Page 4 of Sunset Serenade
“Well…” The woman paused, nodding slowly, her shining dark hair reflecting light. “I’ve always been a romantic. A believer in true love, if you will.”
“That doesn’t sound very scientific,” the interviewer said with a laugh.
The woman smiled and paused again. “No. Like my twin sister always says, your choice of a romantic partner is the most important decision you’ll ever make. It needs to be based in reason.”
A researcher who took romantic whimsy and paired it with theory?
Craig leaned in, narrowing his eyes.
“Your twin?” The interviewer touched a hand to her chest. “Now there’s an important relationship.”
Craig looked at the name at the bottom of the screen – Dr. Rose Woodson, PhD, MFCC, author ofFind Your Perfect Match.
“Absolutely. She knows me better than I know myself, sometimes.”
This was it. The answer he’d been looking for, thepersonhe didn’t know he needed.
Craig snapped a picture of his screen and sent it to his assistant Lydia.
“Who’s this?” she texted back a moment later.
It was too much to type, so he called her. “Hey, it’s me.”
“I know. What’s up boss?”
“There’s a psychologist on KPXI 11 right now. Rose something…Rose Woodman? Can you grab her and tell her I need to talk to her?”
Their office was in the same building as KPXI, so it wouldn’t be too hard to catch her. Or, at least, he hoped it wouldn’t be.
“Sure, leaving now. What do you want me to say to her?”
Craig threw a fifty onto the counter and stood, grabbing his coat. “Tell her she’s got a job at SerenadeMe and I won’t take no for an answer.”
Chapter Three
After four minutes of rambling, the questions stopped, the microphone disappeared, and Rose was escorted back to the elevator.
“Thanks for your time today.” The woman flashed a smile as she pushed the “L” button.
Without a word, Rose got on, then stood staring, like cattle going to slaughter.
Of course, the slaughter had already happened.
The doors started closing on her face as she called out, “You too!”
The doors shut, and embarrassment washed over her. “You too?” she muttered to herself, shaking her head.
What had she even said during that interview? It was like she’d entered a fugue state and her subconscious had taken over. She had the vague memory of being fueled by Lillian and Lucy’s delusional praise but couldn’t remember a single full sentence that had come out of her mouth.
She could’ve told them anything. She may have rattled off her social security number, or where her ex-boyfriend had taken her on their last date, or a confession about a cupcake she’d stolen when she was seven.
The elevator dinged, the doors opening to the lobby.
Rose ran her hands over her suit jacket and took a breath. Whatever she’d said, it didn’t matter. It wasn’t her job interview –thatshe was sure of – so it wasn’t her problem. It was their problem once they figured out they’d gotten the wrong person.
Yeah. She had other things to worry about.
The doors opened and she walked out, catching sight of herself in the shining doors of the elevator across the hall. They were like a mirror, reflecting back her businesswoman look and the fake glasses she’d worn to look smart.
