by Haley Weir
“It sounds wonderful,” Ava said.
“Perfect. When I browsed your resume, I noticed you have a lot more experience than the agency requires. Although, it appears you have been out of work for a while?”
Ava dug her nails into the palm of her hand, reminding herself to stay calm. Of course she knew her work status. Better to get that out of the way at the very beginning of the conversation. “That’s correct. My previous company underwent restructuring and they decided to scale down the marketing department.”
Apparently, her team had done their job too well, and the company felt they were overstaffed. That decision hadn’t played well in the months since, as the company had to lay even more people off to compensate for their error. She decided to keep that information to herself for now.
“I’m truly sorry to hear that, Miss Douglas. Sometimes life knocks you down, but don’t ever let it keep you down.” Henrietta’s heartfelt sympathy surprised and touched Ava. Her previous workplace had been so corporate. Emotions and feelings were never discussed in the workplace. None of her co-workers attempted to console Ava as she packed up her desk; they were all too busy trying to get their work done for the day.
“Thank you for saying that. I really appreciate it. It’s been hard recently, but I trust the right job is out there for me,” she answered, feigning optimism for Henrietta’s benefit.
The phone interview went on for a little while, and they discussed Ava’s work history, her skill set, and what she thought she could bring to the marketing department and the company as a whole. The more she talked to Henrietta, the more she felt at ease. She was starting to believe that this really might be the job for her.
“It’s been a real pleasure speaking with you, Miss Douglas. Your experience would be a great asset to the Prince Dating Agency. I’d love to schedule an in-person interview with you in the next few days, if that sounds good to you?” Henrietta asked.
Ava nodded excitedly. She was thrilled the phone interview had gone so well. Maybe her good vibes hadn’t simply been wishful thinking. “Yes, my schedule is open, so I’m available for the interview whenever is convenient for you.”
The sound of Henrietta typing filled the line for a brief moment. “Perfect, thank you. Let me check my schedule. Hmm…how about Wednesday at 2:00 pm?”
“That sounds wonderful. I look forward to seeing you then. Thank you,” Ava managed before breaking out into a little dance around her living room. The two said their goodbyes and hung up. If all went well; she’d be able to start living her life again soon. She tightly held her cell phone against her chest and a sincere smile spread across her face for the first time in a while.
Chapter Two
Mason knocked on the open door of his father’s study. His father was the bear pack’s alpha, and it was a sign of respect to announce one’s arrival rather than barging into the alpha’s space. Mason knew how much his father enjoyed peace and quiet. He was reprimanded more times than he could count during his time as a rowdy cub growing up under his father’s stern tutelage.
As the oldest of the four Sinclair brothers, he was supposed set an example for his siblings. Mason did well enough, in his own opinion. He started his career at the ground floor and worked his way up the ranks of his father’s company. His dad believed that Mason shouldn’t be handed responsibility without proving he could handle it.
A year ago, he’d taken over his father’s company after his old man surprised everyone by deciding to retire. The family business was excelling under Mason’s leadership. Once his father was ready, Mason would take over his position as the pack’s next alpha as well. While he enjoyed the power and responsibility of running the family business, he was uneasy about the prospect of taking over the role of the pack’s alpha. The pack greatly respected his father, and rightfully so. But Mason questioned whether or not he had what it took to earn their loyalty. The intense pressure of filling his dad’s shoes made him nervous. Besides, an alpha needed to have a mate. They needed to provide heirs for the pack’s continued existence. Mason was almost positive that was why his father had called him into the study to talk.
His father Bradley waved him inside as he spoke on the phone. “Yes, Ted, I know you’re nervous. As I told you a few moments ago, you should speak with your mate about what to buy your daughter instead of your alpha. Sally will be able to help you pick out a baby shower gift for Jessica much better than I can.” The exasperated look on his face grew, and he shook his head. After a few more moments of talking to Ted, his expression hardened as he slipped into alpha mode.
