The Job Offer - By Eleanor Webb Page 0,4
good sign. It would not hurt to believe in good luck at a time like this.
She made arrangements with Ms. Iverson several days ago to fly in on the ninth instead of the tenth and to stay for two weeks visiting friends and family in case she received a call back interview with Mr. Stanford. This way, she could combine the interview with a short vacation.
The plan for today was that she would meet Carla for lunch on the waterfront before they went shopping. Then she would, then, spend the night in Carla and Gary’s guest room. This way, Anne would not be rushed tomorrow morning before her interview and could drive at her own pace from Carla’s Bellevue home to Redmond where the headquarters for Stanford Enterprises was located. Anne had already made arrangements to rent a car so that she could drive to the Seattle waterfront district to meet Carla for lunch. Carla and Anne decided to meet at the restaurant instead of at Carla’s house because Carla was working that morning at her downtown location to clean up and sort through paperwork from a wedding she catered the night before. Feeling thirsty after her long flight, Anne stopped for a latte at the Starbuck’s kiosk in the Central Terminal then went to pick up her luggage before heading out to the shuttle.
The air outside was warm. The salty, fish smell of Puget Sound combined with automobile exhaust reached her as she walked to the airport shuttle that would take her the few miles to the rental car lot where a white Toyota Camry was already waiting for her. Anne drove out onto Interstate 5 and headed north to Seattle after a few minutes spent checking in at the counter and handing over her credit card and driver’s license. After getting off at the Spring Street exit, she crossed over the freeway and headed over to Alaskan Way, the street that ran along the waterfront. She parked in the hotel’s parking ramp and went in search of Carla instead of looking for a spot in one of the several full parking lots close by. She hoped that the bistro still validated tickets. Anne and Carla decided to meet at the waterfront bistro located inside of the hotel for lunch because of the great food and its location to shopping.
As she drove through the downtown lunchtime traffic on her way in, Anne remembered smiling in enjoyment. Her spirit had lifted upon seeing the familiar skyline. This was home, Anne thought. She and Carla used to hang out around the waterfront district during their undergraduate days because Carla worked at the bistro and Anne worked as a front desk hostess for the hotel to earn the money for school. Walking into the bistro's street side entrance, Anne saw Carla already sitting at a booth in the corner overlooking the street and Puget Sound.
She walked to the booth and bypassed the hostess who was busy with several groups checking in so that they could be seated. Carla, who was checking her smart phone, did not see Anne until she was almost next to the table. Looking up, Carla quickly shut down her phone and grinned sheepishly. Anne wondered what her look was about this time. Carla had something planned for today. She always did.
"You look great, Anne! I can’t believe that it has been two years," Carla said as she jumped up to give Anne a hug before ushering her into the booth. It was two years since Anne was last home and had seen Carla in person. Two years ago, Anne made a special trip in September and returned to Orcas Island to be Carla’s maid of honor for her wedding to Gary. "I ordered you a Long Island ice tea while I waited," she said as she retook her seat opposite Anne. Carla had changed out of her work clothes earlier and was now wearing a frothy turquoise and white sundress that complimented her petite frame, pixie cut blonde hair, and blue eyes. She always reminded Anne of a fairy tale princess, and the way she was dressed today reinforced the image.
"Perfect! I could use one of these." Anne took a sip and smiled at the flavors of gin and rum. The burn of the different liqueurs combined with the ice cold cola felt good going down, quenching a thirst the latte failed to satisfy. "Marriage and pregnancy agree with you, Carla. You look great, too."
Carla took the compliment