Page 13 of Brittle Heart

After a while of working in comfortable silence, Sophia breaks it by asking, “You’re in your last year, right?”

I glance up from what I am doing, answering, “Yes, that’s correct.”

She nods. Then, with a curious expression, she asks, “And can you see yourself working here?”

“Absolutely. More than just that, it has been my dream to work here. It’s the reason I chose to study this subject in the first place.”

A smile crosses her face. “That’s good to hear. You know, I just got promoted to the youngest team leader in this department. I can assemble my own team now. I’m aware that you and your classmates will soon be searching for jobs after graduation, and I don’t want you to consider other options. I want you to be part of my team.”

My eyes widen in disbelief. “Me? But we’ve only been working together for a few hours.”

Sophia smiles. “I have a good sense of people, and I see potential in you. I believe in your abilities and what you can bring to the team. You have a lot to offer.” I’m taken aback by her confidence in me. “You don’t know how many incompetent people I’ve worked with so far,” she says with a chuckle. “I can see that you know what you’re doing. You handle the equipment with care, you clean up after yourself, and Susanne spoke highly of you. She’s a good friend of mine, and I trust her judgment.”

I’m about to open my mouth to thank her when the door opens and two officers enter without knocking. I mend my face into my usual bored expression and stand straight. The taller of them, he’s maybe six foot one, is an attractive guy with short brown hair, longer on top, some dark stubble, full lips, and brown eyes. He crosses his muscular arms over his chest and grins at me.

I steel myself. It’s almost always the too-hot-to-be-true guys that are the meanest.

He looks me up and down, commenting, “Oh, look, another one with way too many brain cells.”

My hackles rise, but I keep my face and tone bored when I answer, “Why, you need some?”

He looks at me with comically wide eyes before he starts to chuckle.

The guy beside him laughs out loud, and I turn to him. He is a bit shorter but still tall at maybe six feet and appears Korean, like Sophia. His black hair is tousled, making me want to push it out of his dark eyes. He smiles a beautiful smile at me, dimples showing, and handsome as hell.

He is still cackling when he asks, “Marry me?”

I look at Sophia, hoping this whole thing didn’t just make a negative impression. But all I get in response is a dismissive eye roll and an annoyed huff. “Carolina, the one just proposing to you is my younger brother, Josh, and the dumbass next to him is his partner, Clay,” she introduces.

Clay steps toward me, extending his hand as if he wants to shake mine. Yet, his hand swiftly retreats when I give it a critical look, crossing my arms over my chest.

“I was going to say it’s nice to meet you… but now I’m not so sure anymore.” He smirks.

Josh says in a kind voice, “Don’t mind him. It truly is nice to meet you, Carolina. Are you the new intern?”

“Yes, and she’s also my new teammate. I just hired her after graduation,” Sophia says. I turn to her, and she shoots me a grin.

“That’s awesome,” Josh says, his eyes full of interest as they lock onto mine. “We came to ask Sophia if she was down to grab an early dinner with us. You’re more than welcome to join. Looks like we’ll be bumping into each other more often now anyway.”

I don’t eat in front of others when I can avoid it.And let’s be real, I doubt I can afford the places they eat at.

“No, thank you,” I say.

Sophia searches my face before she nods. “Maybe next time. But grab your stuff and head out with us. Don’t want you getting lost in the maze already.”

“It’s only five,” I point out, double-checking my phone. Sophia had told me we’d be working until five thirty.

She just shrugs and says, “We should take it easy on day one. Feel free to head home.”

I’m not going to argue with that. Maybe I’ll have enough time to grab something to eat for Howie and me before my bar shift begins at six thirty.

I pick up my things and trail behind them out of the room. They’re chatting between themselves, so I hang back, but I catch how Josh shoots me a look over his shoulder.

As we reach the front desk, Sophia stops, and Margaret gives her a friendly smile.

“Did you have a good day, dear?” Margaret asks.

Sophia replies with a beaming smile of her own. “I did, thanks! How about you?”

---