5
1046 Words
The moment Evan stepped out of Adrian Wright’s office, he felt like he could finally breathe again.
Not because the interview had gone badly.
At least, he didn’t think it had.
That was the problem.
He had no idea.
Claire gave him a polite smile as she walked him back toward the elevator.
“It was nice meeting you, Mr. Hayes.”
“And you too. Thank you for your time.”
“The team will be in touch.”
The words were professional.
Neutral.
Impossible to read.
And somehow, that made Evan even more nervous.
He stepped into the elevator and watched the doors close, finally allowing himself to release the breath he had been holding.
As he walked through the lobby, everything looked the same as when he arrived.
The marble floors.
The elegant decorations.
The quiet confidence of the employees moving around him.
But Evan felt different.
His mind was already replaying every second of the interview.
Why did you say pancakes?
He almost groaned at the memory.
Out of all the things he could have said.
His experience.
His hobbies.
Something impressive.
He chose pancakes.
“Brilliant move, Evan,” he muttered to himself as he pushed through the revolving doors.
Outside, the fresh air hit his face.
He walked toward his car, briefcase in hand, still thinking about Adrian’s reaction.
Or lack of one.
That man was impossible to read.
When Evan had answered his questions, Adrian had barely reacted.
When he challenged him, Adrian didn’t seem offended.
When he made the pancake comment…
Nothing.
Just that unreadable stare.
Evan unlocked his car and sat inside.
For a moment, he didn’t start the engine.
“Did I impress him or completely confuse him?”
He had no idea.
And somehow, that bothered him more.
⸻
By noon, Evan was sitting across from Yvonne at a small café not far from his apartment.
The moment she arrived, she dropped into the seat across from him and looked at him expectantly.
“Well?”
Evan raised an eyebrow.
“Hello to you too.”
She waved him off.
“Forget greetings. How did it go?”
A small smile appeared on his face.
“You really waited all morning to ask that?”
“Yes.”
He laughed.
“You’re impossible.”
“And you love me for it.”
He couldn’t argue with that.
Yvonne had been one of the few people who had stayed close when things became difficult. She had celebrated his successes, listened to his frustrations, and reminded him that losing his job wasn’t the end of the world.
“So?” she asked again. “Tell me everything.”
Evan leaned back in his chair.
“It was… interesting.”
Yvonne narrowed her eyes.
“Interesting good or interesting bad?”
“That’s the problem. I don’t know.”
He began explaining.
The building.
The office.
The interview.
Adrian.
Especially Adrian.
“He barely reacted to anything I said.”
Yvonne smiled.
“So he’s one of those people.”
“One of what people?”
“The intimidating billionaire type.”
Evan sighed.
“Exactly.”
She laughed.
“Did he ask you those weird CEO questions?”
“Actually, yes.”
“What kind?”
Evan hesitated.
“He asked me to tell him something that wasn’t on my résumé.”
Yvonne waited.
“And?”
“I told him I make excellent pancakes.”
There was silence.
Then Yvonne burst out laughing.
“You did not.”
“I did.”
“Evan.”
“I know.”
“You were interviewing for a job with a billionaire CEO, and you told him about pancakes?”
“He asked for something that wasn’t on my résumé.”
Yvonne wiped away a tear from laughing.
“Honestly? I kind of love that.”
“You do?”
“Yes. Because everyone probably walked in there trying to impress him. You answered like an actual person.”
Evan looked down at his coffee.
“I don’t know if that’s a good thing.”
“It is.”
She leaned forward.
“Listen. You have worked with executives before. You know what you’re doing. You weren’t disrespectful. You weren’t arrogant. You were just yourself.”
Evan smiled slightly.
“You sound very confident.”
“Someone has to be.”
He laughed quietly.
The conversation continued for a while, moving between the interview, Yvonne’s breakup, and everything else happening in their lives.
But even while he laughed, a small part of Evan’s mind remained elsewhere.
Back in that office.
Back with Adrian Wright.
Wondering if he had just met the man who could change his future…
Or the man who would send him another rejection email.
⸻
That evening, Evan sat on his couch with his laptop open.
Another application.
Another company.
Another possibility.
He had learned not to put all his hope into one opportunity.
Still, every few minutes, his eyes drifted toward his phone.
Nothing.
He told himself it didn’t matter.
He told himself he would be fine either way.
But when the phone finally rang, his heart jumped.
An unfamiliar number appeared on the screen.
Evan sat up.
For a moment, he simply stared.
Then he answered.
“Hello, Evan Hayes speaking.”
“Good afternoon, Mr. Hayes. This is Claire Bennett from Wright Hospitality Group.”
His grip tightened slightly around the phone.
“Hello, Claire.”
There was a brief pause.
“We’ve completed our review process, and I’m calling regarding the position you interviewed for.”
Evan held his breath.
“We’d like to offer you the position of Executive Assistant to Mr. Adrian Wright.”
For a moment, he couldn’t speak.
All the applications.
All the waiting.
All the uncertainty.
It suddenly felt worth it.
“Mr. Hayes?”
A smile slowly spread across his face.
“Yes. I’m here.”
“Do we have your acceptance?”
Evan looked around his small apartment.
A few weeks ago, he had been wondering how long his savings would last.
Now, he had a new opportunity.
A new beginning.
“Absolutely.”
After the call ended, Evan sat there quietly.
Then he smiled.
Maybe Yvonne had been right.
Maybe everything was finally changing.
- Writer
