Page 4 of The Interns

“Then him,” Darby decided.

“But the teacher is cute,” Syd countered, tapping her finger against his face on the screen. “And he’s a teacher. That should count for something.”

The three nodded quietly, stumped as they circled right back around to a place of indecision. Maya frowned when she realized they had turned their attention to her, having been much happier to be left to her own thoughts.

“You’re the tiebreaker, Maya,” Adam said. “What do you think?”

“I think,” she started before taking a sip of wine, “that I have no idea how you have time for this stuff. Also, don’t you have a blind date this weekend?”

“Yes,” Adam said indignantly. “I want to have options. And I’ve got plenty of time because I’ve got a real job unlike you ladies.”

His gloating earned him a punch in the arm by Syd on behalf of her fellow grad students. Adam was Maya’s cousin, her mother’s sister’s son. And since they were both only children, they were more like siblings. They were always mistaken for brother and sister growing up due to being attached at the hip. Their shared family traits of height, round brown eyes, and matching toothy smiles probably didn’t hurt either.

Syd became their third wheel when she moved from Alabama to Atlanta in the middle of sixth grade, and they invited the new girl to eat lunch with them then quickly bonded over their love of music, especially ladies like Kelly, Rhianna, Taylor, and Beyonce. After high school, Adam stayed in Atlanta for college then went straight to work as a graphic designer, while she and Syd went off to Vanderbilt where they adopted Darby into their circle when she was randomly assigned to share a dorm room with them freshman year. Syd and Darby went back to Atlanta for grad school while Maya continued her journey up the East Coast, but for one summer, they were all in one place and, for the most part, loving it.

“What?” Adam rubbed his arm. “I’ve got disposable income and my own place, and I’d like to find someone to enjoy that with.”

“Then not the analyst,” Maya suggested. “There’s a reason he has a cat and not a dog. He’s never home and won’t commit to a real relationship.”

“You are so pessimistic.”

She met Adam’s proclamation with a twisted grin. “No, I’m so realistic.”

“I’d listen to Maya. She’d know because she’s like the analyst,” Darby pointed out, like the psychiatrist-in-training she was.

“Oh, she so is. All work and no play these days,” Syd agreed. Maya protested across the table. “Sorry, Maya, but it’s true. This is not your fun girl era. Okay, so not the analyst then. What about this guy you’re working with?”

Maya stared at her friend. “Are you serious?”

“Very. What’s he like? Any potential there?” Syd smiled innocently and flipped her auburn curls over her shoulder then nodded toward Adam. “Just asking for a friend…or me.”

“He seems nice enough,” she answered with a sigh. “He’s got to be somewhat intelligent if he made it into law school at the University of Georgia,” she said, still trying to convince herself that there was hope for this associateship yet. Then again, who’s to say he didn’t know somebody there, too? Ugh. “He really puts the draw in drawl, though. He talks so slowly. Like he really draaaaws things out. And he’ll just stare out the window for minutes on end and go huh or would you look at that? Look at what? Who has time for that?”

Syd and Adam giggled like they were twelve again and back in the lunchroom. “You definitely do not have time for that,” Syd said, “but I might depending on how good looking he is.”

“Yeah, don’t leave us hanging,” Adam said.

“He looks…fine, I guess.” Yes, she had willfully understated his attractiveness because he was certainly above-average looking, but it didn’t seem appropriate to drool over her new co-worker.

Adam’s laugh busted wide open with Syd right behind him. “Dibs,” they shouted at the same time, trying to push each other out of the way as if Reed was actually there for the taking, and almost knocking their drinks over in the process.

Maya rolled her eyes and tried to swallow the laugh that wanted to bubble out of her. They knew her too well and saw right through her. Southern belle Syd did always have a thing for those cowboy types, and Adam just had a thing for good looking guys period. “I can’t with you two.”

“Maybe he’ll surprise you,” Darby said. “In a good way,” she added quickly.

“Maybe.” She agreed because it was difficult to ever go against her sweet friend. “It just stings because this was supposed to be my associateship, and it feels like I’m the third wheel to Reed and Al’s boys club,” Maya explained as she dropped back into the cushioned booth they were sitting in. “I’m wondering what I’ve gotten myself into.”

Syd scoffed from across the table. “You are the undisputed Queen of Intellectual Property Law among rising third year law students across the country.” Maya was skeptical, but Syd hushed her. “You are. No need to look it up because it’s a fact. This Reed guy has a lot to learn from you.”

“True. And please tell me, when have you ever not risen to the top and slayed everything you’ve ever done, from our first dance recital to high school track meets to getting into an Ivy league law school?” Adam added.

“You two are just trying to suck up to me to get his number,” Maya said over the rim of her wine glass.

Adam gasped. “Absolutely not. How dare you question my motives.”

“See? You have nothing to be worried about,” Darby said. “You’re gonna do great.”

“I’m not worried,” Maya insisted. “I’m just…” She pinched the stem of her glass between her fingers. “I’m disappointed.”

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