My father cleared his throat. “Ted, I’ve told you what to do. You will talk with Sally, and she will help you. I’m thrilled your daughter is having her second cub, but I have to go. I’m hanging up now. Good day,” he explained, his voice firm as he ended the call. He turned to his son. “Ah, the joys of being an alpha who everyone feels like they can talk to. It’s aggravating at times, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. You can gain the respect and their support of your pack without being a bad guy. Being overly firm with bears can lead to conflict and stress, which I wasn’t as concerned with in my younger days, mind you. But I’m beyond all of that now. I just want to put my feet up and look for property in Florida. Your mother and I want to become snowbirds.” Bradley leaned back in his chair and nodded to Mason as he sat in one of the chairs facing his father’s ornate oak desk. “But you will need to come to your own conclusions about how to best lead the pack when I pass on this great responsibility to you.”
Just as Mason had suspected. He could feel Bradley building up to a lecture on the importance of settling down to find his mate. Still, he was a little shocked by what his father was saying now. His mom and dad were planning to make yearly trips to Florida…to be snowbirds? What would the pack do without Bradley for such long stretches of time? When were his parents planning to tell the pack about this? It blew Mason’s mind. Maybe that’s why his dad had increased the pressure recently.
“Dad, come on. Did you ask me here to talk about turning over the pack to me again? Why does it have to fall to me? What about Liam? He’s the next in line after me. He has a good head on his shoulders, and he would make a better leader. He’s COO now, and he’s done a phenomenal job.” He knew all of the postulating was useless; Mason understood his father’s position, and what his ultimate answer would be.
Bradley was the epitome of a Sinclair: handsome, stubborn, and decisive. The man knew what he wanted and when he wanted it. His strong paternal instincts allowed leniency at times, but the look in his father’s eyes told Mason that he shouldn’t even bother arguing now. It would only end poorly.
“Son,” his father began, placing his palms on his desk and leaning forward toward Mason. He adopted the same stern tone he had just used with Ted, “I respect what you and your brothers have done for our company, but do not tell me who should be leading this pack. I won’t have it. Our pack follows many ancient traditions that have helped us survive and blend in amongst humans. Are you willing to break those sacred traditions for your own selfish desires? Your generation doesn’t understand the hardships of your ancestors. You want your freedom, and you don’t want to be tied down by relationships and children. If your mother and I felt that way, none of you boys would’ve been born.”
“Dad, I don’t want to break tradition. I love our pack. They’re our family, and it’s not about having children. I’m just not ready to settle down right now. Instead of searching for a woman, I need time to grow and be a man for a while. I’ve worked hard for you all my life. Business is booming. Please, give me some credit and some space to live a little.”
Bradley gritted his teeth, clearly unhappy with Mason’s plea. “You might not want to settle down now, but tell me, when will that time come? Huh? When you’re thirty-five years old? Forty? Fifty? Love is a fickle beast. Our fathers matched your mother and I to form an alliance between our two packs. We love each other dearly now, but it wasn’t easy at the beginning.
” He held up a hand as if to dissuade any further argument. “I have no plans to put any of you boys through something like that, but for crying out loud, Liam is my only son who even has a girlfriend!” He slapped his hands on the desk with a loud bang. His arms shook with his barely contained anger. “You’re not even trying to find someone! If you don’t want to lose your standing with the pack and completely lose my respect, then you will find yourself a mate.”
Mason took a few steadying breaths before meeting his father’s gaze, keeping himself calm and to avoid escalating the argument. “The last thing I’d ever want to do is lose my place in the pack, and your respect means everything to me.” But none of that meant Mason wanted a mate. He kept his expression neutral, refusing to show weakness in front of his alpha. “I know it’s not easy to find someone. I’ve dated in the past, but I suppose I can keep my eyes open to potential mates.” His parents explained the trials and tribulations of their arranged marriage many times in the past. That wasn’t something any of his brothers ever wanted to experience.
