PROMISE AT REFUGE POINT - Sample

Chapter Two

Jax sat behind the ancient desk and tapped his pen on the yellow pad of paper before him. Five applicants already this morning and none of them were standing out as anyone special. His next interviewee was five minutes late. He appreciated punctuality and getting off on the right foot. His dad had always said that being on time meant arriving fifteen minutes early. That the next person was behind schedule didn't bode well. And he only had the six interviews. He supposed he'd have to choose one.

The outer door to the house slammed and footsteps rushed through the entry. He stood. The instructions to each applicant were to exit the mudroom, go through the kitchen, turn left at the hall, and then right into the makeshift office. There was a pause, a rustle of paper, and then more steps until a woman stepped into the open doorway.

"Mr. Brodie? Summer Arnold. I'm so sorry I'm late. I had some bicycle trouble."

He lifted an eyebrow. Her face was flushed from heat, exertion, or both, and little pieces of hair curled around her face, damp with sweat. She was attractive, though, with bright blue eyes and lips that just now curved into an adorable, sheepish smile. "To be honest, I should have been here twenty minutes ago, but my chain came off. I had to stop to put it on, then made another stop to wash my hands. It was either be a smidge late or shake your hand with grease on my fingers." She stepped forward and held out her hand. "Pleased to meet you."

He shook it automatically, still surprised by the whirlwind that had just taken over the office with her breezy presence. "You biked? All the way from town?"

"From Jewell Cove, yes. I don't own a car, but it's a nice bike ride just the same. Thankfully more down than up at the end of the day." She smiled again.

He guessed the woman—Summer—to be in her late twenties. Her hair was pulled back, but there was a purple stripe on the right side that was tucked into the braid she wore. She also wore sturdy flats, for biking, he supposed, and pants and a cute top with short sleeves and a ruffled collar. Professional, but serviceable. And that was actually a box checked as far as he was concerned. His assistant would be going with him to the film sites occasionally, and Aquteg Island was rough terrain in places. A woman who biked to work and wore sensible shoes was a good thing.

"Why don't you sit down, Ms. Arnold, and we'll get started?"

"Oh, certainly." She smiled again—or was it still—and took the seat across from him, perching on the edge of the chair with her posture straight. He glanced down at the resumé on his desk and remembered that this was the applicant whom Abby Arseneault had recommended. She'd used the words "reliable," "smart," and "hardworking." Her CV held a vast array of employment, from scooping ice cream to waiting tables, church secretary, and working at the school in the afterschool program.

Zero experience in film or television, or with research, even.

"Why do you want this job, Ms. Arnold?"

She met his gaze evenly. "I work at the school for nearly ten months of the year. Normally, I have a summer job that pays my bills during the break, but this year the business closed. I'm going back to school in the fall, and this seemed like an amazing opportunity. You're looking for someone for a short-term contract, and that's exactly what I'm looking for as well. I'm smart, I pick up things quickly, I can absolutely be a Jill of All Trades, so to speak." She shrugged. "Besides, I've lived in Jewell Cove my whole adult life. I can help you navigate the town and its people if you run into snags or need additional information. I can be your Girl Friday."

Cutesy movie references aside, she had a point. One of the applicants today was a film student. She'd be wasted in this job and would do better on the film crew. There might be something for her there, in the thick of things, as a paid intern. What he needed was someone to help with the day-to-day, and honestly, a lot of it domestic in nature. "You'd be acting in a rather broad role here. A mix of housekeeper and personal assistant, whatever is required at the time. It requires flexibility and good time management skills."