L. A. Candy Read Online Free PDF

waterfall. Soothing New Age-y music hummed over invisible speakers. The air smelled like lavender, clean and comforting.
    Behind a long gold desk, a petite blond receptionist spoke softly into a headset. She peered at Jane from behind a massive arrangement of purplish black calla lilies and bamboo leaves and whispered, “Can I help you?”
    Jane gave her a little wave. “Um, hi! I’m Jane Roberts. I’m the new intern.” Her voice sounded really loud to her.
    “I’ll let Fiona know you’re here. Please have a seat.”
    Jane started to thank her but was stopped short by the sound of exotic birds singing. No, it wasn’t birds; it was the receptionist’s phone. Jane had never heard a ringtone like that. “Good morning, Fiona Chen Events, Naomi speaking,” the receptionist whispered.
    Jane noticed a sleek brown leather couch and sat down. She reached to twirl a lock of her hair, then remembered that she was wearing it up. She drummed her fingers on the couch and tapped her foot. Calm down, she told herself. Relax. Breathe in and out with the trickling waterfall.
    She had a good reason to be nervous though. After all, this was her first real job. The only other jobs she’d had were the usual high school gigs: babysitting, lifeguarding, waitressing. She had even worked behind the counter of an El Pollo Loco—“The Crazy Chicken”—although the only crazy thing there had been her boss, Dwayne, who carried a photo of his dead parakeet in a locket around his neck and yelled nonstop. Jane had quit after two weeks.
    And this was her first time meeting Fiona Chen face-to-face. Her interview back in June had been over the phone because Fiona was too busy to meet in person.
    Jane knew that she was lucky to have this internship, even though it barely paid anything so she would have to live off her savings and help from her parents. She owed it all to her mother, who had arranged the interview; she and Fiona had been sorority sisters back in their Berkeley days.
    “Jane?”
    Jane’s head jerked up. Standing in the doorway was a strikingly beautiful woman dressed head to toe in black, her black hair in a tight ponytail. The only makeup she wore was flawless black eyeliner that winged out at the edges.
    “Fiona Chen,” the woman said brusquely. Jane noticedthat she didn’t smile. “Please come in.”
    “Thanks, it’s nice to meet you,” Jane said. She jumped to her feet and extended her hand.
    Fiona shook it quickly. Her hands were cold. She turned to the receptionist. “Naomi. Hold my calls for the next ten minutes, unless it’s our September twelfth birthday girl. She’s having some sort of existential crisis about her step-daughter’s dress, and I need to intervene personally. Also, call around to our usual rental places and see who can give us four sixty-by-sixty white silk tents for this Saturday’s wedding. Yes, I mean Saturday. Our bride decided to change venues at the last minute. Also, see if you can find us a thousand robin’s-egg-blue balloons for Sunday’s baby shower. Robin’s egg blue, not any other kind of blue. Also, reschedule my oxygen facial from six to seven. Oh, and call Anthony over at Sublime Stems and tell him to replace these dreadful calla lilies. They look like death. Please.”
    “Yes, Fiona,” Naomi whispered, writing frantically.
    Fiona turned and walked through the doorway. Am I supposed to follow her? Jane wondered. I guess I’m supposed to follow her. She picked up her bag and rushed to catch up.
    Jane trailed after Fiona through a maze of hallways. There were more dark gold walls and more New Age-y music and more lavender smells. They passed half a dozen people whom Jane assumed were employees (one of them was thumbing through a rack of tuxedoes; another was inspecting bolts of pale pink fabric; the rest were busy at their desks), but Fiona didn’t introduce her to any of them.Jane wasn’t sure, but she thought that a few people gave her looks of pity.
    They ended up in a