Boomerang Read Online Free PDF

his suit tail back in a movement that’s as unconscious as the way I juggle a soccer ball. “How’d it go last night after I left?”
    I smile, because part of me wants to tell him the truth. Well, Adam, I met the other intern, did some body shots with her, took her back to my place and probably spent the duration between her thighs. So, pretty good night, all in all.
    I go with the safer answer, though. “Great. I met up with my roommate. We did a little celebrating.”
    “Good. That’s what I like to hear.” Adam’s eyes move past me, and we both stand again as Mia enters with the blond woman we saw in the hall earlier.
    “Morning, Cookie,” Adam says.
    “Adam, intern. Intern, Adam.” She gives Mia a little push and then swivels on a stiletto and leaves.
    The glass door is on one of those slow-closing hinges, so we hear and see her retreat for what feels like forever. “I need that presentation, Paolo,” she says, pressing a headset that appears to be implanted in her ear. “Get them to me in an hour or I’ll have your Puerto Rican ass deported, and no, I don’t care if that’s impossible. I could find a way and don’t you doubt it for one goddamn . . .”
    The door closes, and we settle back into our seats, sharing a moment of tense silence. From the corner of my eye, I can tell that Mia’s wearing new clothes. I want to see how she looks, but checking her out is not an option right now. Besides, I already know she’d look good in anything. She looks really good in nothing .
    Adam smiles and crosses his legs. “I’m very fond of talented, hard-working people, and Cookie happens to be both, as do both of you. You’ll notice that among my staff, I’ll forgive eccentricities as long as the work that’s produced is on time and of the highest quality—but I do have a few rules.” He stiffens slightly and shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I’m forgetting my manners. You two haven’t met yet.”
    He introduces Mia and me, and we shake hands, pretending to be strangers who did not, in any way, see each other naked one hour and ten minutes ago. I can’t tell if we sell it well enough. Adam watches us with a curious expression, like he knows something that we don’t know. Or like he knows the something that we do know and are trying to hide.
    “Where was I?” he asks.
    “Rules,” I say.
    “Work of the highest quality,” Mia adds.
    “Yes, thank you. I know you’ll produce good work—you wouldn’t be here otherwise—but the terms of the internship need to be clarified. You’ll help in marketing. I understand you both have different areas of interest, but the Boomerang brand can always use an injection of fresh, creative thinkers. And it’s the best place to learn about what we do. Only one of you—the one who contributes the most—will receive the offer of permanent employment in the fall. Prove your mettle, and you’ll earn your place in one of the fastest-growing media businesses in the world, but I want to be clear: there’s only one spot. Only one of you will stay on.”
    He pauses, letting that sink in. And it does. Like ice water. I took this internship because of the promise of a job at the end of the summer. I did not sign up to work my ass off for free, only to end up with nothing.
    I can’t afford that. I will starve if I don’t get this job.
    I’m too close to it as it is.
    I feel Mia’s eyes dart over to me. This girl showed up in my life less than twenty-four hours ago. I’ve slept with her. I’ve shared a cab with her and given her my dress shirt to wear. But this new situation is a game-changer.
    Officially, Mia is now my competition.
    “Is that understood?” Adam asks, his eyes narrowing on me and then shifting to Mia.
    I nod.
    Mia says, “Yes.”
    “Good.” Adam folds his hands together. “Now for rules. There’s really only one. This business sets up people who want no-strings-attached company. That’s what I sell. Relationships for people on the rebound.