Page 87 of A Sudden Romance

“You’re very talented.” Kyle dabbed a napkin on his mouth. “Why do you think we wanted to fund your restaurant?”

“I’m not going to leave until everything is in place.”

“Not to worry.” Regina patted his hand. “We’ll be fine. Nowadays, most restaurants deliver. So, as long as we have a property manager, we’re good.”

And he’d needed that assurance to get through the virtual interview two days later. The hardest question was why he was a chef applying for a janitor position.

Sabastian told the manager he wanted to be close to his girlfriend and hoped to grow with the company if ever a chef position became available. He knew better than to answer that he was using them until he found something better. That seemed to work, and the man asked if he’d be willing to have an in-person interview in the second week of February.

“It will be an honor, sir,” Sabastian said, and the man scratched his salt-and-pepper beard with a promise to see Sabastian in two weeks.

Since when did they take janitorial interviews so seriously? What if he’d applied as a chef? What kind of interview would he undergo?

Closing his computer, he was on a roller coaster of emotion. Fear, although creeping in, wasn’t an emotion he initiated. Losing Iris topped all the fears he’d ever had. And to avoid that, he’d scale any mountain. So he’d be using the next two weeks to kick up his prayer life as he browsed for apartments. Whether he got hired as a janitor or not, he wanted to be ready to move to Boston. There, he’d get a job—any job, even if he worked at a gas station.

Now, what he needed to worry about was whether Iris would want him back.

CHAPTER 20

Time stood still, and days dragged on as Iris kept busy. Not just because her job demanded time but also because she needed a distraction, which was becoming more challenging this week when the party planning committee decorated every common room with hearts.

She dragged her focus from the paper hearts strung across the lunchroom and gazed instead at the cloudy Boston skyline. Boston didn’t have the tallest buildings like some of the cities in the US, but it had a classic and unique view.

“I was also wondering....”

Right. She refocused on the staff and interns around the conference table. Though she sat at the head of the table facing everyone, she had no idea who started to ask the question. The food before each attendee filled the room with a savory aroma, but her taste buds were jumbled today. Could be the mild stomach cramps.

“Someone was asking?” she prompted.

“The issue of liability.” The short young intern with glasses raised his hand. “While I’m here, will I be covered by the company should a client file a lawsuit against me?”

“At Perceive Architects, we have a team of lawyers.” Iris continued to explain what was covered and the role employees could play to take protective measures.

The clang of knives and forks hitting the plates offered a productive sound while she spoke.

As another intern asked about the firm’s current project, Iris moved her cheese and crackers aside. It didn’t sound as appealing as it had earlier. With a mild headache threatening to escalate, she’d almost canceled today’s lunch and learn. She coordinated them twice a month, and the company offered free lunches to encourage staff members to attend. Iris kept it low-key as they discussed materials, processes, and projects as well as general industry knowledge and their current projects. This offered another great opportunity for architects to share knowledge while helping aspiring architects accumulate experience.

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