Page 10 of The Favorite Girl

“That sounds good.” I tapped my fingers nervously against the marble countertop and looked around, feeling awkward.

As if he could sense my uneasiness, he said, “Raina will be back soon. She’s dropping Kai off at his grandparents for a visit, but she said she’ll come help you get ready for your interview before heading to work.”

Nodding, I rolled my lips. I wondered what Jax did for work.

“You really want to work for the Ivory family?” He came around and sunk into the kitchen island stool farthest from the one I stood by.

“I really need a job and a live-in position… beggars can’t be choosers and all that. Truth be told, I don’t really know anything about them.” I pulled the chair out and took a seat.

“They are…”

“Good morning!” Raina appeared with a bright smile on her face. “DoorDash left this.” She lifted the bag of food and placed it on the counter before she hurried to the other side for plates.

“How’d you sleep, Demi?” She slid a plate toward me and looked back at her husband. I couldn’t tell what that look was, but it was something that had me feeling guilty even when nothing had happened.

“I slept better than I have in my life. Thank you so much.” I lifted the egg white sandwich with avocado and spinach.

“So glad to hear that.” Raina handed me a cup of coffee and took a sip of her own. “So, what were you both talking about?” she asked curiously.

“About the Ivor—” I began, but Jax cut me off quickly.

“Kai,” he filled in.

That was strange. Why couldn’t Raina know we were about to talk about the family she knew I had an interview with?

“Aw, Demi, I wish you could have spent more time with him. He’d have loved you.” Raina continued to drink her coffee. “So, I took the morning off to help you get ready for your interview.”

“Oh, you didn’t need to do that.” I looked up at her after eating my entire sandwich. Raina passed me her untouched meal and nodded.

“I’m full.” She lifted her coffee up. “And, Demi, I know I didn’t need to, but I really wanted to.” She smiled and walked toward her husband. Leaning down, she kissed him before coming toward me.

“After you finish up, we can go to my office. We have a medi-spa, so you can get a facial, and I’ll have my wax and nail lady meet us there to do the works.”

I didn’t know how to react, so instead, as usual, I just said what was on my mind without thinking. “Do you think that’s all necessary for a housekeeper interview?” I added an awkward laugh.

“Demi, you have to dress for the job you eventually want, not the job you’re qualified for.” Raina’s face shifted.

“Don’t let anyone put a barrier on you. Who knows, maybe you start there as a housekeeper and could land a significantly better job, eventually. Dr. Ivory has multiple practices and businesses, so he could easily promote you. Just for the record, you didn’t have to lie about interviewing for an assistant role.”

My cheeks warmed with embarrassment as I realized my own mistake.

“Okay,” I replied under my breath. I mean, she was right, but I highly doubted a girl like me, with zero education beyond high school, could magically break out and become like Raina.

Successful and rich people always assumed poor, unsuccessful people were unmotivated or not driven, but that wasn’t the truth. The majority of us would never have the same resources they did. That’s why the rags-to-riches stories are special; if it was the common occurrence, we’d never see it as a headline.

They didn’t get it, because they never lived it and would never have to. But damn, did they love acting as motivational speakers to the lowlives like me.

Loosening my shoulders, I finished my meal and drank two giant cups of water.

Raina didn’t know what it was like to drink water out of a dropper for days. Raina didn’t know what it was like to cut up a Twinkie into fourths to make enough meals to last you two days.

But I wasn’t going to say that; instead, I was going to smile and take her up on her fairy godmother role.

Because I desperately needed this job, and just like everything else in my life, all odds were stacked against me.

CHAPTER

EIGHT

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