Page 27 of All the Drama from New York

Royal as in the international Royal family. Billionaires who owned everything from hotel chains to cruise liners, and pretty much everything in between. They came from a world he could barely imagine.

Ryan was in awe of both of them. He’d met two members of the Royal family in one day.

He’d studied Bryce Royal at college, writing up a case study paper on Royal Resorts UK and their new resort build which had cleverly encompassed the ruins of an old Roman villa. The hotel in central England had won a slew of major architectural awards.

And Bryce is an investor in her design business. I wish I had a cousin who had a couple of hundred thousand dollars to invest in my project.

If getting fired this morning hadn’t made him feel like a complete loser, finding himself in the presence of two people who were wildly successful in their careers would have certainly done the trick.

Oblivious to his inner turmoil, a smiling Camille pointed to the large computer monitor which sat on her desk. “I’m doing great since Ryan began helping me with Hope’s spreadsheet. He’s made more sense of it in less than an hour than I did in four.”

Bryce’s eyebrows lifted. “That’s great news. Speaking of Hope, I did check with our IT team and all of her access to your systems has been cut off.”

He turned to Ryan. “You look like a guy who knows his way around a computer. You wouldn’t happen to be in the market for a job, would you, Mister Collins?”

How does beyond desperate for paid employment sound?

“Um. I could be,” replied Ryan.

Camille pointed at the computer monitor once more. “I don’t even know what you normally do for a job, but if you were looking for a short-term gig, say three to four months. I could seriously do with some help running things up to and including fashion week in mid-September. I’d pay you well.”

A well paid job that didn’t involve making coffee or dealing with demanding hotel guests. Could his luck be finally changing?

Please. Please universe, cut me a serious break.

If he worked with Camille, it would solve his short term money problems. And also give him a bit of a breather. Time he could use to have a long think about what he wanted for the future. A future which didn’t involve just making ends meet.

Take a chance Ryan. You have nothing to lose.

He met Camille’s gaze. It was time to be as honest as he could with her, then let Camille decide if he was still worth considering as a temporary employee.

“I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going this morning as my boss had just fired me. He wanted me to find a career away from working as a barista. I’d just hung up from telling my brother about it when I met your pile of fabrics.”

If she was in a bind needing a PA, and he was in a bind needing a job, maybe this could work. Short term gig. Problem solved. Everyone happy. But he had no experience in the fashion industry.

“Do you have a resume? Or what is it you Americans call them? Oh, a CV,” asked Camille.

Ryan nodded. “I could get mine updated and sent over to you later today. I might not know much about the fashion industry, but I work hard, and I learn fast. I have some referees from when I worked at the Marriott Hotel in Times Square who will vouch for me.”

Bryce Royal’s eyes lit up. “The Marriott is a good hotel. Very busy. How long did you work there?”

“Two and a half years. I worked in the concierge team, and then on the front desk for a short time.”

“What made you leave?” asked Bryce.

That his brother had pushed him into auditioning for a reality dating show which he’d been chosen for, but hadn’t won—wasn’t exactly the sort of thing a guy put on his CV.

The truth was he’d left the Marriott for the same reason he’d left other jobs over the years. He’d wanted more. Wanted a chance to prove himself. To feel like he’d actually done something with his life.

“It’s hard to move up the ladder when you don’t have a college degree. The big hotels are great training grounds but the only way into the management programs is through collegeaffiliations. I have two years of a bachelor’s degree, but I couldn’t afford to stay and complete it.”

He watched Bryce’s expression, waiting for the moment when it changed to one of bland disinterest. Ryan could read most people, and in this city, he was certain that even the garbage collection men had finished college.

Everyone has some sort of qualification. All except me.

A thirty hour barista training certificate didn’t hold much weight in a city where at last count there were some 3,700 coffee shops.

Ryan caught himself before he started any more negative self-talk. He comfortably held Bryce’s gaze, but he also quietly held his breath.

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