"Sure." I told her, "I've already learned a lot from you."

"Hopefully you'll learn a lot more tonight. And Austin?"

"Yes?"

“Do make sure you catch that nap, it's going to be a long night and I want you ready to work."

-Chapter Two

I stood outside Mrs. S...Selena's room. I was trying to get into the habit of thinking of her that way. ALL summer we had been giving sneaky little tests and she had told me to call her by her first name and I was going to show I paid attention.

I glanced at my phone for the tenth time in the last five minutes.

It was only five to eight, but I had wanted to come down a little early. On my way down she had texted me she had been involved in a couple of more meetings and was just now heading up to her room and to please wait for her.

I reached up and shifted the strap from my lap top bag to another part of my shoulder and leaned against the wall. I had grabbed a sandwich and then crashed for a much needed nap. I might have slept longer had Steven not been making a lot of noise showering and then yapping about hoping tonight would take it up a notch for him and Melissa.

He had looked at me every time he mentioned her and I told him I would give him until two before I came back to the room. What the hell I was going to do until then I had no idea. Even if Mrs...

Selena kept me working until midnight that was still a couple of hours.

There was an all night coffee shop in the lobby and I had shoved a paperback featuring a collection of horror stories into my lap top.

With a sigh I looked down at my clothes hoping I had made the right choice. She had said informal, but I was still wearing a decent pair of black Dockers and a white short sleeved shirt with a collar.

I tried to stay still against the wall, but ended up pushing away from it and pacing back and forth. For some reason I was nervous. I had worked alone with Selena a couple of times before, but in the office and never after hours, let alone in her hotel room. I told myself to stop being a child. I was twenty two and had just graduated college and from what she seemed to be hinting at had just secured a job. Why was I nervous about being in a hotel room with her?

Christ, forget the work aspect this was Steven's mom! I'd known her since middle school and...

“Hey, where are you going?"

I stopped pacing and turned around to see Selena standing in front of her door. Smooth, Austin, real smooth. Caught pacing like the idiot I was.

"Sorry, just kind of antsy." I shrugged, "Been sitting down all day."

"Excess energy?" She smiled as she pulled out her room key.

“I've had a little of that myself lately, maybe we can burn some it off tonight."

"I hope so." I tapped my lap top, "I already started a new spreadsheet and..."

I trailed off when I saw her smiling at me, "Oh, you are too funny."

"I am?"

“Either funny or sweet, I'm fine with either." She slipped her key through the door, "At least for a little while."

She opened the door and leaning against it, gestured for me to enter.