Promptings from Valhalla - 29. Amanda Reynolds

“Amanda Reynolds?”

The woman stood and smoothed her navy blue skirt. She inhaled, then exhaled slowly in an attempt to soothe the colony of butterflies that had apparently taken residence in her stomach. Her high heels clicked on the faux wood floor as she strode toward the man waiting for her. She held her head high, ignoring the stares of the other people in the waiting room, and made eye contact with the handsome, gray-haired man. She walked with a confidence she didn’t feel.

The man smiled and shook her hand. His face conveyed a friendly, but quizzical expression. Amanda visualized a giant question mark hovering over his head. She bit back laughter at the thought. The man’s presence both heightened and lessened her anxiety. While relieved to get the interview process over, she dreaded some of the questions bound to be asked. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to provide answers without derailing what she’d worked a lifetime for. Amanda had always had high ambitions in her career, and this job would be the next rung on the ladder she needed to climb to the top.

“I’m Carl Hawkins, manager of this facility,” the man stated as they walked down a short hallway and entered a small, but neatly maintained, office. He gestured toward a seat at a round table next to a large window. The space was homey and familiar, filled with plants, books, and comfortable furniture. It was the space of a man content with his job, and projected reassurance.

Amanda sat and crossed one leg over the other with the graceful movement of a ballet dancer.

“Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea? Water?”

Amanda shook her head. “No, thank you.”

Carl cleared his throat, then sat kitty corner to his potential assistant manager. He placed his hand on top of a pile of papers and regarded the woman with an appraising stare. It was a practiced move, designed to make the other person feel uncomfortable. He was pleased when the candidate met his gaze with steady eyes, although the slight fidget told him the confidence she projected wasn’t entirely genuine.

“Well, Miss Reynolds. I’m going to be perfectly blunt here. You have an impressive CV, but I’m sure you’re aware there are some significant gaps. I’m afraid I’ll need a satisfactory explanation if I’m to even consider hiring you.”

Amanda swallowed and shifted in her seat, causing her skirt to hitch slightly upward, drawing an appreciative stare from her interviewer. She’d rehearsed this speech mentally over a hundred times. She hoped it would go as smoothly as it did in her head.

“I’d prefer not to dwell on the past two years. Please take my word that I’ve done nothing to negatively impact my employability. I’m a hell of worker, and I know my stuff. You won’t be disappointed if you hire me.”

Carl frowned. Amanda was a strong candidate and her confident demeanor impressed him; however, her reluctance to discuss the gap in her employment history was troubling. Plus, her employment gap was much longer than two years. So why did she reference that time frame?

“Were you in jail?”

Amanda shook her head. “I’ve committed no crimes.”

Carl straightened the papers on his desk. His instinct screamed to give her a chance, but would administration listen to him?

“Reynolds, huh? Any relation to Mark Reynolds?”

Amanda flinched. Carl was an astute man. The question shouldn’t have surprised her. She exhaled, straightened her back, and looked Carl in his eyes.

“I know Mark well.”

Carl smiled. “I can see the family resemblance. How is Mark? He was a hell of a worker. It’s been two years since he left, and I still miss him.”

Amanda’s steady gaze made Carl’s heart race. There was something familiar about her chocolate brown eyes and slight quirk of her mouth when she smiled.

Two years….

Carl’s eyes widened and his mouth gaped open. He leaned forward. “Mark?”

“I go by Amanda now. Mark doesn’t exist anymore.” She wiped a tear from her eye. She hadn’t expected her former supervisor to make the connection so soon. “I’m sorry I wasted your time.”

Amanda rose and turned toward the door. She stopped and flinched when Carl grabbed her arm. Alarm flooded through her. There was no way to predict how people would react to her new identity.

“Don’t leave.” The strangled quality to Carl’s voice made her look at her former friend. Carl stepped forward and embraced her tightly.

Amanda exhaled in relief and slumped her shoulders. She’d always considered Carl a good man and friend. Leaving the company had been necessary, but it had hurt like hell. Keeping Carl in the dark had been especially painful. Carl guided her back to the table and they sat next to each other.

“You hurt me pretty deeply when you left without so much as a word. I knew you’d been unhappy. I could see how much pain you were in. I wanted to help, but didn’t know how. And then you were gone.”

“Carl—”

“You have a decision to make, Mar—Amanda. The job is yours if you want it. But please don’t think it’s your only option. I have a lot of contacts in the industry. I can help you find a job pretty much wherever you want.” Carl inhaled. “I know you. You’ve always had ambition, but I could sense something holding you back. And quite frankly, you should be somewhere with more room for advancement.”

“You don’t want me here?” Amanda’s heart sank. Seeing Carl again brought back long-buried feelings. She wasn’t sure she could handle being parted again.

“I’d like nothing more than to have you here again, but there’s a policy against dating co-workers.”

Amanda’s eyes widened as Carl placed his hand over hers.

“Don’t look so shocked. You can’t tell me you never felt the connection between us.”

Amanda shook her head, then nodded. “Of course I did. But I’m different now. You felt a connection with Mark, not Amanda.”

“The outside may have changed, but I’m betting that the same kind, generous, thoughtful, and amazing person I’ve known for years is still in there.”

Tears streamed down Amanda’s face, streaking her make up. “Oh Carl….”

“So what’s your decision?” He squeezed her hand.

Amanda smiled. “I’d like nothing more than to—”