Page 35 of Rare Blend
“You’re in luck. Edgar left behind all of his supplies and equipment.”
If by supplies he means a bundle of old BIC pens held together with a rubber band and some crusty highlighters with missing lids, then yes, there were definitely supplies left behind. And the equipment consists of a paper shredder and a ten key calculator. None of these things are useful.
“Anyway, I’ll let you get settled. We do a team huddle at nine. You’ll meet everyone else then.”
My stomach churns, charged with nerves and caffeine. I fire up my laptop and work on getting connected to the Wi-Fi while also trying my best to not watch the door. What will they be like? Will they be nice? Will they like me? Hillary claims I have a people-pleasing problem and an innate need for everyone to like me. I would argue that most people are like that. Who doesn’t want to be liked? It’s perfectly normal to want others to accept you. Do I sometimes go out of my way to get someone to accept and like me? Yes. But I’m not over the top about it.
Over the next hour, people filter in. The first is a woman who looks about ten years older than me. She takes the desk to the left of mine and introduces herself as Suzy. Everyone makes it a point to come introduce themselves to me and tell me how much they like my dad. That’s no surprise, he’s always been well likedby colleagues. Around nine, they all start to gather around the chairs and couch set up near the kitchen, so I follow suit.
My dad stands before the small group in this very casual-looking meeting.
“Okay, team, before we get started, I want to introduce you to our newest reporter. If you haven’t met her yet, this is Marisa. Be extra nice to her, because not only is she our newest rookie, but she’s also my daughter.”
Everyone gives me a wave or head nod of acknowledgment.
“Alright, now down to business. It’s a slower week, but as you all know, October is our busy month, so don’t get too comfortable.”
I learn what everyone’s roles are during the meeting. Suzy is the opinion reporter. Bryce covers sports. He’s called me kiddo twice, and I’m still determining if it’s a term of endearment or an insult. Raquel is the office manager. She brought in a basket of muffins, instantly making me a fan. Then there’s TJ, who handles advertising, and Krista is an intern. Mario and Hannah are the other two reporters. Overall, it’s a lot fewer people than I’m used to, but also a lot more autonomy. And no one seems to mind that I’m the boss’s daughter. I was fully prepared for some animosity.
“For assignments this week,” my dad starts. “Bryce, you’ll be covering the parks and recreation football tournament. And Marisa, you have your first assignment. You’ll be doing a profile on Ethan Ledger and his new role as CEO of Ledger Estate Winery.”
He continues doling out assignments, but his voice fades to the background as my nerves begin to bundle. He couldn’t have given me something a little easier? Something simple?
“Let’s go chat in my office.” my dad says to me after the meeting wraps up.
I walk in, closing the door behind me, and take a seat.
“I—”
“Can—”
We both speak at the same time and then laugh, awkwardness hanging between us.
“You go first,” he says.
“About the assignment. The thing with Ethan.”
He nods, leaning back in his chair.
“Wouldn’t that be better suited for someone else? It’s just that Ethan and I didn’t get off on the best foot, and I don’t think he would be very receptive to me.”
I’m putting it mildly. Trying to interview Ethan, especially after what happened yesterday, would be a disaster. We can’t seem to coexist without pissing each other off. And it’s all his fault. I would be perfectly friendly and stay out of his way, but he’s so prickly he can’t seem to stop poking me.
“There’s a reason I gave you that assignment. It’s actually why I called you in here.”
This must be related to the special project he mentioned this morning. “Okay, what’s going on?”
“A few years ago, we had a quarterly magazine insert calledThe Vinethat accompanied the paper. It would highlight the local wine industry, do pieces on community members, advertise upcoming events. It was an enormous hit, but the gal who ran it ended up leaving for greener pastures and it pretty much died with her. I’d like to bring it back, and I think you’d be just the person to revive it.”
“But, Dad, I’m not planning to stay here very long. Wouldn’t it be a bad idea to start a project when I’m not sure I’ll be around long enough to finish it?”
“Sweets…” He pauses, looking at me. “I understand your plans are up in the air, but I think you can handle one edition, and we’ll go from there. If we abide by the previous release schedule, you have until the end of October, so about three weeks, to get it together. I imagine that’s still within a window where you could manage it if you do get a job offer.”
“But I don’t know anything about it. I’ve never even seen it.”
He grins. “Check your email. I already sent over the archives.”
“But—”
