For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,143

had her job at GasNGo, and a few before it, but when she turned the page, Rhaven froze.

Listed out like contract jobs were all of her game mods by name. One after the other, with bullet points about her coding, her programming goals, and anything else that would make her look good. Slowly, she looked back up to find Dez waiting and Chance handing her a glass of whiskey as big as the one Rhaven had.

"Um, this is my resume? Like, a much better version of it." The entire room had stopped talking, and everyone was focused on their conversation.

Dez nodded. "I used Braden's address since he said you'd be staying there at first."

"Yeah, thank you," Rhaven said.

"Don't thank her yet," Chance teased.

"You want to do this?" Dez asked him.

He just lifted a hand and stepped back. "All you, Sugar."

"Well," Dez said. "As everyone in this room knows, we're working on Renegade. Now, I can't tell you what that is yet, but it's a big project. This means we're going to need to hire a few more developers, and I heard that you were interested in that more than gaming. Sadly, you can't do both. Since Deviant maintains the game used in the tournaments, we're all disqualified from participating."

"Which is why Braden doesn't play," Rhaven said, showing she was keeping up.

But she really wasn't, and the smile on Dez's face made it clear she'd missed something. "Rhaven, would you rather keep trying for a PLG contract, knowing the sponsors are going to discriminate against you, or do you want to join the Deviant team and help us make Renegade?"

Psyc immediately sat up. "What?"

"Holy shit!" Knock cheered from the corner.

"Did not see that coming," Void said, sounding oddly amused. "Well played, Dez."

But Rhaven couldn't make a word come out. She felt like she couldn't quite breathe. Her mouth had gone dry, her heart had stalled out, and her ears were ringing. Not wanting to miss her chance, she did the only thing she could. She nodded, quickly, and more than enough to tell Dez her answer.

Then she found her voice again. "Yes! Oh my god. I thought I'd need more experience and that I'd have to work up from a smaller company, but Deviant? Yes! That's my dream!"

"Oh, shit," Psyc breathed beside her, looking over at Braden. "That's what you meant?"

"Brae?" Dez asked, clearly expecting him to explain.

"I just said that before the weekend was over, something would happen," he assured her.

"Pretty close," Psyc agreed. "Congrats, Rhaven. You've finally done it. Everything you wanted, beautiful, and now it's yours."

Chance chuckled at that. "Well, considering that I'd like to hire you for the position of the lead interface developer, I'm hoping that's true. You'll be able to build your own team, and I can have either Braden or Andy help catch you up on the project. We'll have a whole string of non-disclosure agreements for you at the office, but..." And he offered his hand. "Welcome to the team, Rhaven."

"The Flawed team," Dez added, "because I think you're one of us, and we will always stand behind you."

Rhaven quickly shook Chance's hand, then pressed both of hers to her face. This was real? This was actually happening? She was finally going to be a developer?

"I have to call my dad," she gasped, passing her glass to Psyc so she could stand. "Thank you both. And I'll make sure you don't regret it." But she was heading for the door. "I'm sorry, this is big, and..."

"Go," Chance told her, "but I'm stealing your chair."

"Nope, this one is for you," Braden called out.

Rhaven didn't care where any of them sat. She just, for the first time in years, wanted to tell her father everything. So, tapping at his contact, she stepped into the hall, pressed her back against the wall, and slid down onto her rump while she listened to it ring.

"Ethan?" her father answered. "Crap."

"Rhaven," she laughed. "Hi, Dad."

"I'm sorry, kiddo," he grumbled. "I've been doing good when talking to Tyler too. I just need to change your listing in my phone."

"Well, I have a big announcement."

Her father laughed. "You're pregnant?"

"No! Dad!" But she laughed just like he'd intended. "I just got a job offer."

"Wait. Hang on," Dad insisted. "Tyler! Rhaven's on the phone."

"Did she win?" he asked. "I mean, I know she did, but did she win?" The phone was clearly on speaker now.

"I did," she admitted. "And I was hoping for a sponsor, but they didn't want to sign me because