Page 37 of Austen Persuaded

She’sjust a kid. Be professional.

“Well, to answer your question, that’s what I’d like to speak to the manager about.”

A deep voice from behind jolted me. “I’m Sai’s manager. How can I help you, Ms. …?”

I turned toward the voice. The man a few feet away from me was tall and broad-shouldered, dressed in a crisp button-down that made him look more corporate than bookish. His dark skin contrasted with the pale shelves behind him, but it was the stillness in his posture that caught me—not unkind, but measured—like someone who didn’t offer trust easily, especially to strangers walking in uninvited.

“I’m Annie York. It’s great to meet you.” I stuck out my hand, and he took it with reluctance, obviously unsure what to make of me. Itwas time to shine.“I’m actually here to talk about howIcan help your store, Mr. … ?”

His lips tightened almost imperceptibly. Perhaps he didn’t appreciate my showing up uninvited. I knew that bothered some people, as my roommates had told me repeatedly. But I was prepared. I had a secret weapon. Myself.

“Hakeem Carter. Sorry, Ms. York. We’re not currently hiring.” His voice was flat, as though the conversation were over.

I heard a scoff, and I knew it was Sai, probably gloating. Why didn’t the Bookshop staff seem to like me? Had I lost my touch? It was way too soon to give up, so I raised my chin. “Mr. Carter, I’d love to have 30 minutes of your time. Can we sit somewhere and chat?”

“I’m a busy manager, Ms. York. If you’re looking for a job selling books, perhaps try the Barnes & Noble across the street. Or Amazon.” Looking at me dismissively, he started to pivot on his heel.

“Mr. Carter, please,” I pleaded. The slight disdain in his eyes told me that I hadn’t fully succeeded in hiding my desperation. I took a deep breath. “Even 20 minutes would be nice. I could wait a bit, if you’re busy right now. I’d be happy to sit and wait.”

He observed my practiced smile and casual flipping of hair off my shoulders. But instead of feeling confident as I usually did, I got the uncomfortable feeling that he was seeing right through me now, though I didn’t know how. I was so good at this! Performing. Winning people over. Wasn’t I?

Finally, after a long silence, he nodded and said gruffly, “I’ll give you 10 minutes. I need to finish something first. Wait over at the cafe. And we don’t take loiterers, so I hope you can afford to buy a cup o’ something.”

I nodded, too fast, and smiled, this time genuinely. He was going to give me a chance! A real chance. I murmured a thank you as he turned to walk away, back toward his office presumably.

“You really impressed him,” Sai said in that flat tone. She was probably being sarcastic, but I wasn’t sure. Neither of them seemed the least impressed.

I simply smiled as best as I could manage and walked calmly toward the cafe, hoping I had enough cash in my purse for a coffee. I didn’t typically bring my credit cards everywhere, as I was too prone to overspending, usually on clothing.

Two and a half long hours later, the manager finally appeared in the cafe, catching sight of me and then strolling over to the counter, apparently to get his own coffee, or annoy me, or both. My annoyance level was already sky-high, not only because of the ridiculous wait but also because he’d never once appeared to tell me he was delayed or to apologize. I’d asked Sai at the register several times and even a very elderly-looking man stocking books, but neither of them knew their boss’s schedule, apparently. The last time I’d asked, I even detected a trace of sympathy from Sai before she quickly hid it with a smirk.

As I watched him chat with and even smile at the cafe workers, I grudgingly noticed he was objectively attractive. There was almost something a bit familiar about him, but I was probably imagining it. Handsome jerks were a dime a dozen, and I felt not a shred of attraction as I eyed him from a distance.

Finally, he appeared before me. “You’re still here.”

I smiled and gestured to the chair across from me. If he thought he could intimidate me, he was in for a surprise. I wasn’t Jacqueline York’s daughter for nothing.

He hesitated and then sat in the chair, placing his elbows on the table. “Ms. York, you wanted to meet?”

“Yes. I know you said you’re not hiring. But I was hoping I could tell you a little about myself and what I could bring to your business, before you just dismiss me.”

“Ms. York—”

“In fact, I insist. You said I could have 10 minutes, so I’m going to use them.” This was bold, even for me. But I wasn’t going to get anywhere with this guy without being demanding. I learned long, long ago that women who didn’t stand up for themselves didn’t have a chance in this world.

He waved his hand at me and grunted. “Goon then.”

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, sir,” I said, flashing another smile to smooth things over. “So, you could say I’m going through a rough patch in my life. I had to quit my work as a freelance editor recently for personal reasons. I have a bachelor’s in English, and I’m good at editing, but I want to do something different, something that excites me. Something with books or publishing. I love reading. I don’t exactly know the exact career path I want, but I’m willing to start at the ground level, learn about the business of books, and find out what my path should be. If you need someone to mop your floors at night for minimum wage, I’d even do that. And I don’t want to work at Barnes & Noble. I want to workhere. This place is amazing.”

He was silent for so long that I assumed he wasn’t going to respond. Finally, he spoke. “We have a cleaning company that comes in after hours.” After another long pause, he added, “Even if we had a cash register or floor stocking position open, which we don’t, I can’t see you being a good fit.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Why not?”

“Look, I guess I applaud your willingness to work your way up in this business. But it’s not going to work out, at least not here. I can’t—”

What is it with this guy? Why does he hate me?

“Mr. Carter, may I ask you a question?”

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