The internship

- Chapter 1 -

'We're here ma'am," my uber driver tells me while gazing at the tall building outside. The building is so tall I have to stick my head out of the window to see the tip. The Shepherds' hotel buildings are known for being tall but I can't help but keep getting shocked everytime i see it. 'Thanks' I tell him. 'Oh and goodluck with your uh-' 'My job interview' I finish his sentence as I step out. 'Oh yeah, good luck with that.' he holds up his hand as a kind of wave as he drives off.
I wish he would take my nerves with him but instead they keep boiling in my stomach. I blow a deep breath out as a last resort to let the feeling go but it comes back just as quick.
I push the door with my clammy hands and the cold air from the air conditioning welcomes me. thank god, at least I won't get pit stains. I walk up to the long front desk, I break the silence with the clacking of my heels on the white stoned floor. The red headed girl behind the black wooden desk is busy typing on her big computer. I think her body fits in the screen, that is how big the computer is. 'Excuse me?' I ask her kindly. She looks at me as if I just farted in front of her. 'I am here for my job interview' I force a smile out of me. 'oh yes, for the internship you mean?' she asks 'yes, the internship.' I keep awkwardly smiling while she scrolls on her computer. She sighs. I hear a few clicks on the big computer and some tapping from her pen she holds in her other hand. 'Vivienne' it reads, in curvy gold letters. I suggest it is her name since it isn't the name of the company. 'You have your interview with mr. shepherd his office is down this hall to the left.' she points with her golden pen. I follow the direction of her pen with my eyes. 'Thanks' I say. Vivienne doesn't budge and goes right back to tapping her keys. I wonder if what she is typing is actually important.

When I'm in front of Mr. Shepherds office door I take a moment before I knock. One last breath to scare the nerves away. How stupid of me to think that this time they'd be actually gone. At Least it helps me to get the guts to knock. 

'Come in' I hear a warm deep voice from the otherside. When I open the door the smell of cinnamon and leather welcomes me. I see a muscular man sitting with a freshly ironed blouse that folds effortlessly over his broad shoulders and chunky glasses sitting on a big nose.
He takes off his glasses as if he could see me better. It sure helps me to take a better look at his piercing blue eyes. 'Take a seat.' he points at the empty chair before him. I take a seat and get my resume ready. 'Oh, I already looked at your resume.' he tells me. I look shocked as if I myself didn't send it to him. I guess I am shocked because I never think companies take that much time reading your resume. I always feel as if I am giving a presentation about my resume at every interview I have been at now. 'You don't want me to walk you through it?' I ask him politely.
He smiles and leans back in his chair. 'No I think I understand it pretty well' he playfully smiles at me. I laugh softly at his joke.
'So tell me what you want to learn from me. Well... the company I mean' he rests his elbow on one of the enormous leather arm rests on his chair. Hence the smell. 'Well because I am pretty new in the hotel industry I'd love to learn more about what goes on behind closed doors' he tilts his head to the right. 'Could you tell me more about that. I'd like you to go into detail.' He puts his glasses down and starts fiddling with a pen. It's the same one Vivienne has downstairs but he somehow makes it look so small. Or are his hands just really big. I notice that his eyes haven't left me from the moment he first saw me. 'If I could make a quick summary I'd say the business relations with other hotels but also in between different branches. I know Shepherd Hotels has one in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York and if I am not mistaken weren't you looking for one in Hawaii as well?' He raises his eyebrows at me in disbelief. Thank fuck I stalked the hell out of his hotel the last week. I wanted to be so prepared for this interview. I have been up till late at night to get the newest news, so I could make a great first impression. And by the looks on Sheperd's face it seemed to have worked.

'I'd have to say I am impressed.' told you. 'We released the news just yesterday.' I shrug my shoulders and smile kindly at him so he doesn't think I have been stalking him. I haven't by the way. I just looked it up yesterday before I went to sleep.
'Yes, I saw the news.' I giggle.
'And?' He leans forward on his desk.
'Excuse me?'
'And what do you think of the decision?'
He keeps gazing at me with his blue eyes and I notice that he doesn't have the brightest blue eyes. They are a bit dark. I don't know if it is because he has thick eyebrows above them. Or if they really aren't bright and blue. I look down so I can focus myself on the question before it becomes a stare down.
'Well it is right after the high season in Hawaii so the timing is perfect.' He nods at my answer.

'But?' He smiles. I stammer a bit. I thought the nerves were gone but I can't help picking at the seam of my sleeves.'Don't worry I can take some criticism.' He laughs.'But I don't think the business profile suits the hotels' Image. For example if I would have to pick a location for a new branch I would look overseas. Like Paris or Londen for example.' He rubs his fingers over his chin for a second, before he walks up to the shelves on the wall. I didn't notice them when I walked in. They are filled with some trophies and some plants, but mostly they are stacked with black binders. He picks out a binder and browses through it. When he lands on a page he looks at it for a while before handing it to me. 2028-2030 shepherds hotel Paris & London it reads. He sits across from me on his desk. He is so close to me I can now tell with certainty that his blue eyes also have gray in them. I now know too  where the cinnamon smell comes from. He folds his arms. The fabric tightens around his muscles. 

'You just guessed the new locations for our branches. It is true what you say about Hawaii. I agree with you.' He sighs and looks at a picture of him and his family. 'My little brother, who has a say in the company as well, wants a branch in Hawaii' He lets out a big sigh. 'Can't you change his mind?' I ask.
'No.' He laughs
'No one can, But don't worry he is quicker with the media than with me. I make the final calls when it comes to new branches'
So it's fake news. 'He is good at handling the social image of the company. That is mostly why we keep him and that is the most he will do here.' He looks down on me still with his hands folded. I can't help but look at his face. He has a really strong jaw.
Try focusing on the interview instead of flirting with him. I snap out of it as I notice I have been staring at him with my mouth open. He takes the binder out of my lap and places it closed on his desk. He walks back to seat and fixes his gaze at me again.
'Are there any questions you have for me?' He leans forward on his desk. Damn those blue eyes.
'Nothing we haven't discussed by mail already.' I notice that I haven't been playing with my hair. What I usually do when I am nervous. I also haven't been feeling so tense since I sat down. He picks up his glasses. 'Because I share the company with my brother, I need to inform him before I can make this final.' He says while typing something in a computer just as big as the one downstairs.
'Tell him the Hawaii idea sucks while you're at it.' Shit! My eyes widen.
I immediately look at him as if I didn't make that comment. A naughty smile appears on his face and he scoffs.
'If you can make that happen Megan you can have my half of the company' I laugh back at him. 'I'll give you a call next monday. Is around 10 in the morning alright?' He turns his head away from the  screen to look at me. God he is so fucking hot. I saw pictures of him of course but in real life he radiates this confidence and humor the modern camera can't capture. I nod. He sticks out his hand and I shake it. 'Thank you for your time Megan.' he smiles at me. 

I stand up and he walks me to the door to open it for me. I can't help but smile. He is standing so fucking close to me I could bite him if I wanted to. 'Thank you Mr. Shepherd' I say. He grins.