Jeffery, one of the alphas down in Nevada, used to joke about what pretty children Bradley’s boys would make with Jeffery’s girls. His father would laugh and agree, but would always explain that an arranged marriage wasn’t what he wanted for his kids. He wanted his boys to find love organically. Jeffery ended up setting his two girls up with pack members in Utah and Arizona.
Bradley shook his head, and he slowly sat back in his chair. “That’s not good enough, son. By next month’s pack meeting, I want you to have someone. If you don’t, I’m afraid you will have to step down as CEO.” His father’s voice softened and broke a little when he said that last part. “That’s all I wanted to talk about. I need to take care of some more business before I need to get ready. Your mother and I are going on our weekly date tonight, and I don’t want to disappoint.”
Mason felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. It took a few moments before Mason could process his father’s words. He loved serving as the company’s CEO. How could his dad threaten to take away something he’d worked so hard for? He opened his mouth to respond, but he knew nothing he could say would change his fathers mind. “I hope you and Mom have a pleasant evening.”
Mason retreated from the room before his father could reply. He needed to be alone so he could make a plan. Deep in thought, he nearly slammed into his brother Liam, causing him to drop the pile of mail he was bringing inside for his parents.
“Whoa, Mason, slow down. What’s going on?” Liam said, picking up the buddle of letters off of the floor.
“I really don’t feel like talking about it right now.”
Liam placed the mail on the kitchen table and placed a hand on his older brother’s shoulders. “Pop talking about how you need a mate again?” He pulled out one of the chairs and motioned for Mason to take a seat. “Come to my office,” Liam joked. He sank into a chair beside Mason. “Now, tell me what’s going on.”
Mason ran his hands through his hair. “Yes, Dad gave me an ultimatum. He told me that if I don’t find a mate soon…” he couldn’t finish the sentence without his voice breaking, his throat felt raw. “I’ll not only lose my standing with the pack and dads respect, but now he’s saying I’ll be forced to step down as the CEO. I just…I can’t believe he’d do something like that to me.”
Liam’s playful demeanor melted into stunned silence. “Shit, Mason. That’s serious.” He glanced over at the postcard on the table that he’d picked up a few moments ago. “How long did Dad say you have to find someone?”
“The next pack meeting. I’m in a serious time crunch. How in the hell am I going to pull this off?”
Liam held up the postcard, an advertisement for Prince Dating Agency, and pointed to the agency’s guarantee that each client would find his or her perfect match. “I’ve heard about this place. Their reputation is pretty good. Maybe you should give them a shot. It’s a place to start, at least.”
Mason hung his head in his hands; unable to believe he was actually considering this. “If these weren’t such dire times, I’d punch you for even suggesting something like this, but maybe you’re right. I don’t have the time or patience to hang out at bars or night clubs.”
Liam patted him on the back. “Hanging out at bars worked wonders for me, brother, but not everyone can be blessed with my handsome good looks.” He jokingly darted away when Mason cocked back his fist. “Come on now. You wouldn’t want to ruin this face—more than you already have at least.” Liam touched the crook in his nose, evidence of a boyhood scuffle that went to far, causing a trip to the emergency room and a broken nose. Liam never got over the fact his brother had nearly wrecked his “perfect” face.
“You’re not the only one with good looks, Liam.” He picked up the postcard, shaking his head. “Fine, I’ll try this place out. Hopefully it works.”
Chapter Three
The job interview loomed on the horizon for Ava. Doubt started to tug at her, shaking her confidence. If this job didn’t pan out, she’d be right back where she started, and the due date on her eviction notice crept closer. If she didn’t start earning some money soon, her future wouldn’t be very bright.
Ava chewed on her lower lip, trying to cast out the negative thoughts swirling around in her brain. She couldn’t lose her hope before interviewing in person. It was the first time in a while she thought she actually had a chance.
She brushed her light brown hair and applied make-up. Over the past few months, she’d remained indoors so much that she had grown even paler than during her rebellious Goth stage in high school, and that was saying something.
