Page 11 of Dream Chaser

I walked to the window overlooking Emerport’s business district. I’d been lucky to snag this office three weeks ago after months of searching for a space that suited both my business and my budget. It wasn’t nearly as big as my office in Spain, but the open plan layout and two adjoining rooms were enough for the seven of us.

Eight, if I found someone to manage our marketing department. I rotated my neck, sighing. Asher and I were meeting for our evening run in an hour, taking advantage of the few days he was spending in Emerport between races.

I’d been in charge of his and our other clients’ marketing for months, but the volume of work had been growing fast, and it was no longer sustainable. It gutted me to tell him I didn’t have a marketing person for him yet.

A timid knock broke the stillness. I mentally readied myself for the last interview, then turned.

A woman stood in the doorway, clutching a black folder to her chest.

White silk blouse. Knee-length pencil skirt. Bright auburn hair gathered in a low bun with two loose strands framing her pretty face. And big, scared blue eyes that refused to meet mine for longer than a second.

“Nova, right?” I approached her with my hand out, and she put hers in my palm.

It was thin, with long, dainty fingers and nude, manicured nails.

If only she’d been as professional in her résumé as she was in her appearance.

“Nova Lockhart,” she said as I wrapped my fingers around hers.

Her hand was soft and fit perfectly in mine. I released it. “Please sit.” I pointed at the chair in front of my desk.

She lowered into it, tugging the hem of her skirt down. Her gaze roamed the empty office but slid right past me.

Apparently, only two dishes were on the recruiter’s menu today—Hugh’s excess of confidence and Nova’s lack of it.

“How did you learn about Guerrero Sports Agency?” I asked.

She licked her lips, then took a small, audible breath. “I was looking for a job opening in marketing and came across your offer.”

“Why did you choose to apply?”

She lowered her eyes to her hands clasped in her lap. “The job description caught my interest. It seemed exciting.”

Predictably, that didn’t quite answer my question.

“And you worked in the industry for three years,” I went on. “Apart from the one-year internship at Smith Sports.”

Nova straightened. Crimson tinted her cheeks. “Well, I…”

The frustration from all my failed interviews earlier turned into a pulsing ache in my temples. Very few people could lie and not give themselves away when confronted. She clearly wasn’t one of them, and I was wasting time I didn’t have. Why had I even called her here, knowing she’d lied?

“Thank you, Nova,” I said. “I’ll be upfront with you. In Guerrero Sports Agency, we value honesty. I don’t think a liar is a good fit.”

Nova’s face turned even redder. She sprang to her feet, gripping the folder. “I apologize,” she mumbled. “I shouldn’t have—I’m so sorry.”

She pivoted and rushed to the door, keeping her head down.

Fuck.

While she deserved to be called out, seeing her so embarrassed left a sour taste in my mouth.

Asher would say I was getting soft. In reality, I just hated punching down, and she was clearly mortified.

Nova’s footfalls quieted. She paused by the door and straightened slowly, still facing away from me. Then, for the first time since she’d arrived, she met my gaze.

“I’m not a liar, Mr. Guerrero,” she said, her voice trembling. “But I did lie to you to get this interview, and I’m sorry. I wasn’t honest about my experience, but my skills match the job description.” She crossed the room and set the black folder on my desk. “This is my photography portfolio. I studied digital marketing, but photography’s always been my passion.”

I flipped it open. A picture of a motocross bike took up the first page, complete with a cloud of red dust. In another image, screaming spectators gathered around the grinning racer.