My Dad's Billionaire Best Friend

I am standing in the reception area at Sternpoint with my father. I have an interview with Mark Stern for the internship. Mark is my dad's best friend. I hadn't seen him for years, and he was my childhood crush. I graduated from college and my dad recommended that I do the internship because I love web designing and Sternpoint has everything. When I was four years old, he would come over and I would ask him to read bedtime stories to me. He was happy to tuck me in, he was like a friend. When I was twelve years old, I started to like him a lot. That is when my crush on him started. At the end of that year, he stopped coming over and I haven't seen him ever since and I didn't bother to ask my dad about it. Eventually, my crush on him faded away and I forgot about him completely. My father is having a deep conversation with the receptionist, laughing at jokes I guess, he is wearing his usual navy blue suit, my dad is into real estate and that is what he loves. I am nervous. I take a deep breath, I readjust my bag strap on my shoulder. I decided to wear a white blouse that is tucked inside of my black pencil skirt, with black heels that are not too high because I cannot walk on them. I would break my neck. I left my hair in soft curls that hung loose just in my back and I applied makeup that is natural, with red lipstick. My dad and the receptionist laugh again. I roll my eyes and I pace the receptionist area. I can see my reflection on the shiny white tiled floor. I look up at the screen above the receptionist that has Sternpoint on it, and everything that the company does and has to offer. It's pretty impressive, this company has so much things. No wonder I haven't seen Mark in ages. I wonder if he still looks as good as he did back then. I blow out a breath, what is taking so long? "Honey, Mark is ready for you" dad says, snapping me out of my thoughts. He stops in front of me, his hair is slicked to the back, his dark brown eyes soften saying that he is proud of me just by looking at me, he gives me an encouraging smile "I will walk you to his office and then I will wait for you back here" he says as he puts his hand on my arm and we walk towards a glass door that separates the rest of the other offices from the reception area. The offices around are all opaque and glass, everywhere I walk I see my reflection in the floor-to-ceiling glass. Some offices don't have opaque, so I can see everything inside. My dad stops in front of an office that also doesn't have opaque. Before I stop, I look into this office through the glass and I lost all of my breath and my lips part. I lock eyes with him, my childhood crush, Mark Stern. "Whoa, kiddo. Stop right in your tracks" my dad says and he stops me with both of his hands on my shoulders. I look back at my dad. "This is the office, not sure if you remember Mark, but you will be in good hands" he smiles at me, and then he turns his attention towards Mark. The office glass door is already open, and he walks inside. I follow behind him. I stop when my father stops walking further to Mark's desk. Gosh, this is worse than I thought. I tried not to look at him, so I look at the white shiny tiled floor, biting my lower lip, clasping my hands in front of my groin. "Mark, How are you doing? This is Gray-Lynn" my dad says. " I'm very well, thank you Weston" I look up immediately as he spoke. He is out of his seat, shaking hands with my dad over his desk. He is wearing a white dress shirt that is tight on him, showing every muscle. He has scruffy facial hair, like he hasn't shaved for a week. His dark hair is slicked to the back. He sits back down in his seat as his green eyes never leave mine. My stomach is doing a backflip right now. I bite my lower lip. "I will wait for you in the receptionist area" dad says, and then he leaves, closing the door behind me. "You may take a seat" Mark says as he clicks a pen in his hand. I go over to the chair that is in front of his desk, and I take a seat. I place my bag on top of my lap. I make eye contact with him again and he is already looking at me, still clicking his pen. I didn't even take in the surroundings of his office because it's like my eyes are too glued to him, like a magnet. But there are floor to ceiling windows behind him. "Gray-Lynn. , it's been a long time", he smiles a bit softly but not much, as he studies my face and then his eyes land on my eyes again. I swallow, I cannot even speak. This is bad. "You have grown so much" he says. "So have you" I clear my throat and I lick my lips, breaking eye contact. "I mean, yes its been a long time" I feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment, and I look up at him and he has an amused expression on his face, still clicking his pen, and then he breaks eye contact, looking down at a page on his desk. "Your father tells me that you would like to join the web design internship. What makes you think that web design is for you?" he asks as he looks up at me. "Well, I enjoy it, I love doing all of the web designs and I have created a couple for some people who have just started their own small businesses" I clear my throat. " I graduated from Seattle Central College, and I would like to have more working experience in this field" I say. He looks at me amused. I think I really did a crap job at explaining. "I already saw your web designs after your father called me, and I do think that you are talented. I thought you would have been in the publishing industry seem that you always loved to read books", he smiles at me. I give a light smile as I look down at my bag. "I guess I thought wrong, obviously. You don't need to explain anything further, your work speaks for itself and I like it, so tomorrow you get to start. There is a web design department and team where you will get to know more interns, who will also start from tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing many great web designs from you, Gray-Lynn" he says as he shifts in his seat, never taking his eyes off of me. "Thank you" I say. I feel as if there is no air around. I just need to get out of this office and away from him as fast as possible. "That will be all Gray-Lynn. I will see you tomorrow" he gives me a smile. I get up from my seat, and I give him a smile before I walk towards the door. Gosh, my hand is shaky as I open it. As I walk past his office, I can still feel his eyes on me. I hope that I will not see him every day when I start here tomorrow, because it was bad, I could hardly even speak to him. He is so attractive, I can't breathe.