She double-checked her dress again from all angles to make sure she looked professional, classy, and capable of handling whatever the company threw at her. This dress and cardigan combination was the same outfit she wore during her interview when she landed her “dream” marketing job. Maybe, if luck were anything like lightning, it would strike twice.
The drive over to the Prince Dating Agency wasn’t terribly busy, so she had some time to wait in the parking lot before the interview. She looked up at the big glass and steel building before her. Her stomach churned with nerves again. She wondered if she actually had what it took to work here, or anywhere in her field after she faced rejection so many times.
She drew in a breath then let it out slowly. Regardless of the butterflies in her stomach, she would do what she came here to do: go inside, let them know she was ready for the interview, and dazzle them with her resume and personality. The worst thing they could say is no. If that happened, she’d be back to where she started on the job hunt, but it wouldn’t be the end of her. With another deep breath, Ava stepped out of her car and headed for the door.
The young receptionist at the front desk gave Ava a warm smile when she walked inside. “Welcome to Prince Dating Agency. Ms. Prince will help you find your match shortly. May I have your name?”
Ava widened her eyes a little. She glanced behind her to make sure the receptionist wasn’t speaking to someone else instead, but no one was there. “Thank you. Actually, I’m here for an interview with Henrietta Douglas. I’m a little early. My name is Ava Daniels.”
The receptionist’s eyes lit up when she spoke. “Hello, Ms. Daniels! Absolutely. I’ll let Ms. Douglas know you’re here. She will be with you shortly. If you could have a seat, there’s a Keurig machine in the waiting room. Feel free to grab a coffee or some hot chocolate while you’re waiting.”
“Thank you.” She dipped her head and went to the waiting room. There were a few other people there, men and women in Armani, Gucci, and other high-end brands. They reminded her of how she used to live. She looked away and glanced at the Keurig machine set up on a small table with the vast array of tiny cups and snacks.
But the last thing she wanted was to carry around a coffee and a bag of chips during her interview. Still, she could smell the coffee in the air, and glanced at all the other people in the room sipping contently. She could feel a f
ew of the men staring at her, as she stood transfixed in front of the coffeemaker.
“Ms. Daniels?” a familiar voice said behind her. “Welcome. It’s good to meet you in person. I’m Henrietta. If you’d like to follow me, we’ll meet in the conference room.”
“Hi, yes! Absolutely,” Ava said, and followed Henrietta through the office.
The other women working at the Prince Dating Agency gave warm, friendly smiles to greet Henrietta and Ava as they walked by. The office environment felt so different from her old job. Everyone was engaged in their work because it seemed like they enjoyed interacting with others, not because of career aspirations or to climb up the corporate ladder.
The interview rehashed some of what they had discussed over the phone, but Ava was able to go into more detail with Henrietta now. She could open up to her a little more, and it felt like she’d known her for years after the interview came to a close.
“I think you have real promise here, Ava,” Henrietta said earnestly, and smiled. “You are smart, highly skilled, and you have great ideas. I’ll go see if Ms. Price busy, I would love to have her meet you today as well. I’ll be right back.” She rose from her chair then walked to the door.
A few minutes later, Henrietta came back into the conference room accompanied by an elegant woman dressed in a white skirt and jacket. She wore a curious, appraising look rather than the automatic warmth everyone else had shown. Her clothes were crisp and well tailored.
Henrietta glanced between her boss and Ava. “Ms. Prince, this is Ms. Daniels. She is interviewing for the marketing position. She has a strong set of skills, great experience, and I think she’d be quite an asset to the company. Ms. Daniels, I’d like you to meet Ms. Prince. She founded this company and tirelessly works to make sure every person who walks through the doors is paired with their perfect match.”
Ava stood up from her chair with a smile, and extended her hand. Nervous butterflies fluttered in her stomach. “Hello, it’s wonderful to meet you. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and interview with you.”
