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building before would be a recipe for disaster. It was like a labyrinth—albeit an incredibly clean, stylish one.
    That really showed what standards the Totally Five Star strove for. Even the areas not open to the public were awe-inspiring. As she was half a pace behind Sophia, Fiona allowed herself to drink in the lavishness around her—the beautiful paintings, stunning sculptures, lovely paintings, the fact that the carpet was so deep it felt a little like quicksand. The glimpses she caught out of a couple of windows they passed were impressive, too. It seemed that there was a central courtyard nestled amongst the stately walls, and it housed a gorgeous haven of greenery.
    As if sensing her curiosity, Sophia said over her shoulder, “Once your interview’s concluded, Ms. Gillespie, I’ll give you a tour of the building. You’re the last person we’re seeing today, so I can take you myself.”
    “Wow, that would be wonderful. Thank you. This place is beautiful.” She meant every word, but also couldn’t help thinking it was a little cruel to show each applicant around the place, knowing that only one of them would get the job. It was a bit like look at what you could have won.
    But, on the other hand, for the person that was lucky enough to land the position, every glimpse would be worth its weight in gold, because she was sure whoever it was would spend their first day—probably their first week, actually—getting lost. She’d been paying attention to where they’d been going, and yet she found herself hoping that she’d be escorted back to the lobby when she was done. Otherwise, she’d still be wandering these corridors days later, trying to find her way out.
    After what felt like a couple of miles, Sophia stopped at a door marked ’PR & Marketing Suite’.
    Bloody hell, even the behind-the-scenes places have posh names. Suite? Not department, but suite!
    “Okay,” Sophia said, resting her hand on the door handle and half-turning to Fiona, “we’re here. Just remember what I said. Be yourself. And please try to relax. Neither of us bites.”
    With a shy smile, Fiona nodded. “I will. Thanks.”
    They passed through the doorway into a reception-type area, where a girl around her age sat behind a desk, clicking away on her keyboard. Sophia nodded politely to her, then led Fiona through another door into a huge open-plan office, with a handful of diligent staff working away on their various tasks. In one corner was a private office with glass walls.
    Okay, kiddo. This is it. Knock ’em dead!

Chapter Four
     
     
     
    Sophia entered the office without knocking, Fiona following close behind.
    “Please take a seat, Ms. Gillespie. Can I get you a drink of anything before we start?” Sophia said.
    “N—no, I’m fine. Thanks.” As Sophia closed the door, Fiona moved to take a seat, smiling and nodding at the woman on the opposite side of the table—Jane Cresswell, she presumed. “Hello.”
    “Hello, Ms. Gillespie. Thank you so much for coming along.”
    “Thank you for asking me.”
    By now, Sophia had taken a seat, too. As the two women looked at notes and paperwork in front of them, Fiona got her water from her bag, as well as her notebook and pen. Placing the items on the table, she waited for the two women to begin the interview.
    Glancing up, Jane said, “Okay, I think we’re ready to start. Thank you again for coming, Ms. Gillespie. You’ve already met Sophia, obviously. I’m Jane Cresswell from Human Resources. Sophia is the PR Manager and would be your line manager, should you be successful.”
    Fiona smiled. “It’s lovely to meet you. I’m very grateful for this opportunity, particularly since I sent my application in after the closing date.”
    “Yes…” Jane peered down at her notes, then back up with a smile. “You didn’t see the advert until it was already too late, correct? But you applied anyway.”
    Making a huge effort not to pick up the pen and start fidgeting with