The Hiring by Helen Cooper Page B

temp agency had said the writer had asked specifically for someone who had an MFA. That had to mean he wanted a real writer.
    Her breath caught as she parked and she felt the nerves in her stomach. This was it. This could be her big break. She gave the receptionist her name and waiting patiently in the lobby as she waited to be called up for her interview.
     
    “Alice Nichols?” A young blond lady walked up to her and smiled.
     
    “Yes.” Alice tried to smile and sound confident but the nerves were getting to her.
     
    “Follow me. He’s ready for your interview.” Alice followed behind the lady wanting to ask exactly who ‘he’ was. She was escorted into a big conference room and was told to sit.
     
    The lady left and she sat there alone looking around her. The nerves turned to annoyance about twenty minutes later as Alice still sat at the table waiting for someone to enter the room. She debated whether or not she should go back down to reception to let them know that no one had come to the room as yet. However, she had a feeling this was part of the interview. The writer likely wanted to see how patient she was. She sat back and sighed, stopping herself from reaching into her bag to grab her phone and text. If she was being watched she didn’t want anyone to think that she was addicted and dependent on her phone.
     
    It was exactly one hour later that someone walked into the office behind her. She could feel rather than here them come in. She didn’t turn around, as she didn’t want them to see the annoyance on her face.
     
    “Ms. Nichols, thank you for waiting. I got caught up on a call.” She looked down and saw the hand reached out to her. She shook it and then looked up and gasped. Standing in front of her was Oliver Park.
     
    “You.” She spat out as his eyes twinkled at her.
     
    “Yes, I am me and you are you.” He walked around the table. “Have a seat.”
     
    She glowered at him. “What’s the point? I’m not getting this job am I?” She contemplated walking out of the door but there was a part of her that was excited to be so close to Oliver Park.
     
    “Ms. Nichols, would you like to interview or not?” Oliver stood there staring at her from across the table. He licked his lips and sipped from the coffee cup that was in his hands. His lips and tongue mesmerized her .
     
    “Why are you looking for a writing assistant? You’re not a writer.” Alice spoke softly, still standing up.
     
    “Have a seat Ms. Nichols, if you want to know more.” He sat down and waited for her. She sat down against her will.
    “Did you plan this?” She looked at him with eyes narrowed.
     
    “Plan what Ms. Nichols?”
     
    “Set this up so you could make a fool of me like I did you last weekend.”
     
    He laughed, loud and boisterously. “Do you think you made a fool of me Ms. Nichols?”
     
    She paused. “Not really.” She spoke honestly. She didn’t think that anyone had paid any attention to her words that night except for him, and he hadn’t looked as if he had cared really.
     
    “Good. I’m glad you have some sense.” He looked down at the table and studied her resume.
     
    “I had no idea who you were then Ms. Nichols and this position is very very real. You may know me as an actor but I am in the process of writing my first movie. I want it to be a success.”
     
    “I see.” She looked at him in doubt.
     
    “You don’t and that’s not important. It won’t be your job to see. It will be your job to write.”
     
    “Ok.” All of a sudden she felt excited. She would be able to write. She had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.
     
    “So Alice tell me why you want this job.” Oliver sat back in his seat and stared at her intently. Alice knew that she wanted this job badly. No matter that she had had an awkward encounter with Oliver just the previous weekend.
     
    “I’ve always wanted to be a screen writer. I wrote the play that we performed in my high