She couldn't help but take another look at him and this time noted his broad shoulders and the weariness in his voice. He had his dark brown hair unkempt. She assumed that the piece of paper he was tapping his pen against was her resume. It was an absurdly horrible resume and took up only half of the page.
"Use three adjectives to describe yourself."
Seeing Morgan had not taken his eyes off the paper in his hand, Melody was determined to answer his question, "I would use the words 'motivated, compassionate, and hard-working' to describe myself. I'm always the first to offer to help out and never give up on a project until it's finished to the best of my ability. With the help of my self-motivation skills, I'm able to set objectives for myself and devise plans of action to ensure that I've improved my capabilities and accomplished my goals."
"Can you tell me about a difficult work situation and how do you deal with it?"
"Once, after working on a project for my boss for several months, he requested revisions shortly before the due date. By respectfully inquiring about which adjustments should be made and by gathering the materials I would need to prepare them in a timely manner, I was able to maintain my cool and cheerful attitude during the change. I met our deadline while still submitting a project that impressed him."
"When was the last time you were angry and what happened?"
"Instead of giving in to my emotions and letting them cloud my judgment, I work hard to remain objective and rational under all circumstances. Some of my former coworkers lacked professionalism and were incapable of doing their jobs. I've learned that it's best to be forthright about issues and offer actionable recommendations."
"Why do you want to work here?"
As he examined her more closely, she saw that his eyes were an astoundingly clear blue, framed by thick, nearly black lashes. Blue eyes? It was as if the man were too harsh for such lovely eyes. His long, dark lashes made his eyes look... well, there really wasn't any term for it. He had lovely eyes. Just stunning in every way. His eyes were shocking against the taut, tanned skin of his sharp features.
"I'm currently enrolled in a master's degree in Business Administration and am looking for an internship with a company that is actively working to improve the world. For the sake of all parties, I hope this is a lasting solution. Throughout my job search, I've kept in mind how important it is to find a business where I can thrive professionally and where my values would be respected."
She understood that mentioning the fact that she knew about the position through Sarah as Morgan's official girlfriend, it would simply cause unnecessary tension between them.
"How fast can you type?" The man demanded.
"About 70 words a minute."
The man started to give a follow-up question, but he paused and turned to gaze at her instead. It was the first time they had locked eyes intently.
"Seventy?"
Melody didn't know whether that first response was good or bad. Seventy words per minute seemed like a good speed, but... maybe it wasn't? He might have wanted more.
"And do you take dictation?"
Dictation? What exactly did he say? Didn't secretaries back in the 1940s take dictation? She had a sneaking suspicion he was making a joke. "No, sir."
Slowly, Morgan shifted in his chair, the metal squeaking as his long, muscular body unfurled. Like a python, she thought. He leaned his forearms against the ancient desk, those blue eyes peering at her through those lashes and Melody felt a wave of something alarming hit her.
But she wouldn't back down! Not this time! No way was she letting yet another man intimidate her! Not this time!
"You have very limited typing skill and no experience with dictation. It looks like you're just out of high school. To put it bluntly, why the heck should I hire you?" Insisted upon it, he said, "What skills do you have, if any?"
Oh, that was so unfair! Melody sent the man an angry look, completely oblivious to the signals reflected in his "beautiful" blue eyes. She had had enough of men's demeaning behavior toward her. Her last landlord had wrongfully evicted her, her boss thought it was fine to grope her anytime he walked by, and her biological father had neglected her since she was still unborn. In a word, men were... jackass!
"What can I provide you, Sir? Well, let me see!" She couldn't sit still because her anger forced her to stand. "Even though you originally scheduled our interview for two o'clock and it's now almost four-thirty, but I'm willing to wait. It's true that you don't know anything about what I've been through in the previous few months, but it doesn't mean I lack determination."
"Even more so! If you hire me, you'll get an employee who appreciates the job. All those other women outside wanted to crawl immediately onto your bed. Believe me, while they waited, several of them were boasting about how easily they could sleep with you."
Taking a deep breath, she continued on. "What's more? I put in a lot of effort and produce good results. I graduated from university in Business & Management Studies with summa cumme laude, it was before I took over the doomed campus newspaper when nobody else would. One hundred percent on my own. I had no idea what I was doing when it came to putting together a newspaper, but I managed."
"I learned how to do many works at my present work, and I can manage payroll as well. All at the same time! The manager is too lethargic to make schedules, so I do it for him and all the staff. And I did it all without any prior training."
She leaned forward and gave him a harsh look. "So, if you hire me, you'll get a worker who might not know everything right away, but who will figure things out. I get things done right and quickly. Moreover, I won't be trying to get into your bed at all. If that's not what you're looking for, that's fine! I'm tired of having my boss touch me anyway. Thanks for the opportunity, Mr. Blodwyn. Have a good day."
With that, Melody quickly left the building, unaware of the tears running down her cheeks. When she got at least a mile away from the place, she took a long breath to release the tension of that terrible, wasted afternoon.
What a jerk! Here comes another guy who thought he can look down everyone! What a horrible man! It didn't mean that she didn't like men in general, but she had a particularly low opinion of those who assumed superiority over others because of their wealth or position. They were vile, repulsive, and terrible people!