5. Ashley

5

ASHLEY

“Hi, I’m Ashley. I’m twenty-four. I just graduated from SCAD with a degree in fine art and Georgia Tech with a bachelor’s in psychology. I love ’90s R call me Stella.”

“Stella, as much as I appreciate your faith in me, I have to tell you, I’m sure you can find someone much more qualified than me.”

“I’m not worried about your qualifications,” she stated dismissively. “I saw your final project. You have an amazing eye. And from what I have heard, you care about people. You care about the earth, about making it better.”

“I do care about making the world better, and I would love to be your assistant, but I don’t have a business degree. I have no idea where to even start sourcing materials, much less producing and launching a line.”

“Your dean told me that you’re bright. You are a quick learner. I believe that we can learn together. Whatever we need to know, we can google it. I want to start immediately. This is what I have so far.” She fanned her hands out over some samples and drawings on the table in front of her. There were also several folders with what looked like cost breakdowns and projections.

I bit the inside of my lip as I sat wondering if I should take the job that I clearly wasn’t qualified for, whether she wanted to hear it or not. There was a very good chance if I did take the job, I’d be fired within the first week.

Also, even if it was ridiculous, the video for Married by a Matchmaker was still in the back of my mind. Should I go and finish recording my audition tape? There was a very good chance I would not get chosen, and then I would be fired. Or I could not turn in my application video, end up getting fired here, and what if they would have chosen me?

Where was a Magic 8 Ball or a psychic when you needed one?

“What, dear? What is bothering you?”

“I’m sorry?”

“You clearly have a dilemma rattling around in your head. What is it?”

Wow. This woman was good. I took a breath, still unsure if I should unburden myself, but figuring I really didn’t have much to lose. “Well, honestly, I have concerns about my ability to do the job. Also, and I know this sounds crazy, but when Dorothy called, I was filming an audition for a television show.” For some reason, I felt close to Stella. Even though I barely knew her. Maybe it was because I never knew any of my grandparents that I was projecting my attachment issues onto her.

Stella’s expression brightened.

“Oh, are you an actress?”

“No.” I shook my head. “It was for a reality show called Married by a Matchmaker.”

“Oh yes!” She clapped her hands together. “I love that show! Brian and Desiree were my favorite couple from last season!”

My jaw dropped. Never in a million years would I have thought that Estelle Wolfe was the target demographic for Married by a Matchmaker .

“I loved them, too! Anyway, they are casting in Atlanta this season, and I was going to apply.”

“Oh, yes! You must.”

“The audition tape is due by noon.”

“Noon today?”

I nodded.

“Oh, well, we must get it done.”

“I was thinking of going down to the pier, but now that I’m here, maybe I could film it out by the stables? With the horses.”

“Oh, no, the pier is so much better. It has so much more character for a backdrop. So much more drama! Yes, we must go now!”

She stood up.

“Really? You want to go with me?”

“Well, of course, dear. Who else is going to film you?”

“Oh, okay.”

When she said it, she made it seem like the most logical thing in the world. In reality, I was going to film an audition for a reality show where I would marry a complete stranger, and my camera person was a billionaire who had just hired me to do a job I wasn’t remotely qualified to do…so yeah. Totally logical.