A tall man approaches Lisa. He gives the appearance of danger, a bad boy. His dark brown eyes are strong and seductive, but also show a hint of mischief; his dark hair is like deep waves that she wouldn't mind riding; his frame is so firm and perfectly fit that she imagines sweat running down his chiseled chest and cut abs; his lips are longing, begging to be kissed; his cologne is intoxicating; and his button-down white shirt, fresh from the cleaners and providing a nice contrast to his dark hair, is accented with a brilliant red tie. The tie has black lines, in sporadic patterns, scattered throughout. He smiles, showing perfect teeth. To say that he looks like he hasn’t missed the gym a day in his life would be an understatement.
“Hello, Lisa. My name’s Samuel Clayton. I’m the CEO of Elite PR & Marketing. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He reaches out, presenting his hand to Lisa. She smiles, feeling a little blush touch her cheeks as she shakes his hand. His handshake is firm, but his skin feels like silk.
Clearing her throat, she says, “Hello, Mr. Clayton. It’s a pleasure to be here today.”
“Please, call me Samuel,” he says, smiling.
She nods to him, smiling slightly. “Thank-you, Samuel.”
Steven, the marketing director, smiles and nods at her. She’s met with him previously so having him here today provides a sense of relief, like a friendly familiar face. Steven is also tall, but maybe an inch shorter than Samuel; his salt-and-pepper hair accents his light blue eyes; his goatee gives him a youthful appearance; his grey dress shirt is accented with a blue tie, bringing out his eyes and reminding Lisa of a country sunrise. He appears to look strong, but not as fit as Samuel. She reaches over to shake his hand. “Steven, it’s great seeing you again.”
“Likewise, Lisa.” He smiles and looks over at Samuel.
Steven walks towards the table. “Lisa has great potential with us, Samuel." He motions to the leather chairs pushed against the table. "Shall we?” The oval conference table is set up with coffee, and various assortments of bagels and cream cheese.
Samuel pulls out a chair for Lisa and she takes a seat. Steven picks up a remote and presses a button, sending down blinds over the windows. "The sun can blind us in here at times.” Steven chuckles, sets the remote down, then takes his seat next to her.
She nods in appreciation. “Thank-you.”
Leaning over, she opens the top of her black briefcase, reaches in, and pulls out her resume and a couple copies of her portfolio, laying them on the table. Samuel picks one up and begins to thumb through it.
Lisa watches him for a moment and then turns to Mariah, who has returned to the room. Lisa smiles up at her, not realizing that she had even left. Mariah steps towards the table and begins pouring three cups of coffee, handing one to Lisa first. “Thank-you.” Mariah smiles, then turns to leave, closing the doors behind her. Lisa reaches over for the cream and sugar, lifting a few spoonful’s of each into her cup, then stirs. Setting the spoon down, she takes a sip and then places her cup back onto the table.
Samuel turns his attention back to Lisa. “Tell us about some of the clients and parties you have booked in the past. How were they successful?”
He places two spoons of sugar into his cup. Stirring it, he takes a sip. Looking down at her portfolio, Samuel begins looking through it again. Lisa explains some of the clients she's booked, the parties she's hosted, and the events that went on without a hitch.
“Gentlemen, please take a look through my portfolio of events. I trust you’ll see the level of expertise I’ve used. No matter who the client is, everyone is important. Nothing is out of my limits. Everyone has a weakness. I find out what that might be and play it to my advantage.” She grins, as they look through her portfolio. “I also understand that not everyone needs to be bribed.” She shrugs. “It never hurts, though.” She smiles, and Samuel chuckles. “Having the client being presented by Elite PR & Marketing would be name dropping alone.”
Samuel nods, as he reviews her portfolio. “Lisa, this is quite impressive. I understand where Steven was coming from now. He’s spoken very highly of you.” Lisa grins and feels her face blush slightly.
Looking up to catch her gaze, Samuel sets her resume down. “Let me get down to it. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to climb to the top? To be number one?”
She nods with confidence. “Absolutely. I strive for perfection.” Samuel and Steven both smile. She intertwines her fingers and sets them in her lap, crossing her legs.
“Excellent. You would be willing to sell yourself to make this happen? Do whatever it takes to be successful?” Samuel raises his brows.
“Absolutely. I value my career. I love PR and would give everything I am, everything I have, to be successful here.”
Samuel’s eyes gleam with a hue of red that flashes so fast, Lisa believes she may have imagined it. Steven stands and strides across the room, grasping a contract. Coming back to the table, he hands it to Samuel. “Then welcome to the company, Lisa. We’re honored to have you on board.” Samuel hands the contract to her.