Page 96 of A Whole New Play

I back up and keep my eyes on the erratic vehicle.

“Do you think you’d be willing to sit down to discuss the job?” Will asks.

I continue to watch the car as I debate my answer to his question.

I’m committed to being Carter’s nanny through the season. The Rough Riders will make it to the playoffs, but even if they go to the Super Bowl, the season ends in February. I need to figure out what I’m going to do next sooner rather than later.

And while I’m pretty sure I don’t want to move to California, I told myself I’d be willing to take risks. There’s no harm in hearing Will out. Who knows? It could be the opportunity of a lifetime.

“I think I can do that,” I answer.

“That’s great.”

Tires screeching draw my gaze back to the sports car. I gasp, momentarily frozen as I see the red car drive into the grass. It’s heading straight for me.

“Valerie!” Will shouts through the earpiece. “Are you okay?”

His voice snaps me out of my daze and I make a run for the barbed wire fence that runs alongside the road. I slip through the fence, wincing when the sharp wire slices my back, but it’s better than being hit by a car.

I spin back around once I’m on the other side of the fence and see the red car swerve back onto the road before it hits the fence. The windows are tinted so dark I can’t make out the identity of the driver. But that doesn’t stop me from scowling fiercely at the driver’s side, mentally cursing the stranger with every colorful expletive I can think of.

“Valerie?” Will calls. Somehow, I managed to keep the phone gripped in my fist during my run. “Is everything okay?”

My chest heaves with rapid breaths, but I try to keep my voice even when I say, “Yeah. An idiot just ran me off the road.”

“Jesus. Are you hurt?”

“No.” The cuts on my back are nothing. It could’ve been so much worse.

I release the scowl scrunching my face and clear my throat, forgetting about the idiot who nearly killed me. “I’m fine.”

“Good.” He pauses for a second. “So… are you interested in working for me and Henry?”

I wouldn’t say I’m uninterested.

I need to figure out my next move eventually, and while I might not be willing to move to California, there’s never any harm in getting extra interview practice. But before I commit to an interview, I should know more about what I’m interviewing for.

“That depends.” I duck back under the barbed wire and continue walking down the road, back toward Carter’s. “Tell me more about this job.”

30

VALERIE

Chief Financial Officer

Will is considering me as the Chief Financial Officer for his startup.

I still can’t believe it.

When he told me he wanted to discuss hiring me, I thought it would be for an average accounting job. Not the highest level position I could ever hope to reach in my career.

The possibility is surreal.

I tried to tell Will I wasn’t qualified. I told him that while I consider myself a skilled accountant, I have no idea how to manage the financial portfolio of an entire company.

Sure, I learned the theory behind developing strategies to meet a company’s goals in college, and I may have put the theory to practice on a small scale while working in Houston, but I’ve never shouldered the responsibility without someone higher up to guide me. The thought of doing so now is daunting.

But, if I’m being perfectly honest, it’s also a little exciting.

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