“No, and I hope never to have one.”
“No, no, they’re good,” Caleb insists. “They’re fruit flavored and melt in your mouth.”
“I’m not sold on this.”
“My favorites are shrimp and bananas.”
“Ewww,shrimp?” I shriek.
He laughs, a deep rumbling from his chest.
“No, they aren’t shrimp flavored. Shrimp looking butfruitflavored.”
“No. Hard pass.”
“We’ll have to do another interview where you try them.”
Another interview.More time with Caleb.
I might be able to choke down a foam shrimp that tastes like fruit for that opportunity.
We talk for an hour, and then I conclude the interview. As soon as the camera is shut off, Melody comes around to unhook the wireless mics and get the transmitters each of us was wearing.
Caleb remains seated as Derna takes down the camera. He clears his throat. “That was really good,” he says softly. “Thank you for that.”
“You can say it was weird,” I prompt, smiling at him.
He laughs softly. “Yeah, it was weird, but it was fun.”
I rise from my seat, and he does, too. I lead the way back into the villa, and we’re immediately greeted by Catherine and Bethany, then by The Downforce Network bigwigs.
We do the small-talk thing, and Caleb makes a point to tell my potential bosses that I was a great interviewer and he enjoyed doing it. He also assures Catherine and Bethany it went well, nothing top secret passed his lips, and he thinks he might have come across as likeable.
“You definitely did. Until you talked about foam shrimp.”
“You told her you eatfoam shrimp?” Catherine asks. “That came up?”
A mischievous glint enters his eyes. “I’ve learned with Isla to expect the unexpected. Terribly cliché, but terribly true.” Then he smiles, and happiness fills me.
Soon I’m escorting them to the door. “Thank you for giving me this interview. It means everything to me.”
“You’re welcome,” Caleb replies. Then he pauses, looking like he wants to say so much more, but can’t.
And what scares me is how badly I wish I could hear it.
“Good luck this weekend,” I say, extending my hand to him. He grasps it, and I feel sparks the second his skin touches mine.
“Thank you,” he says, releasing my hand. Then he turns to get into a waiting Collings Motors luxury SUV, pausing and saying something to Catherine before he slips inside. Bethany gets in next, but I hear Catherine call out before I’m about to step back inside the villa. “Isla!”
I turn around, and she hurries toward me. “Yes?” I ask.
She reaches into the pocket of her pants and then presses something into my hand. “From Caleb. Only I know about it. Look at it when you’re alone.” Then she hurries back to the car.
My heart gallops inside my chest. I can feel beads in my hand, like a bracelet. I slip it into my pocket, go inside, and talk a little more. I hear Derna and Melody praising my interview, saying it was irreverent and fun, and Caleb opened up in it. I can tell the higher-ups are pleased. I finally take a moment to excuse myself and slip inside the bathroom. As soon as I lock the door behind me, I pull out what I’ve been holding inside my pocket. It’s a friendship bracelet, and my heart races when I see there’s something spelled out for me to read:
Coffee tonight?
I gasp as I see the question staring back at me.