Interlude

Chapter 15

Rose finally relented.

"I'm only getting you to the door." Dev implored, the next day. "You are the one who has to do the work."

"Do you know how many people are desperate just to get to Simon Banfield's door?"

His face was hard and determined. "And I can tell you, with absolute certainty, that none of them would have thought twice about accepting my reference."

They were eating take-out pasta at his place. With her fork, she idly pushed the pasta from side to side.

"Look, everyone, and I mean everyone, needs help. Recommendations, references, putting in a good word - call it anything you want. It's all the same. We all need it in some way or another."

"But it isn't fair." Her elbows rested on the table and she buried her face between her palms. A long exhale followed. "I should've been able to do this on my own."

"No one can do everything on their own, Ro. Look at me. I have done nothing by myself. More than half the opportunities and privileges I get are because of my family."

"That's not the same. You're so good at what you do and that's helping your father's business."

"Exactly." Dev insisted, firmly. "This isn't the time for you to bring some misguided sense of morality. Turning down an opportunity like this isn't righteousness. It's stupidity. Don't look at me like that." His lips curved in half a smile when her face was scrunched in a wounded look. He took another bite then continued, this time with a little more tact. "Banfield doesn't take kindly to recommendations in the first place. He's made an exception for me. I showed him your work at Sherman's and based on that he's willing to give you a four-week probationary trial. In fact, since you're going there on my recommendation, he'll have a closer eye on you. Forget being bad the job, if you slack even moderately, you'll be out the door within a day. Not to mention I'll get an angry phone call. Whatever you do in that office, Rose, it'll all be on you. I will not, and cannot, help you do your job. But," his voice was solemn with a hard, pained undertone. "I will give you a push if I can. I think I can do that much at the very least."

An erratic rhythm set in her heart. She swallowed a lump, his words slowly taking root in her mind. "I won't slack." She murmured. "You won't get an angry phone. Not on my account."

"I know." He gazed at her, long and unblinking.

Rose barely got a day to make herself believe that she now had an unbelievable job prospect when Dev decided to spring another pivotal change.

He had refused to let her go back to her apartment. Only once he drove her back to pick up some more stuff. Samantha had stared at Dev the whole time. Partly marveling at the fact that the rude man from that awful night was actually a nice person, and partly disbelieving that Rose was actually friends with someone who was so out of their leagues. To Rose's utter astonishment, Dev invited Samantha to join Rose and stay at his apartment.

"It's really not a problem. You're her roommate." Dev explained, politely. "It'll only be for a few days. Till you both move into a new apartment."

Samantha's mouth hung open, completely off guard.

"What new apartment?" Samantha whispered hurriedly to Rose.

"I have no idea."

Samantha thanked him profusely but turned down his offer.

"I think Samantha wasn't comfortable with me." Dev remarked on their way back. "Maybe you can talk to her again and make her feel more welcome."

"I'll ask." Rose nodded. "But I think she was being honest. We've been living there for five months, you know. Ideally, I should also be there..."