Page 14 of Heart of Stone

I put the pen down and did a little happy dance around the kitchen. This could be my opportunity to move on, a chance to step up to bigger and better things. The timing of this couldn’t be more perfect, as I had recently begun to feel discouraged over the lack of employment opportunities available in New York.

I wondered about the size of the firm and the starting pay. Anything was bound to be better paying than Wally’s. If I got the job, and found out that I didn’t like it or that the pay wasn’t what I had hoped, it was okay. All of it was inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. I would be working in my field and gaining experience to add to my résumé, something that it was seriously lacking.

I knew that I should probably get out my laptop and start researching Turning Stone Advertising. They had most likely gotten my résumé from one of those online job sites. But either way, it wouldn’t look very good if I showed up to the interview unprepared. I glanced over at the clock in the kitchen and frowned when I saw the time. I needed to get ready for my dinner with Allyson. Interview prep would just have to wait.

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I arrived at Murphy’s Irish Pub just a few minutes after seven. I scanned the crowd for Allyson. The tavern was packed tonight. The jukebox blared “The Rocky Road to Dublin” and I tapped my foot in time to the music. I spotted William Murphy, the owner of the pub, tending the bar. He saw me come in and waved me over. I smiled and headed towards him.

Peanut shells crunched under my feet as I navigated through the crush of people. William had once told me that he never cleaned up the shells, or he would risk revealing a sticky beer-stained floor to his customers. I personally thought the tale was a big fat lie. He was so meticulous about his place, not a detail was forgotten. From the antique wooden barrels of Jameson to the vintage Michael Collins posters, I was sure that the floors were mopped to a sparkling gleam at the end of every night.

“A pint of Guinness for the lady?” William asked when I reached him.

“Sorry, Will. Wine only for this girl – you know that,” I chided.

“Aye, lassie!” he said with a feigned Irish brogue. “One day I’ll get you to come over to the dark side.”

I grimaced and stuck my tongue out – I hated the taste of beer.

William let out a loud, boisterous laugh. “Okay, not today then. Since you won’t go for a nice stout, what else can I get for you my dear?”

“Actually, nothing at the moment. I’m meeting Allyson tonight for dinner.”

“She’s already here,” he said as he pointed to the back of the pub. I looked over and saw her seated at a corner table.

“Thanks, Will. I’ll catch you later.”

I made my way over to where Allyson was sitting. She waved when she saw me approaching.

“I ordered you a glass of white already,” she said after I sat down.

“That’s my girl,” I said with a wink.

Allyson gave me a smile in return, showing off her pearly whites. She was a natural beauty; so pretty that she turned the heads of men everywhere we went. She had sparkling emerald green eyes that lit up whenever she laughed. She wore her blond hair long, never trimming more than an inch off at a time. Her hair was effortlessly straight, and I was often envious of her shower and go abilities.

“So, did you find your phone charger?” I asked her.

“How did you know that I lost my charger?” she questioned back, narrowing her eyes and sounding slightly defensive.

“You left me a note. You only do that when your charger is missing and your phone is dead,” I teased.

“I just forgot that it was in my gym bag,” she mumbled with a scowl. I busted out laughing.

“You’ve already used that excuse, Ally,” I goaded, my eyes threatening to spill tears of laughter. The truth was, Allyson lost just about everything,and I loved to pick on her about it.

“It’s not funny, Krys! You try going almost twenty-four hours without a phone. It sucks!” she exclaimed earnestly, but I could see that she was fighting back a smile.

The waitress came over to take our food order, breaking up our playful banter. As appealing as the chicken finger basket sounded, I stuck with the grilled chicken salad. Allyson, not one to have to worry about counting calories, ordered a burger and fries. I didn’t know how she could eat that stuff and not add a single ounce to her petite frame. I’d be on the treadmill for a week if I ordered that.

“So tell me – what’s your good news?” I asked curiously after our orders had been placed. I loved hearing about Allyson’s latest and greatest.

“Well,” she drawled out. “I landed the photography job with Ethan DeJames.”

“That’s great, Ally! I’m so happy for you!” I reached over and gave her a one-armed hug. Ethan DeJames was one of the fastest growing fashion designers in New York, with brand new offices in Paris and Milan. This was great news, as well as a big step in the right direction for my friend.

“It’s great to know that I’ll have a good steady income coming in now. I loved freelancing, but it was too tough waiting for the next job to come in.” She held up her glass to me. “Drinks on me tonight, babe!” We clinked our glasses and I took a sip of wine. There was an impish glint in her eyes that led me to believe there was more to her news than just a job.

“So what else do you have to tell me?”

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