at least not exactly when I wanted. Raindrops hit the pages I carried, and I hoped the ink wouldn’t run. My soaking wet hair stuck to my face and shoulders by the time I made it home.
I opened the door clumsily, nearly dropping the pile of papers, but I caught myself at the last moment. I put the papers down on my coffee table. It was about three. He must be at work, but he would have his phone on him. I pulled off my soaked shirt and wrapped my hair in a towel, then took out my phone and started typing.
Claire: I have good news, bad news, and I'm willing to send nudes.
I followed it up with a long text explaining the amazing circumstances of my new employment. If I didn’t cram, and cram hard, I wouldn’t be able to hack it. The thought of cramming with Mason nearly broke my resolve. Twenty minutes later, his answer arrived. In that time, I concocted a million reasons why this was the last straw. My text notification went off, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Mason: Congratulations, that’s wonderful. If you don’t mind me asking, who hired you? I know a few people on the library’s board of directors. Don’t apologize. Let’s reschedule, but make it soon. Text me tomorrow if you have time for dinner, and in the meantime, I will happily accept your offer of nudes.
I stripped off my clothes and sprawled out naked on my bed, snapping a few artful nudes, showing my breasts, waist, hips, and a tiny peek at what rested between my thighs. My face stayed out of the images just like the others, but my brown curls fell around my breasts, adding a little something to the picture. I sent it to him, hoping he’d love it, then got dressed and started working through the piles of information. I couldn’t stop smiling. Could it be possible to have everything I wanted?