Epilogue
“Did we get any responses to our ‘help wanted’ ad, Amy?” Gunther asked as he flipped through the day’s mail.
“A few. I’ll take them home and weed out the bad ones.”
“Remember, I’m looking for someone smart. Preferably a girl who went to a fancy, private college. Like Smith, Barnard, or Wellesley. No state school chicks, please.”
“Chicks? You’re not going to call them chicks, Mr. Quill, are you?”
“Of course not. Just to you. Get the best pedigree you can and discard the rest. I don’t care if we only interview a few, if they meet my qualifications.”
“Fine. Do you want me to interview them first?”
“Of course. Then you can weed out the actresses. Be sure not to ask them directly. Hint at it. Do they think acting is fun? Would they ever want to be in a movie? I definitely don’t want any actresses in here!”
“Why not?”
“Wannabe actresses come in here thinking they can make a bunch of contacts, use me as a stepping stone to further their career. Fuck that. I want someone who wants to make a career of being my right hand.”
“Okay. Got it. No actresses.”
“And pretty, too.”
“You’re skirting very close to sexual harassment.”
“Why? Because I’d prefer to spend my day looking at a pretty girl than a…not so pretty one?”
Anger at his insult burned in her chest. You don’t have to try to hide it. I know how you feel about me, and that you think I’m ugly. You’ve made it very plain.
“Just find me the perfect girl, Amy, and there’s a five-thousand-dollar bonus in it for you.”
“Five grand?” She shrugged.
“Not big enough?” His glance turned cold.
“That’s very generous.” Amy shuffled her feet and cast her gaze to the floor.
“All right. Make it ten. But this girl had better be a star…I take that back. No actresses. She’d better be damn good.” He strode out of the room.
Amy ground her teeth. Why can’t you ever leave a room like a normal person? You always have the last word…the last laugh. But not this time, Mr. Gunther ‘full-of-yourself’ Quill. A small smile graced her lips. I’m going to have my revenge, and you’ll never even know it. Amy packed up a fistful of applications and resumes into her briefcase and left the building. She stopped at the liquor store to buy a bottle of Moscato before returning home.
While waiting for the clerk to wrap up her purchase, Amy texted her roommate.
Home soon. Be ready to celebrate.
Amy stretched her arms up before getting in her car. The tension was gone. Relaxation mixed with revenge created a heady cocktail.
When she first arrived home, Amy toed off her ridiculously high heels that Gunther insisted she wear to work. Sinking down on the sofa, she sighed. Her roommate, Erica Wheeler, brought in two glasses. Amy poured the wine.
“He’s going to fire me.”
“Really? How do you know that?” Erica asked.
“He’s stupid enough to ask me to hire an assistant who will work for me and thinks I haven’t figured out I’m hiring someone to take my job. ‘Lighten my load’ he said. Hah, liar! Hire my replacement is more like it.”
“Oh, no! He wouldn’t do that, would he?”
“Gunther Quill? I doubt there’s anything he wouldn’t do.”
“He can’t be that bad.”
“You’ve heard me complain about him for a year. And you still ask me that?” Amy raised her eyebrows.
“I know you’ve never liked the job. It’d be perfect for me.”
“I thought you had a modeling gig?” Amy held the glass to her lips.
“I did until the photographer grabbed me. I quit.”
“Wonderful!” Amy bolted upright, her energy renewed. “You’re right. You’d be perfect for the job.”
“Oh, no. Not me. I’m going to be an actress, not an assistant.” Erica shook her head.
“You’d make all the contacts you need, and more, to land a great movie role. Trust me.”
“But you said he’s a monster.”
“He is. Do you want to act?”
She nodded.
“Then his office is the place to be. Gunther is going places, and you’d go right along with him.”
“When can I interview?”
“Two problems. He won’t hire an actress, and you went to Kensington State, not Smith.”
“Oh, he’s one of those. Needs a fancy school, does he?” Erica raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah. But we could fake your resume.”
“That’s lying.”
Amy turned to face Erica and placed her hands on her shoulders. “Do you want to act or not? Not everything is honest and above board in life, Erica. Grow up. That’s one thing I’ve learned, working for Gunther.”
“Fake my resume…I don’t know.”
“And for God’s sake, don’t tell him you want to act.” Amy rolled her eyes.
“Lying…twice? I don’t think I can.”
Amy stared at Erica. “You can. Trust me. You can. He’ll lie to you, so it’s only payback.”
“I haven’t even met the man.”
Amy rubbed her hands together and shot an evil grin to her roommate. “You’ll be perfect.”
“What if I can’t handle him?”
“Lower your neckline, and he’ll be eating out of your hand.”
“Amy!” Erica laughed.
“Consider it the ultimate acting job, Erica.” Amy smiled. “Sort of like playing a Katharine Hepburn role. You can do it.”
“How do you know I’ll even get the job? What about other applicants?” Erica brought her glass to her lips.
“You mean these?” Amy took the pile of resumes lying next to her on the couch, ripped them in half, and tossed them in the nearby wastepaper basket. “Done.”
Erica gasped, her eyes wide. “What did you do?”
“Threw out the competition. For once, someone’s going to get something out of working for that evil man. I’m happy it’s going to be you.”
Erica frowned. “I’m not sure about this,” she muttered.
“We’ll dress you in a navy blue suit. Put glasses on you. Hair in a bun.”
“Why do we have to do that?”
“If he gets a look at you now, you won’t be safe. He’ll be chasing you all around the office, trying to make it with you.”
“Horrors! Did he do that with you?”
“He’s not attracted to me. But you’re another story.” Amy looked over her roommate with a critical eye. “Definitely have to hide your…assets.”
“I don’t think I can pull this off, Amy.” Erica shook her head.
“You’re a fabulous actress. Pardon me, but you’re nobody from nowhere. Do you think you’re going to get an equal chance in the movie business? Think again. You have to take every advantage you can.”
“You have a point.”
“You’ve been a great friend to me. I’m happy to see you build a career, using Mr. Gunther Quill as your first stepping stone.”
“I don’t know, Amy. It’s so dishonest.”
“What can happen? You get fired. That’s all. Go for it, Erica. You never know when a chance like this will fall in your lap again.”
“Okay. What have I got to lose?”
“Not a damn thing.”
Amy raised her wine to toast.
“To outfoxing the fox. He’s all yours, Erica.” Amy clinked her glass with her roommate’s and grinned.