Marissa couldn't control her excitement. Today she
would be interviewing for her dream internship. As only a sophomore, everyone
had told her not to get her hopes up, but here she was about to prove them all
wrong. She had been preparing for this interview for months. She was ready and
she knew she could do this job and do it well. It was her passion to work on
forest conservancy and she had heard so many good things about the company and
its founder, Russell Branch.
And it wouldn't even take her away from her fiancé for
the summer. She and Jake would be close enough that they could still visit.
Everything was definitely going to be perfect.
She dressed carefully for the interview, wanting to
give the manager a good idea of her professionalism. But when she arrived, it
wasn't an HR manager who met her at all. It was Russell Branch.
"Sir," Marissa stammered, feeling almost like
she should courtesy. "This is a huge honor."
"Please call me Russell." He smiled, and she
found herself immediately drawn to his warm green eyes. "And it's my
foundation after all. I oversee all hiring. I only want people here who really care
about the wilderness. This forest we oversee is very dear to me for personal
reasons."
"Oh, I do love it sir. Russell." Marissa
forced herself to stop babbling.
He laughed and offered her his hand. "And you are?"
"Marissa Edward, sir. Russell."
She took his hand to shake it. The connection immediate
and electric. Something was between them. She couldn't have said what, but it
made her weak in the knees.
She forced her mind back to the interview. What was
wrong with her? She was happy with Jake and this man would be her boss, for goodness
sake.
"Shall we begin?"
He held the door open for her, still smiling. And
though Marissa couldn't have said in what way, his expression had changed
subtly as though he had noticed something about her, too. Maybe it had been her
imagination.
It didn't matter. She was here for her dream job.
Marissa squared her shoulders. "Yes. I'm ready. We
have a lot to cover, Russell."
His delighted laugh followed her into the room.
~
First day. Time to get up.
Marissa stared at the ceiling and tried to summon the
passion she had felt only a few short months ago. Where was her drive, her
enthusiasm?
Or maybe Jake had taken those from her, too.
It came out of the blue two weeks ago. "I don't
love you anymore," he'd said, and taken back his ring. "I don't think
this can work."
He left then, and left her devastated. Worse, she knew
the real reason he was leaving, and it made her feel even more like a fool.
She was pregnant. She had only told him a few weeks
ago, but she had expected Jake to be happy that they were starting their family
so soon. Instead, he had blanched and asked her if she was really going to keep
it.
Marissa couldn't even think off giving up her child. Even
though she had only been pregnant a short time, she already loved her child with
a fierceness that was frightening in its depth and intensity.
But she had truly thought he would come around. She had
never thought he would leave her.
Swallowing against tears, Marissa forced herself out of
bed. Her baby needed food, and her amazing internship awaited her. Everything would
amazing again, she just had to remember that.
And Russell Branch had been so kind to her. It would definitely
be a pleasure to work with his team. And for such a good cause. Her baby would
be proud of her someday.
Feeling reassured, Marissa went to get dressed.
~
To her surprise, Russell came himself to welcome her.
She blushed at the warmth in his smile, feeling like this whole job was a
dream. How was a billionaire - a busy billionaire, with his own company and
non-profit - so down-to-earth and willing to talk to her? She had been certain
he would have forgotten her, or would at least take a moment to place her, but
here he
would be interviewing for her dream internship. As only a sophomore, everyone
had told her not to get her hopes up, but here she was about to prove them all
wrong. She had been preparing for this interview for months. She was ready and
she knew she could do this job and do it well. It was her passion to work on
forest conservancy and she had heard so many good things about the company and
its founder, Russell Branch.
And it wouldn't even take her away from her fiancé for
the summer. She and Jake would be close enough that they could still visit.
Everything was definitely going to be perfect.
She dressed carefully for the interview, wanting to
give the manager a good idea of her professionalism. But when she arrived, it
wasn't an HR manager who met her at all. It was Russell Branch.
"Sir," Marissa stammered, feeling almost like
she should courtesy. "This is a huge honor."
"Please call me Russell." He smiled, and she
found herself immediately drawn to his warm green eyes. "And it's my
foundation after all. I oversee all hiring. I only want people here who really care
about the wilderness. This forest we oversee is very dear to me for personal
reasons."
"Oh, I do love it sir. Russell." Marissa
forced herself to stop babbling.
He laughed and offered her his hand. "And you are?"
"Marissa Edward, sir. Russell."
She took his hand to shake it. The connection immediate
and electric. Something was between them. She couldn't have said what, but it
made her weak in the knees.
She forced her mind back to the interview. What was
wrong with her? She was happy with Jake and this man would be her boss, for goodness
sake.
"Shall we begin?"
He held the door open for her, still smiling. And
though Marissa couldn't have said in what way, his expression had changed
subtly as though he had noticed something about her, too. Maybe it had been her
imagination.
It didn't matter. She was here for her dream job.
Marissa squared her shoulders. "Yes. I'm ready. We
have a lot to cover, Russell."
His delighted laugh followed her into the room.
~
First day. Time to get up.
Marissa stared at the ceiling and tried to summon the
passion she had felt only a few short months ago. Where was her drive, her
enthusiasm?
Or maybe Jake had taken those from her, too.
It came out of the blue two weeks ago. "I don't
love you anymore," he'd said, and taken back his ring. "I don't think
this can work."
He left then, and left her devastated. Worse, she knew
the real reason he was leaving, and it made her feel even more like a fool.
She was pregnant. She had only told him a few weeks
ago, but she had expected Jake to be happy that they were starting their family
so soon. Instead, he had blanched and asked her if she was really going to keep
it.
Marissa couldn't even think off giving up her child. Even
though she had only been pregnant a short time, she already loved her child with
a fierceness that was frightening in its depth and intensity.
But she had truly thought he would come around. She had
never thought he would leave her.
Swallowing against tears, Marissa forced herself out of
bed. Her baby needed food, and her amazing internship awaited her. Everything would
amazing again, she just had to remember that.
And Russell Branch had been so kind to her. It would definitely
be a pleasure to work with his team. And for such a good cause. Her baby would
be proud of her someday.
Feeling reassured, Marissa went to get dressed.
~
To her surprise, Russell came himself to welcome her.
She blushed at the warmth in his smile, feeling like this whole job was a
dream. How was a billionaire - a busy billionaire, with his own company and
non-profit - so down-to-earth and willing to talk to her? She had been certain
he would have forgotten her, or would at least take a moment to place her, but
here he
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